Article August 22, 1925 Issue

Signs of the Times

with contributions from Jason Noble Pierce, J. St. Loe Strachey, G. H. Harris, James I. Vance

[Dr. Jason Noble Pierce, as quoted in the Times Union, Jacksonville, Florida, April 30, 1925]

When Jesus said, "Ye are the salt of the earth," and "Ye are the light of the world," he was laying down the condition which makes the Sermon on the Mount practicable. If good men and women do not mix close into the world like salt is mixed into food, and testify for truth and reality as light illuminates, then the nation cannot prosper and God's kingdom cannot come. We put salt into food not to give it a salty taste, but to bring out its own inherent flavor. So Christians are in the world to develop its divinest possibilities. We light the house and the street, not to display a lamp or loose a blinding glare, but to allow people to discover realities as they exist. So Christians are to testify to truth and reality by what they are, do, and say. Both salt and light are imparting, are giving out and losing themselves. So Christians will be exhausted unless constantly replenished with power from God.

Our families and our towns, our states and our nation, have prospered in noble manhood and useful citizens because the church has stood at the center of life testifying for God, calling for sacrifice, summoning to duty. The church does not call men and women to desert the world, but to transform it; not to forsake it and hide from it, but to live like Christ in it. It inspires them for service. Every one can do his part, whether one be young or old, boy or girl, rich or poor, ignorant or wise.

Send a comment to the editors

We'd love to hear from you!

Easily submit your testimonies, articles, and poems online.

Submit

Signs of the Times

We'd love to hear from you!

Sign up for unlimited access