Meeting at Healdsburg by James White

Pacific Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Oakland, California · May 30, 1878

Meeting at Healdsburg.

By James White

SABBATH, May 17, we spoke to the church at Healdsburg from words of our Lord's sermon on the Mount. Matt. 5:16: "Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven." The subject naturally divides as follows:—

1. The true church of Christ has light.

2. She should let that light shine to the world.

3. The words so shine conveys the idea that there is a proper way for the church to let her light shine.

This sermon has properly been termed Christ's inaugural address as it is his first published sermon. As the president of the United States before entering upon his official duties publishes his inaugural address, setting forth the policy he designs to pursue, and also the danger to which his government is exposed, so Christ has set forth the principle of his kingdom of grace in the beatitudes in which he declares blessings upon the meek, the humble mourning ones, and the peacemakers.

This gives force to the words so shine. The church should let her light shine in meekness, humility and mercy to the erring. This is in harmony with the words of the apostle Peter, where he says we should give the reasons of our hope in meekness and fear. Then Christ states the greatest danger to which his government would be exposed. He looked down to our time, and saw the great popular error that the advent, mission, and ministry of our divine Lord destroyed or abolished the moral code, hence his words of warning. Matt. 5:17-19: "Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets, I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven."

No heresy strikes more directly at the very foundation of God's moral government, and the gospel of the Son of God than that which denies the perpetuity of the Law of God. Sin is the transgression of the law. Christ died for our sins. Take away the law, and sin ceases to exist, and there is no need of a Saviour as a sacrifice for our sins and an advocate with the Father. J. W.