Hide Not Your Light Under a Bushel

These words were uttered by the prophet while ten of the twelve tribes of Israel were in captivity. The two remaining tribes—the tribes of Judah—were on the way. God had warned these people through the years that unless they changed in attitude and relation­ship, they would be oppressed. Amid these warnings, in an effort to change their whole outlook, God sent through His prophet Isaiah words of encouragement and cheer to lift the people out of the situation which they had brought upon themselves.

In the fifty-ninth chapter we hear Him say, "Behold, the Lord's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save; neither His ear heavy, that it cannot hear : but your iniquities have sepa­rated between you and your God, and your sins have hid His face from you, that He will not hear." Verses r, 2. God then pleads with His people, and the prophet recognizes their true condition as he utters the words found in verses 9 to 12.

In the Sabbath school lesson yesterday, the memory verse reminded us that the things which happened to these people were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come. The historical end of the world is coming upon us, and the prophetic end has come upon us. Today the Lord is calling His people to arise and shine, and He reveals to them that they face peril unless they change their ways. Just as Judah knew the prophecies of God's word, so do the people of God today know His prophecies. Just as Judah knew that destruction was imminent unless they turned from their wrong ways, so also do the professed people of God know that this is the ultimate end.

In Volume V of the "Testimonies" we read: "Experience is knowledge derived from ex­periment." Does not this particularly apply to those who are engaged in medical work ?

We read further:

"Experimental religion is what is needed now. 'Taste and see that the Lord is good.' Some—yes, a large number—have a theoretical knowledge of re­ligious truth, but have never felt the renewing power of divine grace upon their own hearts. These per­sons are ever slow to heed the testimonies of warn­ing, reproof, and instruction indited by the Holy Spirit. They believe in the wrath of God, but put forth no earnest efforts to escape it. They believe in heaven, but make no sacrifice to obtain it. They believe in the value of the soul, and that erelong its redemption ceaseth forever. Yet they neglect the most precious opportunities to make their peace with God."—Page 221.

Each one of us, fellow workers, has to watch lest we in some way find ourselves as part of that picture. We live today in times of darkness, perplexity, and need, and if there has ever come to us a message that should inspire us, touch our hearts, change our lives, and draw us nearer to consistent walking with God, this appeal to us to arise and shine with a consciousness that the glory of the Lord is risen upon us, is such a message.

It is interesting to note that Christ is called the "Light of life." The thought of shining and the thought of light and life are by no means uncommon in the Scriptures. Light and life are very closely and frequently asso­ciated together. Christ was the "Light" of men, and He is called also the "Life" of men. Christ tells us that we also are the "light of the world," and He tells us that we are to shine. (Matt. 5:14; Phil. 2:15, 16.) Light and life are associated. All true light shining calls for a fullness in life giving. The candle shines. The more brightly it shines, the more it gives of itself; and so it is in human life. We are told that we are God's candles. ("Acts of the Apostles," p. 586.)

There are four different places in which the Lord speaks of men possessing a light and hiding it—under a bed, with a vessel, in a secret place, or under a bushel: "Is a candle brought to be put . . . under a bed?" Mark 4:21. "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, covereth it with a vessel." Luke 8 :16. "No man, when he hath lighted a candle, putteth it in a secret place." Luke II :33. "Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel." Matt. 5:14.

I wish to speak this morning for a little while about the people who hide their light under the bushel of business. Is not hiding our light under a bushel more or less synony­mous with business? We have developed extensive business interests through the years. These the Lord has graciously blessed in many ways, and for our success we thank Him. Today, cold statistical facts and figures reveal that in business and property our worth amounts to millions of dollars. The financial value of these properties and business inter­ests is unquestionably important.

The employment feature also is important and helpful, for today our business interests permit us to employ thousands of men and women of our faith who day by day find life more or less secure as a result of being em­ployed by the denomination. We need, how­ever, to watch, lest in attempting to develop our business interests we in any way lose sight of God's primary purpose in the estab­lishment of the business.

Our sanitariums at the present time em­ploy nearly one hundred full-time physicians and more than two thousand nurses and other helpers. In these institutions, we are com­pelled to follow certain principles of business in our contacts with others, and it is right that we should. In these relationships, how­ever, we find we need to exercise the utmost caution, lest our light be hidden under the bushel of business. As I understand the pur­pose of God in establishing our work in every department, it is for the purpose of preparing a people to meet their God—only that. It matters not whether it be the preparation of health foods, the publishing of literature, the establishing of schools or sanitariums, or the work of the ministry. The ultimate in God's plan is one and only one—the salvation of souls.

I was in business before I was an Advent­ist. I was not much of a Christian then, I must confess, and business was my sole ob­jective and aim. But I believe, brethren, that all men who are engaged in business need to watch, lest the pressure of the business in some way obscure the primary plan of God for the establishment of the business. (See "Testi­monies," Vol. IV, p. 425.)

We need to be exceedingly careful, lest our religious life be darkened by business cares. The pressure of such care is tremendous today. The professions find it so; commerce finds it so; the ministry finds it so. We need to watch, lest we allow business cares to obscure our light and hide it under a bushel. We need to watch, lest we allow business to be primary. Our work is the salvation of souls and the preparation of men to meet God. We will never prepare men to meet God merely through business channels.

In "Testimonies," Volume IV, we read:

"Many are in danger of thinking that in the cares of labor, in writing and practicing as physicians, or performing the duties of the various departments, they are excusable if they lay down prayer, neglect the Sabbath, and neglect religious service. . . Neither physicians nor helpers should attempt to per­form their work without taking time to pray. . . . When they are small in their own eyes, and lean heavily upon their God, then He will be the arm of their power, and success will attend their efforts; but when they allow the mind to be diverted from God, then Satan comes in and controls the thoughts and perverts the judgment."—Page 560.

I had a very interesting experience with a medical man some time ago. He is a most successful physician in private prac­tice. I had not met him, but happened to be at a camp meeting in his community. When­ever I heard this man's name mentioned, it was always associated with references to a godly life and a successful ministry in religious experience as well as in professional work. I heard people express themselves so fre­quently concerning this doctor that I deter­mined to become acquainted with him. He came to the camp meeting, and I was intro­duced to him. I asked him to take a walk with me, and we walked among the trees of the encampment.

I said to him : "Doctor, I have never met you before, but I am happy to meet you now. I have heard so much about you on this camp-. ground. People have frequently said, 'Doctor____________  is such a godly man; the Lord greatly  blesses him.' I would like for you to tell me the secret of your spiritual experience, for I am sure you must enjoy such."

And this was his reply : "Brother Turner, that is a strange question you ask me. I have never spoken of it before, but since you have asked me, I will tell you. I had not been at Loma Linda for three months when I felt my­self slipping, because of the pressure of studies. One morning before I arose the thought came home to me, 'You are slipping.' I thought about it, and I knew that in some way or other the things pressing about me in my studies were compelling me to relinquish some of my former communion with my God. Before I left my bed that morning, I closed my eyes and promised the Lord that from that time, by His grace, I would spend the first thirty minutes of the day in Bible study and prayer. By His grace I have never missed a day since then. Sometimes I am out early in the morning, at two or three o'clock, but my alarm is set for a certain hour no matter when I come in, and when the alarm goes off I devote the first thirty minutes to my God.