The Devotional Period

White Ribbon, Volume 29, Issue 10, 1 June 1958, Page 3

The Devotional Period

►cripture Reading: lohn 1:1 -14. A.R. Hymnal, N T o. 81. Theme: “The entrance of Thy Word giveth Light.” (Abridged morning devotions taken by Mr* L. K. V. Grigg a.t Convention.) How great are the wonders of creation! Our rarthly source of light, the sun, is 92 million miles distant. Our nearest heavenly body is the moon over 200,000 miles away, the farthest planet known to our solar system is Pluto, 4$ billion miles distant. 'Ye are part of the galaxy known as the Milky |Way, which contains some billions of stars, but beyond the Milky Way are millions of other Lalaxies. Astronomers can find no end to them, miesc are the wonders of the telescope, but the kvonders of the microscope are just as marvellous tn their own way—the construction of a flower, a common mould, their reproductive systems Scientists are now penetrating into the world ot the invisible—the atom and miniature solar system with its nucleus, its protons and electrons We live in a world, which, in comparison with the universe if like a grain of sand in the Sahara Desert. No wonder that the Psalmist said, “the Heavens declare the Glory of God” and that when he considered the heavens he wondered how God came to be mindful of men. Others likened man to a worm and a grasshopper. How important to us are light and heat of the sun, the light and tidal influence of our moon' Without them we would perish. Two thousand years ago, One came to earth, and He said, “I am the light of the worid, no man cometh to the Father but by Me.” When we think of our earth as a grain of sand, this whole event seems to be too stupendous to be true. Men have home witness to His coming Peter said, “I beheld Hi c Glory,” and John said, “I touched Him”. He, who was called the Light, was also called the Word. If we speak or write, we use words and it is through the written word, the Bible, that we know of these things. What a poor use is made of words today in radio, cinema and literature! I hose who are Christians have a special responsibility to lighten the darkness of others with oral and printed word. Every seven days, one million people learn to read for the first time. What are they reading? The Communists printed two pieces of literature for every person in the world They claim that they won China by the printed page. I lie West is busy sending vile comics and films portraying sex and violence to the East and to Africa. It also sends the Word of God, but evil literature is sent in quantities, which counteracts the good.

The YV.C.T.U. has a special task, like the prophets of old, to draw attention to the evils destroying our people—drink, gambling and impurity. We are using the oral and printed message, of which our own “White Ribbon” is an important part. This work must accompany evangelism.

‘The spirit of man is the candle of the Lord' In our work, one candle shows a small light, but >et a light. One member is a witness. Several members increase that light and make a Union Many Unions make a great light and a power in our national life.”