The Random Thoughts of Henry Holloway
Some Boy Scouts were strolling through a cemetery. I hasten to add that is not one of their favourite haunts. They saw a tombstone marking the grave of a lighthouse keeper. On the stone was inscribed the words to the effect that he had been at his post of duty for over 40 years. ‘Fancy living in a lighthouse all that time,’ said one of the boys. ‘Whatever did he do?’ another Scout said: ‘He kept the light burning.’
Almost two thousand years ago Jesus of Nazareth said: ‘I am the Light of the world.’ He came into a dark, despondent and despairing world. He has been light for the orphans, for there were no orphan homes until He came. It was Christian people who first built homes and hospitals.
I wonder do we always realize how much we owe in our workaday world to the influence of that short life of Jesus? You working men, for example, with your Trade Unions! The first attempts that were ever made to get a fair crack of the whip for the workers were made by men who owed allegiance to the Christian church.
No attempt was ever made to help criminals to a better way of life. No efforts were ever made to care for the mentally sick. There was no Welfare State. All our modern efforts to ease the burden and to brighten life and give equality of opportunity to all, and to help and heal the sick, all spring from the influence of one Man in a short ministry of three years. Do you ever thank God for these things? There was something else which this amazing Man said. He told His friends once: ‘Ye are the light of the world.’ This is still a dark world for many people and the world has need of any little light that you can pass on. A writer once said that ‘Love is the spark that kindled a thousand lamps.’ We have got to exercise the spirit of love in kindly service that will light the way of life for other people. If God has given you the power to bring light to other people, don’t hide it, and don’t keep the gift to yourself, share it.
There is a phrase in the New Testament translated like this, ‘Maintain the spiritual glow.’ Behind the record of 40 years service in the lighthouse there was a man who was never caught in an unguarded moment; a man who always had supplies at hand to keep the light steady for ships at sea.
The Apostle Paul said that ‘The God Who commanded light to shine out of darkness hath shined into our hearts.’ Bertrand Russell said that ‘The life of man is a long march through the night.’ You can make your own choice. For my part I prefer Paul’s company to that of the philosopher. As one other said: ‘A dark world this is, traveller, and rough weather. If my little lantern can help you on your way a bit, let’s go together to the next milestone.
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