“Truly the light is sweet, and it is a pleasant thing for the eyes to behold the sun.”

THESE words, which are to be found in Ecclesiastes 11:7, are very beautiful in a natural sense; but what Christadelphian is there who has not felt how applicable they are to that word which is truly a light to his feet and a lamp to his path? By the intelligence and honest courage of brethren, to whom we are deeply indebted, the mysteriousness of orthodoxy has been dispelled, the multitude of errors which darkened the horizon of truth has been cast away, and our eyes which were obscured by false doctrines, now see in the oracles of God the way to that inheritance which Peter declared to be incorruptible, undefiled, and which will never fade away. And what makes the light, in which we rejoice as Christadelphians, so sweet to the mental eye? It is because in it there is no contradiction; in it there is nothing contrary to our reason. As to a beautiful object, smoothness and regularity are essential features; so perfect harmony distinguishes Christadelphian principles – harmony not only with a man’s reason, but with his spiritual aspirations.

ROBERT ROBERTS, The Ambassador of the Coming Age, 1868, page 345.

Ecclesiastes

11Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days. Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all. In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good. Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun: But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity. Rejoice, O young man, in thy youth; and let thy heart cheer thee in the days of thy youth, and walk in the ways of thine heart, and in the sight of thine eyes: but know thou, that for all these things God will bring thee into judgment. Therefore remove sorrow from thy heart, and put away evil from thy flesh: for childhood and youth are vanity.