The Lord has a right to expect more of his believing children than they give him. Every individual Christian is indeed the light of the world. Christians connect with Christ. They reflect the character of Christ. They have been intrusted with great treasures of light; the oracles of God have been given to them, and in these they have been thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Every provision has been made, and why have the individual members of the church wearied of their Lord? Why does he who professes to love God refuse to obtain from the Source of light and power the oil of grace that he may be a bright and shining light? The church has had great opportunities, great privileges, and why is the light growing dim? Why does it not shine to the world? His church whose individual members are advancing, growing in grace and in the knowledge of Jesus Christ, is the elected means of the Redeemer's system for enlightening and saving the world. Christ lived and suffered and died to establish a church capable of doing this noble work. He bought her, he cleansed her with his own blood, and clothed her with the garments of his salvation. He laid the cornerstone upon the bloodstained rock of Calvary. He made his church the depositary of his precious law, and transferred into her hands in a high and holy sense the work of carrying out his holy designs; that the church should take the work when he left it, and carry it forward to its consummation.

Herren har ret til at forvente mere af sine troende børn end det de giver ham. Enhver kristen er faktisk et lys i verden. Kristne knytter sig til Kristus. De genspejler Kristi karakter. De er blevet betroet store rigdomme af lys; Guds orakler er blevet givet til dem, og i disse har de fået alle gode gerninger. Der er gjort alle til vejebringelser, og hvorfor er hver enkelt menighedsmedlem blevet træt af deres Herre? Hvorfor nægter han, som bekender at elske Gud, at modtage nådens olie fra lysets Kilde, så han kan være et klart og skinnende lys? Menigheden har haft store anledninger, og store privilegier, og hvorfor bliver lyset fordunklet? Hvorfor skinner det ikke ud for verden? Hans menighed, hvor de enkelte medlemmer vokser i nåden, og i kundskaben om Jesus Kristus, er udvalgte midler fra Forløserens system, der skal oplyse og frelse verden. Kristus levede og led og døde for at sætte en menighed i stand til at gøre dette ædle arbejde. Han købte hende, han rensede hende med sin eget blod, og iklædte hende med frelsens klæder. Han lagde hovedhjørnestenen på Golgatas blodbestænkte klippe. Han gør sin menighed til sin dyrebare lovs forvaltere, og overbringer en høj og hellig fornuft i menighedens hænder, en fornuft for at gennemføre hans hellige planer; så menigheden tager det arbejde den var overladt i, og fører det frem til sin fuldendelse.