Now, as the sun is a beautiful and an appropriate symbol of Christ, so the moon strikingly reminds us of the Church. The fountain of her light is hidden from view. The world seeth Him not, but she sees Him; and she is responsible to reflect His beams upon a benighted world. The world has no other way in which to learn anything of Christ but by the Church. "Ye," says the inspired Apostle, "are our epistle,... known and read of all men." And again, "Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ." (2 Cor. 3:2, 32Ye are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men: 3Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshy tables of the heart. (2 Corinthians 3:2‑3).)
What a responsible place! How earnestly should she watch against everything that would hinder the reflection of the heavenly light of Christ in all her ways! But how is she to reflect this light? By allowing it to shine on her in its undimmed brightness. If the Church only walked in the light of Christ, she would assuredly reflect His light; and this would ever keep her in her proper position. The light of the moon is not her own. So it is with the Church. She is not called to set herself before the world. She is a simple debtor to reflect the light which she herself receives. She is bound to study with holy diligence the path which He trod while down here, and, by the energy of the Holy Ghost who dwells in her, to follow in that path. But alas! earth with its mists, its clouds, and its vapors, intervenes and hides the light and blots the epistle. The world can see but little of the traits of Christ's character in those who call themselves by His name; yea, in many instances they exhibit a humbling contrast rather than a resemblance. May we study Christ more prayerfully, that so we may copy Him more faithfully.