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Dewhurst (E. M.), The King and His Servants, 191.
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Fellowship in the Light.
But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin. — I John i. 7.
1. It is remarkable that the Apostle does not here repeat what he had just before said of " fellowship with God," as we might have expected he would do. Indeed, so natural is that ex- pectation, that Dr. Plummer says, "The craving to make this verse the exact antithesis of the preceding one has generated another reading " as old as the second century — " We have fellow- ship with Him." The real reason for the altered expression to be found in this verse is to be sought in the fact that fellowship with " one another " in the body of Christ is the human expression and result of all real fellowship with God. The communion of saints is an unmistakable proof that the saints themselves are in communion with God.
2. A second result of this walk in the light now comes to be mentioned. It leads to the discovery of sin, of our own sin, and so St. John adds, " and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanseth us from all sin." The connexion of these words with what has gone before is not accidental, for our walking in the light first of all discloses to us the reality of our own sin, and then reveals to us the perfect cleansing from sin that God has provided in " the blood of Jesus his Son."
% That blessed text, " The blood of Jesus Christ cleanseth us from all sin," which sometimes comes down on the heart like a whole heaven of peace and joy and glory, will at other times be as meaningless as the darkest sayings of the prophets, or as power- less as the vainest utterances of human folly. And then just as one is bemoaning its darkness, it will suddenly blaze out in
2i8 FELLOWSHIP IN THE LIGHT
astonishing brightness, and almost startle the heart by its revela- tions of safety and strength.^
^ This was the text that God blessed to give peace to Hedley Vicars, that dashing young officer who died at Sebastopol leading on his soldiers, and crying out, " This way, men of the 97th ! " He had before this been a careless young man ; but one day he went to a brother officer's room, and found him not within. There was a Bible lying on the table, and he took it up just to while away the time. The first verse that his eye lighted on was this : "The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." " Cleanseth us from all sin ? " said he. " And is there really something that can cleanse away all my sins ? If so, by the blessing of God, I'll have them cleansed away." And soon he was rejoicing in Jesus, who died for his sins, and who was then alive, and present with him continually. Ever afterwards till he died, this was his favourite verse : " The blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin." ^
^ In 1907 King Oscar of Sweden lay on his death-bed. When the end seemed very near, the Queen bent down over her husband and repeated this verse in his ear. The dying King replied, "Thanks be to Jesus." These were his last words (from a newspaper report).
We can understand what the sorrowing wife meant by quoting the verse. The outward parting was approaching, yet the fellowship would abide.
0 blest communion, fellowship Divine ! We feebly struggle, they in glory shine; Yet all are one in Thee, for all are Thine.
" The blood of Jesus cleanseth " comes last in the verse. We might have thought that it should come first. First the cleansing, and then the walking. But no, just as we walk in the light shall we realize the need of cleansing all the more, up to the very close of life. And so the King's last words were " Thanks be to Jesus." *
Walking in the Light.
(/ 1. In the light. — There is no greater blessing than light. It is the indispensable condition of our existence. Bereft of light, all