Earl S. Taylor Witnesses an Eclipse On Mission Field in India
There is an old saying that states, “It’s better to light a candle than curse the darkness.” I think that is what Jesus was saying.” That it’s better to come to the light, to come to Him, than to sit in the darkness of our sinful hearts and minds, it is better to respond to truth than reject it.
The story is told of Dr. Earl S. Taylor was in Calcutta during an eclipse of the sun. For days before that event he saw the city’s streets crowded with pilgrims on their way to various sacred places, where they hoped to worship and bathe in the Ganges during the time of the eclipse, expecting thereby to ward off evil.
When at last the fateful hour of darkness arrived hundreds of thousands of people thronged the sacred waters, but terrorized by the eclipse there was great uproar as they feared a great power of evil in the form of a snake was about to swallow the sun-god.
As Dr. Taylor, witnessed this fear of the Hindu worshippers, he heard group of Christians singing in their meeting:
The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin;
The Light of the World is Jesus
Like sunshine at noonday, His glory shone in.
The Light of the world is Jesus!
Come to the light, ’tis shining for thee;
Sweetly the light has dawned upon me.
Once I was blind, but now I can see:
The Light of the world is Jesus!
From a sermon by David Moore, It’s Better To Light A Candle Than Curse The Darkness, 6/9/2010