This discourse eloquently makes the case for the wisdom of the presence of the shadow in human life. It was originally published as a pamphlet and is included in The Life Works of Cora L. V. Richmond.
“The side of heaven that is turned toward man is the shadowy side; it is needed; with your eyes of earth you cannot see the perfect light of truth, it would blind your vision; you would be dazzled by its perfect power.”
The Shadow of a Great Rock in a Weary Land
This 1887 sermon uses the metaphor of “the shadow of a great rock in a weary land” to illustrate the spiritual necessity of adversity. The speaker argues that while prosperity and material success are initially desirable, they ultimately lead to emptiness and a lack of spiritual growth, likened to the scorching sun of a desert. Conversely, hardship, grief, and even the “shadow” of death, are presented as essential for spiritual development, enabling the growth of faith, fortitude, and ultimately, a deeper understanding of God’s love. The sermon’s structure progresses from explaining the metaphor through examples of civilizations overcome by unchecked success to emphasizing the importance of embracing the shadow as a crucial step toward spiritual enlightenment, ultimately concluding that the “shadow” is a necessary stage in the path towards spiritual fulfillment.