The New York herald., 1872-12-02


to a most elaborate discourse on the transagura-
tIon OF Christ, delivered by the Rev. Mr.. Macarthur
The text was Peter l. 1871. and from 1t the rev.
erend pastor delivered ON able and exhaustive SER
mon, regarding the incidents that occurred
on the Mount during the TRANSPORTATION Of
Christ. The life OF Christ, the preacher
said, had been divided into three parts =
First, the period OF miracles; second, the
period OF parallels. and third, the period OF suffer-
ing. And II might be observed that there were
several points Of resemblance between the baptism
at Jordan and the TRANSPORTATION of Christ. Each
was baptism which was followed by period Of
suffering and which was accompanied by the voice
OF God acknowledging Christ as His welI-beloved
Son. Peter, in the above chapter, acknowledges
Christ as Gods son, and it was through
Peter that the disciples were able to receive
fuller and stronger revelation of Chrsts divinity
than they had hitherto possessed. or these dis
ciples Jesus loved three OF them with very pecu.
liar Affection. These three were men OF mark In
themselves Peter the great James, willing to
die for his Lord and John, the tender-hearted
John. who reclined in jesus bosom. With these
three Jesus asccnds the mountain. He climbed the
mount, as did his followers, and not until night
did they reach the top when the sun was sinking
behind the western hills. There the Eternal Son
communed with the Eternal Father. And the last
the sounds OF Christ's ascending prayer and the
first sight they saw when they awoke was the brow
OF the hill yelled In supernal glory.
RAPHAEL's PICTURE OF THE TRANSPORTATION.
This scene Is made familiar to all the world by
Raphaels celebrated picture. As 1t was his last it
was his best Raphael never again painted with
his brush any Of the noble conceptions of his fer
tile imagination. His picture Is one OF the best
commentaries OF this awful narrative. The differ
ent parts of the picture are truthful representa-
tons Of the as recorded by the disciple Peter
In studying tho prominent events that occurred at
the transfguration scene, when Jesus was accom-
first what these disciples saw; second, what they
heard, and, third, what they felt.
First the disciples saw Moses and Elias walking
with Jesus. Moses Is the representative oil the law
and Elias the representative OF prophecy. In what
form Moses appeared 1T is impossible to say. There
was no evidence to show that he assumed a hu man
form such as be had when on earth. Moses died
and was buried. After He buried Moses body God
buried @ his grave also. II was not necessary ifor
own form he went up in chariot to God. Although
the disciples had never seen Moses and Elias, yet
they knew them, and whether that fact may be re-
garded as point OF evidence in favor of the theory
6f some the0logans that there Will be universal
recognition In the future world Is matter OF
speculation.
1t will Sc Seen That the disciples, in the presence
the time between death and the resurrection Is not
sleep. The Saviour used this argument when He
said that 'GOd Is not the God OF the dead, but or
and by their appearance they showed that death is
not sleep, or a slumber from death to the resur-
rectiOn, and that we must either come at once to
God or be banished at once from God forever.
The second object seen oy the disciples was Jesus
there was to be scene so brightY Why was the
brow, SO soon to be crowned with thorns, now
crowned with gorys Why was it that His gar
ments were to become whittier than the snow Why
was 1t that He was soon to hang between thieves
Elias TT They saw Christ in glory and had seen
Him in humiliation. They now see Him honored
and exalted OF God. There were many reasons
for this. The disciples had mistaken notions OF
Christ's person aud words; but in the revelations
which were now made to these three disciples they
Messiah and it was in order to establish the faith
OF the disciples that they were granted these reve
atlons II was not only for the disciples, but for
made. They were granted that all might see
the harmony that existed between the law and the
new dispensation. Christ seems to have set aside
the old dispensatiOn. He set aside many Of its ira
dttions. According to its notions He even broke
might perceive the real harmony between the old
and new dispensations that the disciples were
favored with a view Of Moses and Elias and the
surprising glory of Jesus. But they saw one thing
more. They beheld cloud overshadowing them.
1t was so bright that the ordinary light seemed
darkness A1fd in the cloud they beheld Noses and
Elias. That cloud was
THE SYMBOL OF GODS PRESENCE.
Taking into consideration the persons present
and the attending circumstances, 1t must be con-
fessed that it was the sublimest scene that was
ever witnessed on earth. The disciples likewise
heard conversation between Moses and Elias and
Christ concerning the death OF Christ. None Of
the writer's give the words of this conversation.
They give the results without giving the
tual words. These words, however, were heard by.
these disciples and, for some wise reason, gave the
result rather than the words themselves. 1t Is
perhaps an as onshing fact that the subject OF
the conversation Of Moses, Elias and Jesus should
have been the death of the latter. Gods voice was
also heard from out the cloud God has not been nor
cannot be, seen by man. His message had reference
to Christ also. Three times in the Cos
pei God, in an audible voice, claims Christ
as his ''belOved Son. Christ is mediator be-
tween God and man. Never before had God said
81 am well pleasedn in the sense In which ne said
1t to His beloved Son. Christ is also prophet, so
God says "Hear We Him." Other prophets have
spoken, but their prophecies are worthless IN SO
far as they related to Christ. What the disciples
felt on seeing these scenes on the Mount was great
beauty They had gaZed on the face OF Jesus
knowing that 1t was
FACE ON WHICH TEARS HAD FALLEN.
They had seen him when heartbrOken, but now
they gazed urOn him In his glory and beauty. 1t
was no borrowed glory. 1t was n time of deep,
ecstatic peace that flowed from the hearts OF the
disciples as they gazed on the Lord. But the Sec
Ond thing they felt was holy fear. The cloud came
down, and Jesus and Moses and Elias were lost In
1t. They had disappeared, and the disciples were
overwhelmed with fear.
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