The National tribune., 1896-02-20

cannot afford to be ignorant of ChristoloRy.
4. Faith Is an individual matter. We are
not to be so concerned as TO what opinions
others hold as to Christ, but be ourselves most
Of all anxious to entertain exact and correct
sentiments rs to our Savior.
5. Take comfort in tho fact OF tho resurrec-
tion. We are to live after death.
6. Teach by questions. This is the true idea
Of education, which is drawing out. Use the
catechism.
OPINIONS OF THE DISCIPLES AS TO CHRIST
Data.
st, Matt. 16 1920; st. Mark, $3.50, 30; ST.
Luke, 8: 90, 21.
The Question.
The question is the same as that in the para
graph above. only now it is applied specially to
the Disciples, and they in contrast with "meD."
Who is Christ? Whom do you, Disciples, hold
Christ to be? What is your opinion Of Him?
Many accept the answer given by st. Peter,
as practically that of tho entire body of Dis
cip!es, he acting simply as their spokesman.
" But whom say nc that / ann" Never
mind just now about tho absurd opinions of
society. am more concerned to have my i'm
mediate followers right on this essential ques-
tion." So we might conceive Christ saying
The first thing in becoming Christian is to
have a right conception of Christ. The very
foundation of church must rest on the real
Christ. Much of the error to-day, most of the
divisions among Christians. the great occasion
for so many denominations, find explanation
in wrong opinions to Christ.
The Ansrer.
The Messiah was expected. His work
quito definitely and accurately understood.
The question was as to the identity of the
Christ with Jesus. He was considered by
many as forerunner of the Messiah. Was he
the real Messiah? That was the hinging ques-
tion. Right here We the insight of st.
Peter. Thou art the Christ" Christ is
Greek for the Anointed, and equivalent to the
Messiah. So ST. Peter declared the grand doc
trinc. Jesus WAS He Who was to fulfill the
prophecies of the Old Testament as the Messiah.
He WAS the One Whom God sent to be the
Savior of our world.
II. THE VALUE OF THE SOUL.
This is an important study. Each person
must realize he has q priceless soul. Reading
Flavel lately met the following: 1.-TWO
things master commits to bis servants care
the child and the child's clothes. 1t will be
poor excuse for servant to say at his masters
return Sir, here are all the child's clothes,
neat, clean, but the child is lost Much so
with the account that many will give to God
of their souls and bodies at the great day:
Lord, here is my body. 1 am very grateful
for il. ! neglected nothing that belonged to
its content and welfare; but for my soul, that
is lost and cast away forever. / took little
care and thought about it,"
l. Time
Our lesson carries us back ], 1868 years; to wit,
to May, A. ID. 25 That was in Christ's 3ith
year of life and the fourth of his ministry.
g Place.
We find ourselves in Caesarea Philppi, Perea,
Palestine, Asia, about 100 miles northeast of
Jerusalem, the extreme northeast corner of
Palestine. Another name was Paneas. twas
the place where it was said st. Veronica (the
name by legend of the woman cured by our
Savior of ~ years sickness) built brass mopu-
ment, out of gratitude to Christ.
3. Data.
st. Matt, 16 2t-28 10: 30, 33, 80, 30; st.
Mark, 8: 31-35; 8: st. Luke, O.: 22-27; IL:
s, o; II 81; II 25, SO.
A. Explanatory
Verses 21-2S of st. Matthew account give
an ideal of the value of the SOUL Its saliva
tiOn cost our Savior great sacri6ce-in-
credible outlay of suffering. One who most
the Deity of Christ is least in
clined to believe that he would submit to
such indignities. Wo have to wrestTe with
tremendous prejudices in an effort to believe
the Son Of God would be brought to such ex-
tremes. Then, who is most conscious of
mans depravity and ingratitude is least likely
to admit that Deity would condescend to such |
lowliness and degradation and Suffering. ST.
Peter grasped both thoughts, and conld not |
tolerate the idea Christ should be abused. The
great theoogc trouble OF to-day is the effort |
TO explain Christ's condescensiOn. st. Peter |
made a very natural mistake, and it was neces- |
sary Christ should offset it by an unmistaks-
BILE and eternal emphasis. The value of the |
soul explains all-the infinite possibilities of
grand outlook for man re-
deemed. No one reading the account fairly
can imagine st. Peter meant any indignity to
his Savior The Day Of Pentecost had not yet
como when the Holy Spirit specially enlight-
ened the Apostles. st. Peter had many things
yet to learn.