Milford chronicle., 1903-09-25
An Authoritative Tencher.

Now, my friends as gospel students,
are you ready to accept Jesus Christ as
an authoritative teacher? Are you
ready to accept him as the Son of God?
A few weeks ago Il gentleman wrote to
a friend of mine pathetic letter, which
went something like this: "Oh. why do
the ministers keep on preaching upon
useless and impractical subjects? Why
do they not preach upon some of the
vital questions of the soul? A short
time ago the doctors told me that with
in six months | must die. What l
want to know is how | can straishten
out a wasted life so as to meet my
God" Well, my brother. if these words
should ever be seen by your eye or re-
peated to your ear, the first step for
you to take is to accept Jesus as the
Divine Teacher. You are not to ac-
cept him as did Joseph Ernest Renan.
''as a good man." You must not accept
him as do many. as religious leader
like MOhammed or Buddha or ZOroas-
ter or COnfuclus. You are not to accept
him as Il seer Or prophet John the
Baptist. an Elias or a Jeremiah. You
are to accept hasn as did Simon Peter
when he turned and said. Thou art
Christ. the Son of the Living God"
Are you ready to accept the authOrita-
tive Jesus as divine?
OH. the credentials of the teacher.
Christ! In the prophecies Of Scripture
we can read them. In the miracles
which he performed we can verify
them. In the testimony of John the
Baptist and in the Heavenly Fathers
voice. which sounded over the dripping
locks Of the Son of God when Christ
was baptized, we can prove them.
Christ's credentials are of the highest
authority. They must be accepted.
Napoleon was one day riding along
the lines of the French army. when his
horse SHE'D. Instantly common sol
dier leaped forth from the ranks and
saved his commander from being
thrown. Napoleon smiled at his res
cuer and said. Thank you. captain" !
Quick as fash the soldier saluted and .
asked his chief. "Of what regiment.
sire" The delighted emperor replied.
"Of my own guards" He then rode on.
With that the soldier threw away his
gun and stepped over to where the
staff officers Of the guards weretOllect-
ed. Indignantly those officers ordered
him back to the mnks With that the
new made captain raised his head as be
answered, II am no longer a private
soldier; | am captain Of the emper-
Or's guards" by what authority do
you make such a statement?" asked the
colonel. Then the soldier pointed to-
ward the retreating form OF his ruler
rs he answered. Napoleon said ltr'
criticism. Napoleon was the authority.
Napoleon was to give him his crPden-
tlals So Christ. as the authoritative
teacher. comes to us with his creden-
.ials. The Father. the Heavenly Father.
hath spoken 1t. Witness the JOrdanic
'evelation: Behold light cloud over.
shadOwed them. and behold voice
,ut Of the cloud which said, This Is
ny Son in whom am well pleased.
Hear ye him." Authoritatiyelyl Christ
always speaks authOritatively.
The gospel classroom. in the next
)lace. has self sacrificing teacher
The word self sacrificing" can we'll be
lpplIed to all true men and women
Who follow the noble profession Of
eaching. care not whether those men
md women are filling conspicuous pro-
essiOnal chairs. as did william GPn-
lam Sumner. and John Russell Bart
EFT. and Julius H. Seeley. and Joseph
storey. and Theodore W. Dwight. and
frs. Mary Somerville. and Elizabeth
stewart Phelps. and Alice Freeman
and Mary Lyon. or whether
hey are teaching in humble district
chOols; they are all people who sacri-
.ce themselves for the good Of others.
here is no business or profession on (
arth In which there is more wear and
ear upon the nervous system than up
n those conscientious men and wom-
n who. week in and week out, spend
heir lives expounding and explaining
nd catechising behind a teachers
aak