The Bolivar bulletin. (Bolivar, Tenn.) 1888-1946, 1904-03-25

EgXz2Iz@A - of TRANSPORTATION.
WI/ZHlH and Stephen be-
EEA7EH - fore the jewish
35SssEESz<z - council. And OF
the three incidents
the last is perhaps the most striking
and suggestive for the Christian. Moses
and Jesus withdrew from the active
scenes of life and upon a mountain top
felt the touch of the radiant glory ana
the presence of God, while Stephen in
the midst of that hostile Jewish coun-
Gil, with lying witnesses accusing him
and the angry multitude surging ABOUT
him, was transfigured before them, and
they beheld his face as it had been
the face of an angel" 1t is not strange
that Moses face should shine with
supernatural light and glory after he
had talked face to face" with God.
That Jesus should have been transhg-
ured, so that "Eis face did shine as
the sun, and His garments became
white as the light" is but in perfect
harmony with the place and the
occasion, and the communion with
the Heavenly visitors. On the noun
tain top with God behOlding His
perfect righteousness and receiving
His holy law; on the mountain
top with the three loyal disciples, and
the gates of Heaven swinging open.
and Moses and Elijah stepping forth
into their midst, and Gods voice de-
claring: This is My beloved Son, hear
ye HIM" 1t but makes the story COM
plete to say that Moses face shone,
and that Jesus was transfigured before
them. But with Stephen, how different?
No mountain top. but judgment hall.
No quiet communion with God in which
the soul could mount up and up in its
sweet, ecstatic joy, but the angry cries
of the surging multitude, the voices of
the accusing witnesses and the con-
demnation of the judges. And yet
Stephens face shOne. There was
peace and joy and glory withal,
which Illuminated his features with a
glow which was angelic and Heavenly.
{ TEPHEN'S shining face-the love
- light cleaning in the eye, a refiec-
tion of the Divine love; the placid
brow the strong but tender lines about
the mouth; the Heavenly smile play
ing on his face and yet not weakening
but rather intensifying the earnest, long
ing look with which he beheld those
about him; all this was not dependent
upon outward conditions, but was the
outshining of the inward presence of
his Lord. His face a witness to the
condition within; an index to his char
aCter and a confederation of the testi-
mouy of his lips. To Stephen in this
remarkable degree was given the out
shining presence of the Holy Spirit
and it may be the possession Of every
Christian-in lesser degree, perhaps,
and yet the same indwelling presence
of the Lord to light up the face and
make it shine for Him. One great
trouble with the Christian generally is
that he is largely influenced and affect
ed by his surroundings. Like the cham
eleon, he takes on and reflects the hue
of his place and condition. If it is dark
and forbidding the face instantly re-
fleets the somber hues. If it is stormy,
and difficulties lie in the pathway. then
IS the face distorted with the frown
which is the outward expression of the
disquiet within. If danger threatens
It stamps its terror upon the brow.
If disappointment and privation come
the countenance quickly reveals how
unless everything is serene and lovely,
the surroundings pleasant and safe, and
the desires and needs satisfied, the face
reveals the inward unrest and discon-
tent The witness of the face is dis
honoring to God and sadly cOntradic-
tory of the Christian faith and profess
sion. Like Moses we may withdraw
to the mountain top of communion
with God and our countenances reflect
the glory of the presence of our Lord,
but none the less should the face shine
with Divine and Heavenly light in the
difficult and trying places, even as in
the case of Stephen. The mirror can
only reflect the objects in front of it.
1t is not able TO reveal those behind it.
The Christian is not mirror only to
reflect the conditions and circum-
stances which surround him, but he is
a transparency through which his Lord
may shine out into the most forbidding
and untoward conditions.
THE LORD is skilled in Transforming
faces. He is able to take the most
ordinary, yea, even homely, counte-
nance. and make it lovely with the re-
fected light of Heaven. Scripture does
not tell us what kind of a looking man
Stephen was. AS we think of him with
his face transfgured with the glorious
light of his risen Lord we are apt TO
picture him as a young man of great
personal charm and manly beauty, a
man with a strikingly handsome face
that would attract attention anywhere.
We do know from the testimony of Scrip
tura that he possessed a most Christ
like character, was full of grace and
the Holy Spirit, and he may have been