Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1904-04-21
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Sunday School Lesson and Young Peoples Topic...


:iiat which The son OF Man Il under
, going.
IN all the course of their earthly min
/ ist:g these heroes CT faith had never
lone any service so great as this of
l~uinistering to the Messiah in person.
Flo them. as for us. HEAVIER holds The
highest opportunity for labor. BY their
Service on earth. they We're qualified
for this great honor. IT is no mere
fancy that tilose. who do the Lords
Will here shall find more glorious work
there.
We are not left in darkness as to the
theme of conversation on the Mount
of TRANSPORTATION. Naturally only the
most momentous topics would occupy
the minds of the three concerned. What
could be so important as the approach
ms deceasc of Jesus. the sacrifice of
tie Lamb slain before the foundation
of the worid?" With this were their
words weighted. There is no other
subject so deserving of attention on
| earth W in heaven. When Christ was
most serious, when he opened his heart
TO his Disciples, the crucifiXion was the
burden of his message: the same was
the refrain of the preaching OF the fire
baptized apostles. Pau,'s resolution
was TO know nothing save Christ and
him crucified." and this should be the
iterated and unfailing message OF ever?
sermon preached in his name.
SLEEPY PETERS 6LUNDER.
Incomprehersible though it may APP
pear, the three men who We're per-
mitted 10 share this unparalleled c&-
perience were too sleepy to colnpre-
bend it at first. They had Il great OPP
portunity and partly missed it. True.
they have a large following in our day.
We are prone to let triviaiities bar OPP
portunities. The sleepy disciples on Nj.
Herlnon have many followers.
Peter. who was one of those persons
who speak even when they have moth
ing to say, cried out. in his sleepiness,
Rabbi, il is good for us to be here:
let us make three t~abernacles; one for
thee. and one for Noses and one for
Elijah" 1t was the pointless, embar-
raised remark of u man out of his wits.
He should have kept his mouth shut
and his eyes and ears open. That was
no place for tarrying or for remarks
from the spectators. The transfigura-
ton was for instruction and inspira-
ton, and not for mere enjoyment. Its
purpose had to do with the days to
come: it was nm enabling for the test
ings and the trial of the future. The
mountain top experience is for the up
lifting of the life on the plains. Some
Christians wish that they could ever
live in the atmosphere of "a convention
or Il revival. Therein they make as
big IL blunder as Peter. These expert
ences are useful only in SO far as they
may be translated into endeavor in
every day fields of usefulness.
A CLOUD AND ITS MESSAGE.
This TRANSPORTATION experience was
! for the benefit of Jesus and his dis
ciples both. The latter were to treas
ure it in their hearts. There came to
| them n voice out OF the cloud which
they needed ven for the present. 1t
WAS the divine attestation of Christ'S
message. This is my beloved Son; hear
We him They would be tempted, no
doubt. to listen to the lame of the
! junction from heaven. h world is
ever full of voices, most OF them not
worth listening to. Jesus is. His was
| the voice best worth hearing W. thous-
and years ago. 1t Is the voice best
worth hearing today. Therefore, Hear
We him"
THAT WHICH AslDEs.
IL Peter had any notion that perma-
,ient lodgings on that mountain top
;,i,d in that company were possible, he
was suddenly d~isillusioned. The mar
| yclous scene dissolved. the crowd dis
, appeared. Moses and Elijah were gone.
Inv superintendent NaSA.Oi" hau itueu
from their presence. Jesus only was
left. They found themselves the some
company, as far as outward appear
| ances went, as had toilsomely assembled
| the m~ountainside But Jesus was with
them: what else did they need? Moses
and Elijah had been but preparers look
ing toward Christ. Their work was but
temporary. but Jesus still abides.
When the wondering disciples made
their way down to the plain with all
it's thronging cares and problems. its
| sick andsufrering and demon-possessed.
they still had Jesus by their side. He
is, as ne was. the helper for the every
day Of life. There is no ommon exper-
fence too trivial for him to share. 1t
is better to be with Jesus On the plain
than with Moses and Elijah on the
mountain top.