The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-16

hold Him whom the heavens could not
contain" The. manifestation of Jesus
comes to US in the measure that we desire
70 see Him.
We are not only to see Him through
the eye of faith, but beholding in this
case involves reflection. When we see
Jesus, He so transforms us that we gather
up tho solden ligat that emanatos from
Him and this lights up the pathway 4
others. The world today does not stnnl
gazing into the heavens to see Jesus but
looks upon us TO see If we have inblhed
principles and characters which would
be helpful to the highest development of
social and moral life. If they find in
us that which their hearts long for they
seek the pearl of great price"
PRIVILEGES Always Bring Responsibility
If we have the privilege OF revealing
the greatest thing In The heavens above
or earth beneath; are we not responsible
for the manifestation of that great need
of humanity? Christ came to reveal the
Father to us. He declared tina. we are
sent on the same mission. Ne cannot
successfully fulfil this mission unless we
only give out that which We have expert
enced, 1t may seem strange thai God
should have thus decided to manifest His
glory to others; but let us not question
His wisdom. If earthen vessels, through
Gods wisdom, have been chosen to bear
the incompatible glory of God to a
last word, may we not feel that His Wis
dom dictates that which is best for all
concerned? 1t is ours to obey rather than
to question the reason or motive of Gods
acts. We are epistles of Christ with His
glory engraved upon them and we ara TO
present them to men. If they do not nrd
/ Him it musAnot be our fault; but because
of their wilful neglect. We must present
Christ in all the beauty and glory of His
character without any perversion that
would hide Him from their view.
A Life Transformed.
While we are engaged in beholding our
Lord and faithfully rejecting His char
acter in words and deeds, q great blessing
comes to US. While we are beholding Him
we are changed into the image OF Christ.
Moses did not always have to wear veil,
for the glory of God faded from his
|
as 1t pillows It's head upon the shadows Of
night. Moses's face doubtless bore the
same marks that had been furrowed by
time and deepened by care and sorrow.
But not SO with US who believe on God
as manifested In Christ. He shall so mark
our faces and illumine our life that it
shall never fade. What the law was
unable to do in perfecting the will OF God
In our life, Christ made possible. The
growth and development which come as
a result of beholding Christ arouses an
ambition that no doubt can quench, no
fear annihilate. We go on and on until we
reach the perfect man In Christ Jesus"
Paul said that he bore in his body the
marks of the Lord Jesus and other de-
vout ones claim to have gazed on His
image until they bore His scars. We
would claim a more glorious heritage
a transformed life and character In which
the life of Jesus made up the work of
our life. This transformation does not
come in a moment. 1t Is a growth. n
development, a life; constant association
with friends and loved ones often make
us painfully like them; but beyond all
this likeness of earth shall be that glor-
ious likeness which shall come to those
that come to be like Him through love
and fellowship with Him. Not the dead
Jesus, the historic Christ OF long ago en-
shrined In art creed and dogma; but the
living, breathing. reigning Christ, who
lives In us.
a Lofty Ideal.
In the changing life of many mlleniums
we had many ideals presented to us. Mere
brute force for awhile prevailed: later
men OF great intellect wore the crown ::
but at last men said the heart dominated
by love for its fellows should be our IDEAL
What man shall measure for us? Who
shall stand up as the standard, the ideal?
! Our ideal Is shattered the moment we at
tain it in this life. Who then offers us
a perfect ideal that we can ever hope
fully strive toward and yet never attain in
this life? Does not Jesus OF Nazareth
| offer such an ideal to us. The life trans
formed that is here promised us by as
simlation with His life is such as ALL
might hope for. All admit that whether
human or divine that Jesus was the grand