The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-07-16
BAPTIST MINISTER
PRESENTS IDEALS
The Rev, Jas. D. Ray breaches
from Second Corinthians
I'VE SHALL BE LIKE HIM"
Difference Between. Old Dispensation
and New-says Heart pomi-
mated by Love for Fellows
Is True Ideal.
I'VE SHALL BE LIKE HIM"


of the Lord, are changed into the same
image from glory to glory, even as by
the spirit of the Lord" Announcing the
subject as The Vision that Transforms"
the preacher delivered the following DIS
course:
Paul assured those to whom he was writ
ing. that their perplexities would cease,
when they turned to Christ. The turning
to Christ was the beginning of all
right knowledge and freedom in spirit
ua1 things. l am persuaded that our
doubts and fears which oftentimes over
whelm US are due to the fact that we
preoccupy our minds and hearts with
religious creeds and dogmas, a viewpoint
from which Christ is invisible.
A man once came to Mr. Moody with
a long string Of doubts which he asked the
great evangelist to clear up for him.
Mr. Moody assured him that If he would
do one thing which he would request him
to do and then return ON the morrow
he would answer his string of doubts
The man assented. Mr. Moody presented
Christ to him and urged him to accept
MIN as HIS 0dNlOis ne AilalA thNtNBNNN
Jesus Christ as his Saviour and then all
doubts were removed. The man thus
blinded by sin, filled with doubts and
fears, wandering helplessly In the dark
found the Light which lghtest all men.
Paul urges in the context of our les
son today the people to turn to God and
the veil shall be taken away or at
least that which has before perplexed
will appear in new light and seem a
new and spiritual purpose.
The early Christians often so obscured
the master that they were unable to
get a correct vision of His glory and
saving power Paurs immediate purpose
seems to be to present his readers with
the manifest frankness and openness
which characterizes Christianity He IL
illustrates this by reference to the veil
which Moses wore when he came face
to face with Israel after his talk with God
| on the mountains.
Under the old dispensatlon we saw God
| In dim outline through the veil the
| glories of God gave his message from
| behind a yelled face through types and
ceremonies. Even when speaking through
the prophets It was often couched In
language that was hard to be under
stood Then with hearts that longed to
know where they might find God looked
| in vain for a vision of God that would
| satisfy their longing hearts. The new dis
| pensation, however, lays down types and
| shadows and obscure prophecies and with
| great plainness of speech utters the I'M
| speakable glories of God. Like the fad
| ing glow on Moses face does the old dis
pensation give place to the beauties and
glories of the new. The advent of Chris
\ tianity marks new epoch in the revela-
| ton Of God We all are led to the noun
| tain peak of hope and bid to look upon
| Him who transforms, saves and salts
| flies leading us into the same image of
Him above we love. 1t is not necessary
for Moses to look for us, but I'VE ALL
may approach the "mercy seat" and while
beholdng we are gradually changed
Christian Life One of Reflection.
The question has been raised as to the
correctness of the rendering of the phrase
"Beholdng as in glass" The context
| SENS to favor what l think Is a better
rendering: "Reflecting as a mirror for
/ If we see God only as reflected in a
mirror cur vision cannot compare with
that of Moses, who saw Him face to face.
| Paul to me, strives to impose upon us
| that our vision Is clearer than that OF
| Jesus. Whatever. though, the exact
meaning of the wo-d. / feel that We may
safely include both acts in the word. We
not only see, but reflect the glory of God
The Christian then not only needs to con
| template God but to reflect God to the
world.
| The thought OF an unobscured vision OF
/ God staggers us as does the great respon-
sibility of manifestlng Him to the world
! We do long to see God face to face and
Jesus tells us that those that see Him
| have seen the Father. We do not see the
Infinite incomprehensible Deity. but that
glory which was tabenacled In our flesh
and doubt among us. Out through the
veil of sin and the might OF flesh ouI
ewes pierce the shawods and we behold
the "Only Begotten God" whose glory
4 was ana is reNedleu 10 us III "olus VI
love. deeds of mercy and acts of com
passion. He who was subject to the com
plete will of God reveals to US the ex-
| press image of God.
The Manner of Our Vision.
That vision which is vouchsafed to u:
is through faith. While this is the case
the vision should be none the less real
Our vision of Jesus ought to be as salts
factory through the eye OF faith as thai
which can possibly come to us through
the physical eye. which often receives us
Then let our hearts go out to Him whon
not having as yet seen, in love, His pres
ence is ours because spirit is Joined L
sn,rlt and heart to heart and life to life
The yiel of Him is done away in Chris
and we see our saviour face to face.
In the Jewish theoracy only privileged
few were permitted to have vision o.
Cod But now 1t Is all done away II
Christ and I'VE ALI may behold and mani
fest His glory None so poor but that thu
treasure house of heaven will open TO
| None so rich but that they may behol;
| Him who was FUN OF grace and truth
There are spots on earth upon WI oh th'
sunlight never falls; but the Son or Right
eusness shines into dungeons and palaces
alike. We may be comprised by sins
enerossed in Ignorance. STEPPED in vic'
and crime: but He will love us and mani
fest Himself to US II we earnestly seel
to see Him. Every soul redeemed hy Hi