The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-16
MOUNT TABOR's PARABOLIC VISION
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/ am well pleased; hear ye him"
the Lord might expel the demon. The
Apostles had already been out, as the
Lords representatives, in various
parts OF the country Of Palestine, cur
Ing the sick and expelling demons in
His name; so they assayed to cast out
this demon, bat could not. The re,
vised version speaks OF the sufferer
as an epileptlc. Indeed, all higher
criticism disputes that there Is such
a thing as obsession by evil spirits.
1t is a common saying today among
the higher critics that what our Lord
and the Apostles mistook for demon
possession was merely insanity,
epilepsy, etc. OF course the word dis
ease Is broad enough to cover any
kind OF ailment, whether it be a di-
rect affection from the adversary, Or
an indirect Que through heredity Al
either case there is loss OF ease, dis.
ease, discomfort. We, however, have
more confidence In the wisdom Of the
Lord and His chosen Apostles AM
mouthpieces than we have In all the
doctors OF theology and doctors oil
medicine in the whole earth. We
therefore accept this narrative just as
1t reads, that Jesus rebuked the
devil" and cast him cut OF the boy,
who was cured from that very hour
The disciples who lad been unsuc-
cessful in casting out shis demon, cali
ed the Master away from the hearing
OF the multitude and asked why they
had failed when they attempted u
cast out the demon. He replied, BE
cause Of your little faith Another
account says that He stated This
kind cometh not out except by fasting
and prayer In other words, the
lesson to the Apostles was that their
greatest power would result from
their living very near 20 God, living
lives OF self-denial and prayer or
course, fasting to be seen OF men Is
not here inculcated, nor do we sug-
gest that the works Of penance on
the part OF disciples would make them
more efficient in the understanding ot
the Lords mystery; rather the
thought Is, the nearer one lives to God
the more of the Divine power may
be exercised by and through him.
II Is perhaps difficult for us to uu.
derstand our Lords reference to their
having little faith, for they surely ex.
ercised considerable faith in making
an attempt 70 cast out the demon,
Falth, to be successful, must be back.
ed by spiritual power; and our Lord
assures US that even with a small
amount OF faith we would, be able 20
remove mountain and nothing woulj
be impossible. We are not to suppose
that our Lord meant that his follow.
ers should try TO remove mountains
az a diversion, nor as a proof OF their
faith, for by so doing they would be
seriously interfering With the inter
ests OF others who would be more con.
venienced by having the mountain re.
main. This they would have no riph,
TO DO. We assume therefore that the
thought must be that II In the fulflI-
ment OF the Divine command II should
De necessary TO have n mourlain 70.
moved, and II the commission hal
Teen given to one OF the Lords foI.
lowers to remove the mountain. and
II ne could exercise the faith 10 obsy
the command. the result would cor.
respond to the faith exercised. All
that the majority of us ccuId do
would be 10 exercise az much faith as
possible and ask the Lord for more.
and also seek to cultivate a greater
degree OF faith