The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-07-09

Our Master, wisely and with becom-
ing modesty, hesitated to declare His
own greatness. He allowed His &C.
tions to speak and to tell to His dis
ciples that He proceeded and came
forth from God, and that In the per-
forming OF miracles, and particularly
I'm His teachings. He was the finger
OF God and His mouthpiece. John the
Baptist was sent TO be His special
forerunner. Ii was he that declared
that Jesus was "the Lamb OF God
which taketh away the sin OF the
world" It was ne that declareth that
the Master was 80 much greater than
himself that he was not worthy TO
stoop down and loose the Masters
sandals.
But after Jonn had borne Him wit
ness, testifying, This is He" and
mad declared that he saw the holy
Spirit descending upon Jesus like
dove. and that this was sign given
him whereby he might know his Mes
siahship, then came the time for The
Master to bring the matter pointedly
to the attention OF his followers. John
had been cast into prison and later
had been beheaded. Johns prophetic
testimony was fulfilled. when he said
Of Jesus, "He must increase, but l
must decrease" The mission OF Jesus
end his Apostles became more proml-
nent every day, and those who had
formerly talked about John were now
asking respecting Jeseus, whether ne
was a prophet sent OF God, or whether
he was the Messiah. Do the rulers
indeed know whether this Ii the Mes
slab or not? Surely mo man could
do the miracles which he doeth I'M
less God be with him" In some spe-
cial manner.
Our Lord first inquired respecting
the general opinion of the people con-
corning himself He did this, not be-
cause or his own ignorance. but that
he might draw out the thoughts "a
his disciplese. They replied that
some thought he was John the bap-
fist: others supposed he was one OF
the prophets. The ideas OF the
heather were gradually making In.
roads upon the Jews. The doctrine
OF rejncarnation, wholly unscripturai.
"a suggested in these answers. All
the answers, of course, were wrong.
for the prophets were all deade and
could not reappear until the resur-
rection. Then our Lord pointedly put
the question to his chosen followers:
who do We say that l ann" The
courageous st. Peter promptly au-
swered as spokesman for the whole
company, "rnou art the Christ (Mes-
siah), the Son of the living God" This
was the very answer designed to be
brought forth 1t was the truth, but
our Lord hesitated to present 1t, be.
cause 1t would better come from the
Disciples themselves and then have
his endorsement. His answer to st.
Peter was, blessed art thou, Simon
Bar-Jona, for flesh and blood hath
not revealed 1t unto thee, but my
Father which is in heaven.
II was not that ST. Peter had ex-
perienced a special or revelation, out
such a great spiritual fact as was
then under consideration, ath that
time could be appreciated only by
those who were specially favored OF
the Father. Indeed, 1t is evident that
the same principle still operates, for
weread, mo man can come unto me,
except the Father which sent me
Draw him" Our primary drawing
and calling is OF The Father up to the
time when We accept his grace In
Christ and make our conservation to
do his will and receive the spirit Of
odoption into his family as Gods chill.
dren; we are then put into the school
Of Christ to learn OF him. Let US
learn the lesson that the special bless
ings always come. not only from be.
leving in Christ, but also from con.
Tossing to and before others.
According to the Greek, our Lord
replied TO Peter. Thou art a stone
and upon this -ock will l build my
church." The rock upon which the
church is built Is this confession
which st. Peter made. st. Peter him.
self was not the rock, but he was one
OF the living stones built by falta
upon the rock oil truth. IL was this
same apostle who so beautifully ex-
piained the whole matter. assuring
us that all consecrated believers are
Living stones" In the temple OF God,
whose foundation and cap stone Is
Christ, In whom we are builded to-
gether through the operation of the
holy Spirit Peter 2:4-7.