The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1911-01-17

doubt their truthfulness and reality.
and yet it Is not perhaps in these
Things that we are so much impressed
Win His massive, amazing and fruit
lul personality IS in the familiar incl
dents of His life and ministry.
For it seems as if almost every in
cldent, event with which He was con-
nected shared His own. mystic glory.
LOOK at His baptism in the river Jor-
dan. What could possibly exceed its
simple dignity and grandeur. Even
II any should hesitate as to the
auxiliary Accomplishments their truth
is almost attested by their finished
beauty End completeness which they
give to this rare and touching incl
dent. Look at the temptation of our
Lord in the wilderness which imme
dlately followed, with it's lonely and
weird surroundings, and whatever
view may be taken of it, it is not only
perfect as q spiritual picture. but it
harmonizes wondrously with the char
acter and mission of Christ. and then
as we think of the TRANSPORTATION,
with its cloud of glory and glistening
falment--of the Last Supper. where
as in a shrine He offered His great
intercessory prayer and Instituted His
holy sacrament-and dare I speak OF
the unutterable pdthos of the las.
closing scenes-aWful, majestic. deep
The marvel seems TO be that these
remarkable and soulstirrins events
should all be found within the com.
pass of single 1ife-and one which
even In it's minutest details reveals so
many features of transCendent in
terest-llttle children coming to Him
attracted by His smile and loving per-
sonalftT, women seeking TO touch
even the hem of His garment to wash
His feet with their tears and to break
their alabaster box of precious oint-
ment on His head.
Time will not permit me TO tell OF
the home at Bethany with its idyllC
charm, the storm at sea and the sleep
ing Christ His lament over Jarusa-
lem and the last Triumphant entry
with its loud hosannas. Where can
you find another life such as this, in
which the homeliest surroundings and
the cOmmonest incidents have hecono
Observation-Disclosures, as in nature. the
tiny things, the least things as we'll as
the greatest possess such indescriba-
Bile perfection and beauty?
Surely, beloved with such record
before us, we must acknowledge that
It Is here in the very heart and centre
of the gospels that We must look for
our proof of the incarnation. For it
Is here, as We gaze upon the living
Christ that we are brought face to
face with the real mystery Of His
character. uniting within itself such a
variety and splendor of greatness.
He is not only the most perfect man
-aione and roachab1e-tovering
above the surrounding mass of hu-
mainly, rising in insulated grandeur
and spotless perfection above the
plane reached by the nohlest men of
all the ages, from all the Hottest
specimens of manhood We turn dis
satisfied to Him and in Him we find
that the ideal becomes actual the
dream real, and the hope fruition-
Jesus Christ is the pearl and crown
of humanity.
He is the fullest manifestation of
divinity God has given the world:
He Is the effulgence of Gods glory,
and the very image of His substance.
Gazing upon Him we exclaim with in
eXpressible enthusiasm and unutter-
able ecstacy "Ecce Homo, and with
the same breath and with equal truth
we also reyerently exclaim "Ecce
Deus." Jesus is the beacon light for
all the ages. His words of wisdom
flowing as from some unseen and in
exhaustibie source without meditation
or effort; but He has at His command
the secret forces of nature-a power
often kept in reserve, but evermore
revealing itself as the need arises.
while in addition to these is some
thing still more nnfathomable and
which may be described as yelled,
suppressed and hidden glory; although,
on one memorable occasion, recorded
by three of the Evangelists, it was
made visible to the inuermost circle
Of the apostleship, one of whom IL
his old age recalls the scene in touch
ing and expressive words as having
been 'eye-witnesses Of His Majesty.
But though only seen intermittently.
It's brightness and lustre illumine all
the events OF the sacred story, making
them to burn and glow with divine
radiance. # but one of these features
had been present 1t would have been
sufficient to @Ecite our wonder and
awe. but with all IN combination
centered IN One Pers0n--the evidence
is SC cumulative, the light SO intense.
We are compelled to bow the knee and
TO acknowledge with the foremost OF
the apostles, Thou art the Christ,
the Son Of the Living God.
AS a Starter.