The Topeka state journal., 1919-11-14


And breathe it free, and breathe it free,
By rangy marsh, in lone liberty
The Story Itself.
The Lesson Story of the Transfig-
uration, as told in the Weymouth
translation, is as follows:
1T was about eight days after this
that Jesus, taking with him Peter,
John and James, went up the noun
tain to pray. And while he was pray
ing the appearance of his face under
went change, and his clothing be-
came white and radiant And sud-
denly there were two men, cenvers-
ing with him, who were Moses and
Elijah. They came in glory, and kept
speaking about his death, which he
was so soon to undergo In Jerusalem.
Now Peter and the others were
weighed down with sleep; but. keep
ing themselves awake all thru, they
saw his glory. and the two men stand
ing with him. And when they were
preparing to depart from him, Peter
said to Jesus, Rabbi, We. are thankful
to you that We are here. Let US put
up three tents one for you, one for
| Moses, and one for Elijah.
He did not know what he was
saying. But while he was thus speak
ing, there came a cloud which spread
over them; and they were struck
when they had entered into the cloud.
! Then there came voice from within
the cloud:
This is My Son, Ny Chosen One:
listen to him.
AFTER this voice had spoken, Jesus
was found alone.
They kept 1t to themselves. and
said not word to any one at that
time about what they had seem"
Nindicatcd and victorious.
That mountain-top experience had
a meaning for Moses and Elijah, as
we'll as for Jesus and the three. Those
stout prophets /of an older day had
suffered ignominy and reputation,
and tasted bitterness and despair.
Now their reward had come. Among
all the heroes of heaven there were
I found no others SO well qualified for
/ the supreme task of comforting the
Christ as they. Moses, Elijah and
esus were congeniaI spirits All had
travelled for the people and the giory
OF JehoNah. Now, in a fellowship
that ignored the ages-such, indeed.
/ is the Communion of Saints and
the spiritual unity of the centuries
they were lifted up to new level of
spiritual apprehension.
All the world has wondered what
the fiVe supreme peace commissioners
in Paris talked about. and how. Mys-
i terry envelops the intimate conversa-
| tons OF the great. But we are not
! left In doubt concerning this conversa-
tion between Moses, Elijah and Jesus.
| There. was only one theme worthy of
| the occasion-the approaching death
! of Jesus at Jerusalem. Tt had been
the burden of the Masters self-eIe-.
| vation to His disciples. 1t was the
/ topic that supremely engrossed
eternity. God Himself. the redeemed
spirits of the heavenly realm the
angels and ministers in glory. are most
1 of all interested in the sacrifice of the
! Son of God; Il has been revealed that
! the e.ernal chorus of the new song
lal1
Lamb that was slain. It is rather
strange, isn't it. that in conferences of
! Christian leaders, and in the sermons
| of preachers of the Gospel. We do not
hear more of the theme which engaged
the interest of the ambassadors sent
| from heaven to earth to interview the
i Saviour Himself?
I Glimpse of Possibility
Compared with spirit rappings" and
/ inane ''messa ges'' from the other
world. this TRANSPORTATION story is
/ dignified, reserved and majestic. 1t
was a foretoken of the glory that
awaits all who follow in the train of
Jesus. The transformation experience,
| which seemed to draw aside the outer
veil of flesh which hid the radiant
| spiritual personality of Jesus, SO that
the shining fibre and texture of His
i soul was revealed. was but a glimpse
of the possibility possessed by i'm
| mortals.
Awed by the spectacle, the three
disciples wanted to build booths and
| remain right there the mount of
special privilege. Like many others
| since, they wanted to maintain life on
| a level of ecstacy and thrill, not rea-
lizing that the rare experience would
lose it's power if it became normal.
Instead, the three quickly learned that
| life must be lived, not on mountain
tops. with celestial guests, but down
! on the plain Of everydayness, where
| the diseased and demon-filled and
sordid people await the ministry of
those who have been on the heights.
mountain top and by the plain.
| Before they went down, however,
the disciples had the added testimony
of the Voice which declared. This is
my Son. my chosen one: listen to
Him" More fortifying to their hearts
figuration was the assurance that their
ever present Leader was none other
than the Son of God. It was He who
would helm them through the exDeri-
ences of the coming days AS Chris
! tina Rossetti prayed:
"Jesus. who didst touch the leper.
Deliver rs from antipathies:
Who iidst dwell among the Nazarenes,
peliver us from uneompatibilfty-
who didst eat with Some that washed
not before meat.
| Deliver us from ineompatihility.
Who didst condone Samaritan inhospital-
| ity.
Deliver us from nffront taking:
Whe didst provide the sacred Didrachme,
Deliver ms from offense giving:
Who having called didst recall Saint Peter.
Deliver from soreness:
| Who didst love active Martha and con-
| templative Mary.
Deliver us from the respect of persons;
Deliver MS while it is called today,
Thou who Sivest today and promsest
| not tomorrow"
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
ss& r.