Evening star., 1928-04-14

During the week that interVened BE-
tween Peters confession of the Master
as the Messiah and the events of this
weeks lesson. Jesus and His apostles
had fingered in the regions OF Cesarea
Philippi. Peters superb spiritual IN
sight, revealed in his recognition OF the
personality of the Christ as the son OF
God. had been limited. 1t was difficult
for him, or any member OF the Apostolic
band, to accept the message of the cross
This had made the relations between
the Lord and the IL exceedingly difficult
They believed absolutely in Him, yet
they could not bring themselves to ac-
cept the thought Of the cross, which
had always been associated with dis
grace and shame. 1t was antagonlstic to
the nations traditional ideals of the
Messiah and the kingdom. 1t was with
heavy hearts that Jesus took Peter
James and John apart by themselves
to some secluded place on Mount Her.
mon, the highest mountain IN that Sec
ton of Palestine, that He might spend
a season in prayer.
Our Lord found something in the
serenity of the mountains that aldeo
His communion with the Father. While
He was praying the fashion OF His
countenance was altered, and His raj
ment became white and dazzling.
Matthew records that His face dlC
shine as the sun and His garments
became white as the light" Our lesson
tells us that His garments became
cleaning white An old Syriac version
informs us that His garments shone
white as snow" The evangeliSts were
unable to find words that would ex-
press in speech the unique experience
Of the Master. that is without paral-
lei in the annals of men. One nat
uraliy hesitates to comment upon the
events that transpired upon that holy
mount, for fear that the meaning oil
the TRANSPORTATION for life may be
blurred. It's message can best be
grasped without any comment. Fol
all. the great and gracious spectacle
will yield its treasured significance and
bestow its .benediction only to docilt
faith and eager, repoSeful trust" The
experience of that night seems to have
rendered a twofold service. 1t was a
girding of the Master for coming trials
and 1t was a supreme revelation to the
three apostles of Jesus Messiahship.
Comfort, Confirmation. Conviction,
where He needed enforcement. In
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sought comfort In prayer His exam"
pie ought to impress upon us the
necessity of prayer In our own life. In
one OF his latest interviews the late
Chauncey M Depew pointed out the
value of prayer in his own life. We
all need the help of communion with
God. The modern weakness of many
professed Christian lives can be traced
to their neglect of prayer in their daily
life. Primarily the TRANSPORTATION, which
forms the center of the seven great
events in the ministry of Jesus, viz,
the birth, the baptism, the temptation
the TRANSPORTATION, the crucifixion, the
resurrection and the ascension, was for
the assurance and comfort OF Christ.
The threefold answer TO His prayer
prepared Him for the coming events
The revelation Of His glory placed the
crown before the cross. This enabled
Jesus to calmly face Jerusalem. Fol-
the JOY of doing His Fathers will, tha,
was set before Him. He despised the
shame and endured the cross. The
voice OF the Father had expressed His
death for every man. The presence
OF Moses and Elijah and their conver-
sation. recorded In Luke's Gospel. Gov
cred the cross with the glory of etcr-
nifty and demonstrated the reality oi
life beyond the grave.
The three apostles were aroused from
sleep long enough TO catch something
OF the glory Of the presence of the two
celestial visitors and 10 observe some
thing Of the Masters glory. Because ht
was spiritually drowsy Peter proposed tc
substitute ecstasy for endeavor. The
impetuous apostle had placed Jesus In
the same class with Moses and Elijah
but the voice Of the Father coming oui
Of the cloud had corrected Peters error
by proclaiming for the second time the