f our Lord Jesus." Gal. vi: 14. He puts the
word "_cross_" of Christ, for the death of Christ, but it means the
same thing.

Some one has compared the cross of Christ to a key of gold, that
opens the gate of heaven to us, if we believe in Jesus; but if we
refuse to hear and obey the words of Jesus, it becomes a key of iron,
and opens the gate of destruction before us.

"The Power of the Cross." A heathen ruler had heard the story of the
cross and desired to know its power. When he was sick and near his
end, he told his servants to make him a large wooden cross, and lay
it down in his chamber. When this was done, he said--"Take me now and
lay me on the cross, and let me die there." As he lay there dying he
looked in faith to the blood of Christ, that was shed upon the cross,
and said--_"It lifts me up: it lifts me. Jesus saves me!_" and thus
he died. It was not that wooden cross that saved him; but the death
of Christ, on the cross to which he was nailed--the death of which
Moses and Elias talked with him, that saved this heathen man. They
knew what a blessing his death would be to the world, and _this_ was
why they talked about this death. Here is one of Bonar's beautiful
hymns which speaks sweetly of the blessedness and comfort to be found
in the cross of Christ.

"Oppressed with noonday's scorching heat,
To this dear cross I flee;
And in its shelter take my seat;
No _shade_ like this to me!

"Beneath this cross clear waters burst;
A fountain sparkling free;
And here I quench my desert thirst,
No _spring_ like this to me.

"A stranger here, I pitch my tent
Beneath this spreading tree;
Here shall my pilgrim life be spent,
No _home_ like this to me!

"For burdened ones a resting place
Beside this cross I see;
Here, I cast off my weariness;
No _rest_ like this for me!"

Moses and Elias understood how the blessing of the world was to flow
out from that death upon the cross which Jesus was to suffer; and so,
we need not wonder that during the short visit which they made to
Jesus, amidst the glory of his Transfiguration, the subject, above
all others, about which they desired to talk with him--was his death
upon the cross,--"his decease, which he should accomplish at
Jerusalem."

These are the three great wonders of the Transfiguration--the
wonderful change--the wonderful company--and the wonderful
conversation.

And this brings us to the second part of our s