OUR illustration is of the city of Lucerne, nestling in a valley of the Alps Mountains, upon an arm of the Four-canton Lake, while seven miles in the distance, toward the south, is Mount Pilate, rearing in solemn majesty amidst the clouds its proud head to the height of almost seven thousand feet. The region is noted for its wild storms, its inspirations to liberty, and the legendary tales which cluster around its ancient hero, William Tell.
THE chief attraction, however, interesting as are city and lake and varied surrounding scenery, is the grand old mountain. This is not because Mount Pilate is the highest mountain in Switzerland and the Alps; for Mont Blanc in the south rears its white crest to more than twice the height of Mount Pilate. It is not in the configuration or shape of the mountain itself. It is not in its chasms, or forests, or glaciers, that the interest centers. It is because from the top of the mountain may be obtained such a view of the whole Alpine system as can be gotten from no other mountain. The whole range of the Alps comes before it, from Mont Blanc in the southwest to where the higher ranges slope down to Lake Constance in the northeast. What a majestic sweep it is, and how well worth the while of him who delights himself in seeing the mountains, upreared by the power of God!
Lucerne on the Four-canton Lake, Mount Pilate in the Background.
BUT Pilatus is not always accommodating to the tourist, and especially to the hurried sight-seer. Oftentimes this wonderful terrestrial observatory is enshrouded in clouds; and for days and days they hang heavy upon it. The hurried tourist must pass on, ever bemoaning the fact that the cloud did not lift, that the wonderful vision of glory was not revealed to his eager gaze. But the man of more wealth and leisure, the greater devotee of the mountains, can wait. And wait he does, and wait many do, till the days grow into weeks, and the weeks measure a month, and the month is multiplied by two and three, to be rewarded at last with one of the grandest visions of earth that mortal eye is ever permitted to behold. There may be as great vantage-points, as mighty pillars of vision, in the Andes or the Himalayas, but they are either not known or not accessible to humanity.
READ in all this a wonderful lesson of God regarding His revelations to man in His Word. What mighty mountains of truth rear their proud heads in His Revelation! What glorious Mont Blancs stand out strong and white in2their individual majesty! What Jungfraus and Matterhorns and Washingtons and Pike's Peaks, and McKinleys, and Aconcaguas, and Deodhungas rear their mighty volumes above storm-swept seas and quiet lakes, and fruitful vineyards and green valleys! What magnificent views men obtain as they climb some one of these pillars of vision! Yet, how often is one's views limited and so perverted by looking from one mountain alone out upon the revelation of God. Jonathan Edwards saw God's sovereignty alone, and lost the glorious visions of His mercy. Others have seen visions from the mountain-top of Mercy, and have lost the sense of justice. Some endeavor to get views of God's plan from Mount Creation, others from Sinai, others from Calvary, others from Olivet, and all are more or less limited and perverted.
MANY are in too great a hurry. They want to see all at one time. One view from Calvary, beautiful but superficial and evanescent, and the soul is satisfied! One view from rugged Sinai, glorious but superficial and evanescent, and the soul is discouraged! Sometimes the cloud covers the mount, and the impatient soul is unwilling to wait. He who waits long enough upon the heights of Sinai will see Calvary bathed in a glory and beauty he never saw before. He who looks from Calvary upon Sinai will see a holiness, a strength, a grandeur, which transcends all former visions.
"COME up to Me into the mount, and be there," said Jehovah unto Moses; and after the days of sojourn with God, Moses came down with his face shining like that of an angel. It was in a "very high mountain" that Ezekiel saw his "visions of God." To those who would give God's message to the world, the Voice cries, "O thou that tellest good tidings to Zion, get thee up on a high mountain."
THERE is one mighty tower of vision in God's Word like the Pilatus of the Alps. From it one can see the whole great range of God's system of truth as from no other vantage-point. That tower is God's great purpose as revealed in the sanctuary in past and present ages on the Zion of His holiness. There in the very center of the holy shekinah is God's holy law; there over the transgressed law is the mercy-seat; there is the great High Priest; and in the sanctuary is revealed all the relations between God and His creatures, all the fearful outcome of sin and those who persist in loving it; all the glory which will come to the trusting, steadfast child of God.
SOMETIMES the cloud covers this watch-tower of vision. God's glory hides the vision because of sin-blinded, easily-satisfied hearts, and we must wait for its removing. The heart must bow in submission to God and to His law; the sins must be yielded and put away; self must be emptied, the eyes anointed, and then with clarified vision will we see God's wondrous plan in all its beauty and sympathy and perfection. Are you in darkness, dear soul?—Go up into the mount of God, and there enter into the sanctuary with God, as did Moses and Ezekiel and David. Are you in doubt? Do you wonder at the seeming triumph of the wicked? Are you envious at their prosperity? Are you shocked at their deception, their scoffing, their blasphemy? So was Asaph of old, and he tells us, "When I thought to know this, it was too painful for me; until I went into the sanctuary of God; then understood I their end." He saw before them, in their wickedness, destruction, as in a moment, but trusting in God he could say, "Thou shalt guide me with Thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory."
COME, soul, and let us get up into Mount Zion with God, and there abide with Him. Wait till the vision clears, and the sunlight of His love sweeps away the clouds of sin, and there view the beauty of His holiness, and in beholding become changed.
