The Whig standard. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1843-1844, 1844-01-24
From, The Philadelphia Forum.
THE ASCENSION.

= II
Each event infour Saviours life possesses SUI,
perior interest; yet high above all others rises
his last transaction in human flesh. He had
finished his career as man of sorrows-had
closed his toll and travel in preaching the King
dom Of God-had endured the mockery Of q trial,
and had heard the harsh clamor of sscrucify
him cruelty him J" He had been spit upon,
smitten, scourged, and forsaken by men, and
betrayed into the hands Of enemies by pretended
friends. He had become the Lamb Of Calvary,
thereby taking away the sins Of the world even
at that place, Infamous and noisome with
Misunderstanding its name from the loathsohe
remains of executed criminals. The hole had
been dug in which to plant the cross-the ham,
mer and the nails were made ready-the cross
was placed on the ground Jesus lay down upon
that bed of sorrows. They nail him 10 it--they
erect it--his nerves break-his blood Hows--he
hangs upon his wounds, spectacle to heaven
and earth
He dies, the friend Of sinners dies;
SO Salem's daughters weep around
- solemn darkness wells his eyes,
I aa A sudden trembling shakes the ground''
The councillor of Armathea begs his BODY,
and lays it in new made tomb, "wherin never
man laid an angel descended and rolled away
the stone from the door Of the sepulchre-J Jesus
came forth -
"The rising God forsook the tomb"
He showed himself TO Mary, and eight times APP
peared to his disciples: and after giving them
his last counsel and discourse, he goes with them
to the Mount Of Olives
"That dear honoredsspot,
The fame of whose wonders
Shall ne'er be forgot"
There is impressiveness in the scene at the last
interview with earthly friends-even though we
hope to meet again in loves indssoluble ties.
To part at the bedside of dying friend is pain
full, and yet pleasure is in the pain, if the 'sure
and certain hope" Of a reunion in heaven beams
upon the heart. So this Olivet scene was one
Of hope TO the tried friends of the Saviour, for
although he went from them to heaven without
speaking further Of his return, two angels in
shining garb tarried, and assured them that " in
like manner as they had seen him go up into
heaven, he should come again."
'Twere well that Emmanuel chose Olivet's
grove-clad mountains from which to ascend.
Near by lay the garden wherein he had groaned
in assuming the sins of ruined race, that ne
might bear them in his body on the tree, and
atone for them. Olivet was a scene of fiendish
low then to all the fallen host whose miserable
pastime consists in witnessing the sorrows that
sin procures. 1t had been place OF deep lamen-
tation to Jesus; but now he makes monument
that shall perpetuate his honor. On Olvet he
speaks in human voice to his loved ones for
the last time-there he gives them his last look
of love, and receives theirs with all Its lingering
fragrance of association to be renewed no more
during their mortal life-then he exhibits his
divine power, by stepping into his cloudy chariot;
and entering glory, he stands on Mount Zion.
Overlooking the masses Of the people who reject
ed his easy reign, and denied his Messiahship,
while his hands were yet red with innocent blood,
stood Emmanuel, as Zacliariah had fofetold:
. His feet shall stand on the Mount Of Olives
before Jerusalem--shall stand last there" Oh.
an amazing close Of the scene Of redemption is
the ascension Of the King of Kings, and Lord
of Lords."'
Sup to his Fathers court he flies
Cherubic legiods guard him home,
at And shout him welcome to the skies"