Milford chronicle. [volume] (Milford, Del.) 1878-1974, 1895-09-06
Transporting Eloquence.

The Rev DR. Martindale preached at
Ocean Grove, N. J., on Tuesday of last
week and we clip the following report OF
his sermon from the Ocean Gr05e Rec0rd
of August 3Ist
"And it came to pass while he blessed
them, taat he was parted from them aud car
ried up into heaven"
From the above text, taken from Luke
% 81, the good sized audience gathered at
Z O'Clock, listened to a discourse which
|blessed them" and carried them" up into
| heaven" Finished, pictorial heartfelt
was the sermon Of Rev. T + Martin
dale. ofthe Wilmington Conference, He
is a man with gray hair-probably pre-
mature, and known thoroughly IN PENN
sula Methodism.
Tesus Christ has not vanished away, is
not lost. You can see his consecutive
course. He has bound the worlds in one
Christly bond. Jesus owns both worlds,
and all the space that lies between them.
It behooved the miraculous life of Christ
to have a miraculous ending, Its pro-
portions were majestic aud colossal. 1t
came with heavenly wonders and sped on
its track with stainless purity.
DO not we hear him saying good bye"
blue vault, homeward bound All the
signs of victory are at hand; but there are
no demonstrations; no earthquake; no
severe plories that blaze in the Old Tes-
lament. Why not The time for that
had passed Jesus Christ was an absolute
victor. The earthquake and the fire had
passed and the time had now come for
the still small voice
E,1.,,1,, H. ricae md rises and inst goes
away home Like conquerer, conscious
of his requirements and victories, he just
leisurely mounts his own skv-for it be-
longs TO Him. He wants His disciples
with Him. He led them to the spot o
how divine is this attachment o how
human is this attachment If we have
shared in His trials, He wants that we
should share in His triumphs. There was
no clandestine departure, no steaithy es-
cape.
Thank God that Jesus Ckrist gives us
reality, aud substantial fact don
know how it is with other denominations
hut the Methodists "know" something
Tesus Christ, when the curtain fell, was
still blessing the word. Still aud white
as the mama are the grace and peace
that fall on our souls.
His ascension immeasurably wi6ened
the escape Of his power. He goes away
that He may be nearer to the Sea of Gal
lice He goes to the central heavens that
He may be as near to Ocean Grove as
possible. We realize this nearness be-
cause He has gone away. at is expedi-
ent for you that 60" He said, in utter
self-forgetfulness
Christs ascension emphasized the char
acter of the Christian religion. Things
apparent to the sense are too gross. What
is religion, anyway? I will venture a
definition which may not be good 1t IS
attachment to the unseen.
Chrisrs ascension again was the nee
essarv prelude to the descent of the Holy
Ghost. We have culture, machinery,
money, numbers; but we want the sub
tie Spirit to move the wheel We want
our dead energies vitalized, our motives
purified Jesus Christs going away makes
heaven a great deal more real 10 me.
In concluding. DR.. Martindale said
90 to think of passing through this
camp meeting without prayer, without
even a spasm of repentance
Nav God at last bring us to the feet OF
the assembled Saviour, 10 60 out no more
/ forever 20