The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-06-01
TEACHING POINTS.

INrRopucT1oN-It is good for believers to hold
candid conferences by the way. Disputes, conten-
TONS rd-batles, may be left behind as belonging
to the reign of barbarism. But mingling OF sympa-
tby. comparison of views, enlargement OF vision
through another's eyes, Qualification of personal
prejudice by general experience, must be desirable
to the end of time and in eternity.
d) V.13-I8. Christ in spirit meets with those
who reverently speak of him. Beyond all the other
witnesses of the grace and power of Christ is the
witness given in the spirit during the hours OF wor-
ship and communion. He walks with some who do
not by name know him to such he will in due time
reveal himself. Seneca, the righteous pagan, was
called by Chrysostoma natural Christian" Every
one, of any name and of every religion is Christian
in the degree that he is righteous. Christ favors
with his presence not his professed disciples alone,
but unknown travellers. While the disciples were
on the whole the best witnesses Of Chrsts Gospel,
because they were with him from the beginning,
these two wayfarers made witnesses of the CEN
trail fact of Christ's mission Every Christian must
have some testimony to give to Christ.
a. V. 1927. The true religion appeals to the
reason while it warns the heart. Jesus opened the
Scriptures to the Emmaus travellers. They needed
to perceive the truth, before they could feel its
power. We need to perceive God and Christ, before
we can give them devotion. The Scriptures
are treasury of truth, of ever-present application
which they offer in themselves The Spirit of
Christ, the Promised Paraclete, opens the meaning
of Scripture This Spirit still leads the followers
of the Teacher into all truth. 1t opens the inner
eye. 1t makes the heart honest. How can liar
love truth The who really sees the truth must
be truth-loving. The roots Of the New Testament
are found in the Old Testament The Old Testa-
ment, when read in the true light, is book of
velous moral power, spiritual insight, and everresh
inta I Of ha m har
must soon in our lessons, turn again to its study.
Christ was prophesied by Israeli and is the Desire
of all nations. The strongest for believ
ing in Christ as Master of Life, is not that he
foretold by prophets but that millions can to-day
testify to him as Real Spiritual Presence in the
world Our need, the worlds need, is Of the Living
Christ.
(3) v. 28-37. The story of the walk to Emmaus
IS the story of many Christian life. Jesus for
period is an Unrecognized Companion then he be-
comes spiritually known in the breaking of Bread"
-or, by some experience in private in the Church
which proves the reality of his presence and grace
But he will reveal himself fully and turn all wonder
to joy and all tears to bliss only at the end of the
journey, in the New Jerusalem above. The recog
milton of Jesus by the Emmaus disciples included
knowledge of him as bestowing upon them many
and constant blessings. How kindly he had drawn
out their story; how had he, in all the journey, min
istered to the needs of their hearts. How eager
the Emmaus disciples were to confess the Jesus
they had recognized. Contrast the second journey
back to Jerusalem with the first journey toward
Emmaus. The travellers invited Jesus to remain
with them, not knowing it was the Lord how much
more should we invite him to abide with us, who do
know it is the Lord. "Abide with US p appropriate
words for lifeprayer. The travellers did not know
Jesus because their eyes were "holden" of their
power to see. Because they had no hope or expect
ancy in their desire to Jesus, they could not rec
ognize him when he was with them. II we do not
see Spiritual Lord it is not because he is not
real the trouble is with our spiritual eyes.