The state republican. (Jefferson City, Mo.) 1871-1896, 1895-06-20

hNh tNoa NAN'
1t is plain to my mind that verses A-4s OF
the lesson were spoken by the Lord at the
interview with the disciples on the evening
OF the FIRST day after his resurrection Just
after he vanished from the two at Emmaus.
We ind here the same line Of thought as
with Cleopas and his companion as they
walked by the way but this doubtless was
the theme Of the whole forty days, and we
may well suppose that the language was re-
peated more than once. SO that, as we ind
the disciples assembled once more, and for
the last time In Jerusalem with the Lord, he
gave them a summary OF his teachings, and
his final charge before the ascension. In
verse A he advises them as II he had already
gone from their bodily presence saying,
''those are the words which l speak unto you
while I was yet with you - referring to his
teachings previous to the cruciixion. The
substance OF these teachings was ''that all
things must be fulfilled, which we're written
in the law OF Moses, and in the prophets, and
in the Psalms, concerning me. Thus 1t is
written and tbus 1t behooved Christ to suffer
| and to rise from the dead the third day. And
| that repentance and remission of sins should
| be preached in his name among all nations,
| beginning at Jerusalem" ''Then opened he
| their Ut 1erstandings minds, New Version
that they might understand the Scriptures
I and they doubtless saw clearly, now, that in
his death and resurrection, all these things
were fulfilled, and that he was the Messiah
Of the Old Testament. The last shadow Of
doubt was removed from their minds on this
question and they were clearly led to believe
also, that, repentance and remission OF
Sit hould be preached In his name begin
ming at Jerusalem - We need not stop to
speculate as to how these minds and under
standings were opened any more than the
two at Emmaus had their eyes opened that
they should know the Lord, or how the eyes
OF Elisha's servant were opened at Dothan,
or how Hagar's eyes were opened to see the
we'll. Spiritual truths can only be spiritually
| discerned, l Cor. 2lo-l3, Ps. 1918. 1t seems
strange to US that these disciples could not
| accept these plain teachings of Christ before
his death, and that 1t required the stupendous
| miracle of the resurrection, supplemented by
| this miraculous opening OF the mind and I'M
derstanding, to enable them clearly to APP
| prehend these great truths OF redeeming
| grace But the prejudice of early training
and preconcciyed ideas held their eyes shut
with resistless power against everything
short OF the power OF the resurrection. But
they learned the lesson at last, and learned
ii once for all; henceforth no power on earth
or In hell could break their hold on these
great truths. And they now saw clearly,
coming out of the fact that Christ must needs
suffer and die, that other great truth, that
only in his namely his authority, his merit
and mediation could repentance and remis-
sio1 Of sins be preached to all nations" SO
having the full revelation Of the gospel OF
salvation, 1t only remained for them to re-
ceive the final charge of the Master, that
henceforth their mission in this life was to be
witnesses Of these things, and to so into
all the world and preach the gospel to every
creature.h
Here was a new institution unknown In the
history OF the world to this time-the initia-
alton of the missionary movement that
should sweep on through the ages till the
world is brought to Christ. And here a new
office unknown among men beforei 1.-The
preacher was to be the gospels supreme ad-
dition to the role Of public men,
In the mean time they were instructed to
larry in Jerusalem until the promise OF the
Father, the endowment OF power from on
high, should come upon them to fit them for
their grand mission. ''For John truly bap-
tized with water, but ye shall be baptized
with the Holy Ghost not many days hence"
Acts 10.