The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-07

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heard, saw and knew it was he. Moth
ing is more certain, therefore, than this
was bodily appearance, and that
the evangelist intended to so repre-
sent it.
The third appearance was to Peter,
but at what time of day and under
what circumstances we have no
knowledge. Luke and Paul testify
to the fact, but they give us no ac-
count of it. We know nothing more
than that he did appear unto Peter.
The fourth appearance is one of
great interest. Mark says that she
appeared in another form unto two of
them as they walked and went into
the country" and Luke gives us
full account of this appearance. Two
of the disciples on that Sunday after
noon were walking to Emmaus, dis
lance of seven or eight miles. Who
they were we do not know, only we
know that they were not of the
twelve The name of one is given
and it is surmised that the other was
Luke himself. If so we have here
the testimony of one who made a
part of the scene he describes. They
are walking along, talking sadly of
the occurrences of the last few days.
Suddenly stranger walks with them,
enters into their conversation and
opens unto them, in a wonderful
manner, the Scriptures concerning
the Christ. They listen with amaze
ment, but do not recognize the Mas
ter. Coming to the city they persuade
the stranger to enter the city and
tarry with them. They sit down to
meat, and Jesus takes bread and
blesses and breaks it in the old ia
miliar way, and their eyes are opened
and they know him, but no sooner is
he known of them than he vanishes
out of their sight.
With hearts all in a flame they has
ten back to Jerusalem and find the
eleven assembled in a room with
closed doors. The eleven greet them
with the words, "The Lord is risen
indeed, and hath appeared unto ST.
mon" and they in turn report what
they have seen and heard and how he
was known to them in the breaking
of bread
While they are talking Jesus sud
denly appears among them and says,
"Peace be unto you" They are ter
rified, and think they see a spirit.
Jesus treasures them, shows them
his hands and his feet, asks for meat
and eats broiled fish and honeycomb
in their presence, and when, he has
Gained their spirits and made them
certain of his reality, he proceeds to
enlighten their understandings con-
corning the Scriptures and his work
and mission. This is the fifth re-
corded appearance of Jesus on that
first Christian Sunday.
OF these last two appearances
something is to be said. They differ
in some respects from the first two.
There is nothing peculiar about the
first two. Jesus appeared to the wo-
men just as any person might. But
in the last two there is something pc
culiar. Mark says, che appeared in
another form unto two of them"
What is meant by this9 Does it
mean that he. appeared unto them in
another body9 1t will hardly bear
this construction we think. The
meaning seems to be that he appeared
unto them in another way, in diff
ferent manner. The difference is OBJ
vious. To the two he appears sud-
denly, walks and talks with them,
but does not so disclose himself that
they recognize him until he breaks
the bread, when he suddenly vanish
esout of their sight. So to the eleven
he appeared suddenly when they are
behind closed doors, and so terrifes
them that they think it is ghost
and he has to show them the wounds
in his body and eat before them to
convince them of his real presence.
From all this we must conclude that
Jesus had power to use his body as
he pleased. He could put it ON and
off at will. He manifested himself in
and by the flesh, but was not holden
of the flesh. The great import
ance of this fact will appear when we
come to consider the significance of
all these appearances. S. C.