The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1896-03-07
THE FIRST-DAY APPEARANCES OF
JESUS.

THE FIRST DAY APPEARANCES OF
JESUS.
WE are to study the appearances of
Jesus after his crucifixion and see
what they have to teach us. We may
not learn anything new, but the study
may make the old truths more i'm
pressive. Our first study will be of
the appearances of Jesus on the first
day of the week, that is on Sunday.
He was crucified on Friday, Satur-
day was the Jewish Sabbath, and on
Sunday he rose from the dead and
appeared unto his disciples. The re-
corded appearances for this day
number five. The record tells us that
on the first Christian Sunday and
first Easter, Jesus showed himself to
his friends and followers five times.
1t may not be possible to give the
precise order in which these events
occurred; we will study them in their
probable order.
It seems to be conceded that his
first appearance was to Mary of Mag
dala. She who was last at the cross
and first at the tomb was granted the
first sight OF her risen Lord as re-
ward of her love and devotion. Mark
tells us distinctly that Jesus first ap-
peared to Mary, and John gives us a
detailed account of their interview.
1t would seem that Mary, leading the
other women, came first to the sepul-
chre. Seeing with the others that the
tomb was empty, and being told to
tell the disciples, she hastens to
Peter and then follows Peter and
John back to the sepulchre. They,
having satisfied themselves of the
truth of her story, return, but Mary
fingers at the sepulchre. She is in
great grief over the loss of her Lord.
She would embalm that sacred form.
Her eyes are filled with tears. She
looks into the tomb and sees the
angels and they say, "Woman, why
weepest thou?" She answers in those
tender and touching words, words
the pathos of which every heart must
feel: Because they have taken
away my Lord and know not where
they have laid him." Saying this
she turned back from the tomb and
caught sight of form that she took
to be the gardener. This form speaks
to her saying, woman why weepest
thou? Whom seekest thouf" She
answers, "Sir, if thou hast borne him
hence, tell me where thou hast laid
him and l will take him away" Then
the unknown one utters that all re-
vealing name, "Mary," in tones not
to be mistaken, and she, turning and
looking full upon him cries, "Rab-
boni, o my Master" and falls pros
trate at his feet, her heart almost
bursting with wonder, fear and Joy.
Jesus delivered to her loving mes
sage for his brethren and she de-
parts on this joyful Grand.
A short time after, Jesus appeared
to the other women, a record of which
we find in Matthew only. He met
them on their way to tell the dis
ciples, and saluted them with the ia
miliar salutation, "All hail" They
recognize him and in great fear and
JOY, they fall at his feet in the atti-
tude of worship.
Now it is evident that these APP
pearances were real. They were not
merely visions of the mind, but bodi-
ly manifestations that came within
the range of the senses. These
women saw Jesus and heard him
speak and fell at his feet, if they did
not indeed clasp them. That Mary
did not at first recognize him was
perfectly natural under the circum-
stances. She had no idea of seeing
him; it was only twilight in the gar
den; her eyes were filed with tears
and she was only partly turned to-
ward him. 1t was very natural, there
fore, that she did not at first recog.
nize him. Her own name uttered in