The Indianapolis journal., 1898-06-18
THE SUNDAY-SCHOOL LESSON.

There was nothing preternatural in the personal
appearance of Jesus in the forty days after His
resurrection. His countenance was not like light
ming nor His raiment white snow He was
mistaken for a gardener, and later as common
traveller. There was a sweet "humanness in
His words as well. He uttered Mary name with
a familiar accent. He called the disciples my
brethren" He appointed free-and-easy Galilee as
the place of rendezvous. Even the salutation "All
hail!' which in our version seems so majestic is
really just the common and happy greeting Of
friends.
But this "humanness'' of Jesus appearance, in
which there is shown a gentle considerateness of
the disciples, is offset by the divinity of His
commission to them. No wonder Liddon calls
Jesus plan original and, humanity speaking
"audacious." The idea of a universal religion
was brand-new to Jew and Greek alike The
creation of a worldwide unconquerable spiritual
empire, the first heralds of which should be
Galilean fishermen who had mot yet conquered
their misgivings,' was certainly the most
courageous scheme enunciated
The nationality and practicability of Jesus
scheme is insured by two facts, which He de-
cares at it's inception The work to which He
commissions His apostles palpably transcends the
utmost human power. But the power of two
worlds, heaven and earth, inheres in the Foundes
of the Kingdom of God. Therefore, receiving
their commission from such a source, they can go
with confidence to disciple, baptize and teach the
nations. Again. the sustaining presence Of Jesus
pearance from earth. 1t shall continue in per-
petuty and without days interruption, until
the end of the age.
Twenty centuries have passed. how fares it with
Jesus plan? Who shall not say the mustard-seed
has leavened the lump? Spite OF persecution
heresy and schsm, the Nxingdom of souls carries
and all nations now observe the things Jesus has
commanded. This unparalleled expansion arrests
attention 1t is at least an nciaen1al M evloence a
tri1e. Well may Boileau say: The church is a
great thought. which every man ought to study
and Liddon add 1t is a great ract' Whlch every
man ought to measure.
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES.
And they departed: Matthew giving only a hint
of the intervening appearance of Jesus, hastens
according to his design, to the great manifesto
tion on the mountain in Galilee.-Stier.
To bring disciples word: Within six weeks of
the resurrection that great event was the un-
shaken faith of every Chrstian.-Farrar.
Jesus met them: Christ bestows His graces and
consultations by degrees first by His angels and
then by himself. He does not reveal himself to
incredulous and disobedient souls. He appears
not even to those women till he had tried their
faith and obedience by His ministering angels
Clarke
Large money: Avarice had more power over
them than fear-Bengel whole case OF Jewlsh
authorities at stake.-J. F. b. Stole while we
slept: Poor shallow inconsistency. Wesley.
By night: Heap of absurd1ties.-Clarke. They
teach them how to lie plausiby. .-Bengel.
Persuade him. secure you: How toilsome the
war of falsehood against truth!-Ibid. Persuasion
F. B. .''''' '''''' 4N'O'''
Observation-Disclosures Before His passion Jesus
had been worshiped by strangers rauner than by
His disciples.-Bengel. The slower they were to
believe, the greater credit is due to them after
wards as WitnesseS.-Ibid. They doubted, that we
might not doubt.-Leo.
Therefore: Crowned as 1 now am with right
full dominion, forth and win it---Whedon.
BaptZing: Formally induct them into the new
life by a suggestive ritual.-Pentecost. 60 ye"
is the missionary. ''baptize and teach the pas
toral, department of this commission.-J F. b.
1 am with you: All the days, in perpetuity,
without days interruption.-Ibid.
THE TEACHERS QUIVER.
1t is suggestive that the last meeting of Jesus
and His whole company of believers was not in
a cavern or forest, but Galilean hilltop.
He might have appeared to them individually,
but there were advantages in the mode He chose.
1t gave each an opportunity prove his loyalty
by obedience to the summons. 1t suited Jesus
dignity.
THE little existing church. of five hundred
members presented itself at the trystng- place.
Though there was lrruption of doubt, which
the analyst frankly records, there was also an
identification and recognition attended by act
OF worshop.
Christ instituted the church lifts it from the
plane of mere voluntary philanthropic society.
The charter of such an association needs not to
invoke all power in heaven and EARTH
Again. in the last analysis, the destiny of the
church Is not in the hands of its members in
the sense that any human society is. It's ex-
zeal of its communicates then living; but its
ultimate success Is insured by the perpetual,
spiritual and experimenting presence of the di-
vine Founaer. against whom the gates of hell
DreVail.