The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1901-04-03
Sunday-schoo1.
JESUS APPEARS TO MARY.
APRIL ID, IooI.-John Xxx. II-IS.

The loving women, bearing spices tor the body OF
Jesus, found the stone rolled away. Mary Magda-
ene, that is "of Magdaa," and told Peter and
John that the body had been taken away, as she
thought. The others entered into the sepulchre, and
found two angels, who told them that Jesus had
risen. Receiving message for the disciples they
also returned. Peter and John and entered
and found only the grave clothes, and the napkin
folded and laid by itself When they went away
Mary stood the tomb weeping Something very
wonderful and gracious reserved for her.
AS she wept she stopped and looked into the tomb
There were the two angels They in white
sitting at the head and the other at the foot of
the space where the body CT Jesus had lain "Wo-
man, why weepest thou?" They spoke first. She
replied, just she had spoken to the disciples
They have taken away my Lord and l know not
where they have laid him. That the burden of
her grief She thought the dead body of Jesus had
been stolen away by his enemies. Then she turned
back possibly conscious of the presence of one
and "saw Jesus standing and knew not that it
Jesus" 1t full daylight, yet she did not recog
nize Jesus Her eyes dim with her tears Her
mind occupied with her grief. She had not the
faintest thought that he living again. Jesus also
spoke first as did the angels. and asked the same
question, 'Why weepes. thou?" To the angels and
to Jesus it was time for tears. In her dim
vision and the condition of her mind she thought 1t
was the gardener. the custodian, Waterman of the
grounds Full of her one thought she asked where
he has been laid. 81 will take him away" With her
great heart of love- she proposed herself to under
take the care of the body of her Lord. She appears
then to have turned again toward the tomb. For
when I~sns said MARY" calling the gardener
would not by her name, and in tone that
went to the heart, "she turned herself toward him
and at once replied, in the Hebrew Aramaic, the
common language of the people, "Rabboni," that is
my Master" 1t was title full of respect and at
lection She knew her Lord The eyes that
holden opened.
She was about to clasp his feet when he said
"Touch me not" There change in the re-
lationship now to exist between the disciples and
their Lord Before his death they had laid their
hands upon him, Mary of Bethany had anointed his
head with oil. The pentent woman had wiped his
feet with the hairs of her head. And after he had
risen some we're permitted to handle him to prove
the fact Of his bodily resurrection But Mary Mag
dalene had attempted to grasp him. with the thought
that he belonged to them again. They were to enjoy
the Lords presence in the old way but this was not
to be- Henceforth communion not to be through
sense Only on occasions would he be with them
bodily. 81 ascend unto my Fathe- and your Father;
and to my God, and your God" AS if already the
ascension had begun.
She returned and told the disciples all these things
her eyes had seen and her ears had heard.
The love and devotion of the women to Jesus is
one of the most affecting features of the story of the
dead and risen Lord Iast at the cross, and earliest
at the tomb" And they but the first of the great
number of Christian women in all the ages. Woman
hood is never exalted beautiful as when filled
and inspired with the love of Jesus.
Mary Magdaene not the guilty and shameful
woman she represented to be. Out of her Jesus
had cast devils, and she was filled with gratitude.
Her deverance from demon power brought her to
his feet. ~ wv
Love 1 much, I'm much forgiven,
I'm a miracle of grace"
Shining angels spoke to her Jesus himself APP
peared first to her. She is the first witness of the