The Newtown bee., 1901-07-26
THE HOME CIRCLE. THOrlAS, THE DOUBTER.
A SERMON BY REV E. R. EVANS OF
 REDDING.

SERMON BY REV E. R. EVANS OF BEDDING.
 Text, Rev 1: Is, II was dead, and behold am alive for evermOre.
 l desire to speak to you this morn
 ing upon the sixth appearance of our Lord after his resurrection, deferring
 what 1 have to present concerning
 other manifestations for future ser
 mons. My remarks at this time are | to center about one of the apostles, Thomas.
 This disciple is very interesting
 and unique personality, with strongly
 marked characteristics that appear in
 our every view of him. No other of an interesting character study. Dean
 Stanley finds these traits in him that are closely allied,-a strong tendency
 toward despondency, toward looking on the dark side; persistent hesti- tancy about believing, seeing all the difficulties involved in a given situa- tion, though willing to advance where faith points; and yet, an ardent love
 for his Master. Note how these traits appear in the glimpses afforded of him in the gospels.
 First, he was of Respondent dispo- sition. Note this in the first special
 mention of him made in the gospels. Lazarus was sick and Mary and Mar
 to come at once to Bethany. But
 Bethany was in Judea, place hostile
 to the Lord. Howbeit Jesus said to
 the disciples Let us go into Judea again." But they replied Rabbi, the
 Jews were but now seeking to stone
 thee, and goest thou thither again?" But Jesus insisted upon going. Whereupon Thomas, gloomy Thomas,
 with countenance sad and voice sol emn, said to the disciples, "Let us also go that we may die with him." This is heroic and yet depressing. There is another instance of the same tenden cy: Jesus was speaking chose words, so wonderfully tender and impressive, that are recorded in Johns Gospel, Chapters H to ll8. He had just told His followers that He was going away to prepare place for them and added: "And whither go, ye know the way But Thomas, pessimistic Thomas, an swered: ''Lord, we know not whither thou goest, and (what is morel how can we know the way?" The clouds were apostle and he could not see any light, even tho the Light of the World'' was before him.
 Closely akin to tn 8 d1 spondent trait is anOther-a hesitancy, yes, a dOgged stubbornness, about believing. This trait is natural accompaniment of the other. Gloomy people are slow to believe anything good. For few days after the Crucitixion, Thomas remain ed away from the rest of the disciples. He was sick at heart,
 ABSOLUTELY WITHOUT HOPE. If despair had seized him some weeks before, when his Master started to en- ter Judea for the purpose of healing Lazarus, something more than despair now held him in it's clutches. Melan- cholia, desperation, complete abandon ment, possessed his mind. Visions of | his Lord bleeding upon the tree haunt ed him day and night. He saw the nail prints in hands and feet, the gap ing wound in the side, the thorn crowned temples besmeared with blood, the expression of intensest agony. All these and more were con passing before the apostle, and, if they brought unutterable hop lessneSs to the remainder of the apos- ties, much more did they to him with so peculiarly morbid. So Thomas resolutely absented himself rom his companions; he did not wish