The Wilmington daily Republican., 1902-04-03
WE HAVE
SEEN THE LORD.
A Sermon Preached by
Rev. John Shape March
3Oth, 1902.

ever seen of the post resurrection per.
iod of our Lord, saw last Monday.
The artist had givcnup his conception
of the morning race of the two disci-
pies to the empty tomb. Let your
imagination play little In the back
ground are the the hazy hills of the
Holy City. 1t is not difficult for US to
bring before our minds the rugged
ness of the Palcstinlan country. 1t
is twilight-the twilight that comes
just before the dawn. Over the
picture which l held in my hand a
sort OF delicate shadow rested that
sort of shadow that brings toone who
rises early OH the morning mingled
restfIllness and hope at the prospect
of the coming day.
Now look at these two racers. Their
long hair is streaming in the morning
breeze: their flowing robes quick ind-
cate their oriental character, on the
face of each. there is an eagerness
that would set us guessing at their
mission, did we not know the Scrip
turc story. This much they have in
common. But now look at their differ
enccS.
One of them is fair and young and
beardlcss. His name is John. In his
face you see anxiety, hope, cagernesS,
faith,and these comingling lend swift
tc the feet that easily move faster
than those Of his older companion.
But in that other face the artist out
did himself. 1t is the tace of Peter
strong, weak, bold, ,mpetuous,
blunde,ing, earnest. human Peter.
Heavy lines inlay that portion of the
face that is not covered by the heavy
beard One could almost guess that
he has passed a sleeplcss night. Just
the slightest trace Of timidity is no
ticeabe in the features of John but
there is not a hint OF this IN the face
of the Older man.
lie has made up his mind to in YES
tigate the story of the women who
have been already to the tomb and
found it empty, and who have there
fore come to Peter with the plaintiye
cry They have taken away my Lord
and know not where they have laid
him. " So they ran both together:
and tie other disciple did outrun
Peter"
With the rest OF the story you are
quite familiar, as indeed with this
You must have been. You are very
familiar with I'll" order of the A Appcar.
ancc of Christ. How he came first to
Mary, then to the other women, then
to Peter, then to the two on the wav
to EmmauS, to HE ten in the evening
to the eleven eight days later. to the
seven some weeks later at the Sea of
t'allllec, to the eleven on Il mountain.
to above 800 brethren at once. to
James alone, to all the apostles at the |
noun; of Ascension. Our text is the |
concerted cry of the ten disciples to
the one disciple Thomas who was
not with them when Jesus came. They !
had met Him he had shown them |
hlG pierced hands and feet: his old
familiar samlation had sounded in
their ears peace be unto you." he
had brea'hcd on them saving Receive
yc the Holy Ghost. And then the
disciples find Thomas and say with
JOYFUL exclamation. We have seen Tive
Lord and Thomas wouldn't bcllcyc
it.
Consider the Personality of these
Witnesses. Here were ten men. OF
some of them we know but little.
Here are Simon the Canaanitc, Thad-
deus, James of Alphcus. Matthew,
bartholomew, Philip. Andrew. John,
James, Peter. What can Thomas
mean l,y doubling the word of men
like these Has their testimony ever
been impugncd bcf,rcI Can lutrl,h-
tulucSs l,r charged to them: phiIip
had brought Nathaniel TO lhr Master,
lad tollni Il little Ia-l with two fishes
and liv" Ioavcs Of bread when none of
the rest SAW Il way to feed so great q
multitude. and it was he who had
exclaimed, show us the Father and
II Su'1rcth us. Andrew found Christ
and 'lrn he luItnG his brother. Peter
James and John bad been associated
with the Christ in closest sympathy ,
in his earthly Iilr. With him in the
moment Of his greatest power, when
he raised iItc daughter Of.IariotlS from
the dead: with Iim in the moment of
his greatest weakness, when he SuI-
fcrcd IN he garden: with him in the
moment Of his highest cNalIatiur,
when hr wa, Transferred before hem !
On the mountain. Were these men,
men who woad likely fabricalr Il
story ana fool l'cir fellow disciple?
And then consider HE special tc>ii-
mony Of l'rlrrand John. They that !
had |rcn to 1lccmply tomb;
/ hey had seen he linen cloths hnr
Just as one Wu,lld leave them who bad
no further UNe for them: Peter and
John had act lual' gone INTO I he empty
and besides had not Peter
N t linn alone. And then he story of
Mary must also he taken intoa,counL
. how she had mistaken Jesus for the
gardener and. hu" lie vas to her in
he old familiar tone, a, lie prumpuu-
c"d her name.
Nay Thomas you are denanIing
more than is Sccmly and right to ask
further testimony when men like
hcSe have given rs their word con-
'crning b" resurrection. And vet
let us not he too hard on poor Thomas
He bad simply demanded to see for
himself, ana touch the sacred body,
and they themselves had seen as he
had demanded.
Consider rthc GROUNDOFtTIIEl
Eivn thinrS va tn