The Tupelo journal., 1902-12-26

ohuo CIV lHtO tuc WOIiu. ludt 10
the reason joy and gladness and
blessing floods the Christmas day. 1t
is because of the Christly presence.
Christmas joy without the Christ!
Impossible!! Christmas joy because
Jesus has come.
Two things the shepherds did aft
er the message of the angels had
been borne in upon their souls: They
made haste to find Jesus, and when
they had found Him they returned,
"glorifying and praising God" and
they made known abroad" the glad
message of salvation. Jesus has
come! The world celebrates the IN
niversary of His birth. 1t has heard
the message of the angels, but it re-
mains u OF the hillsides of sin re-
fusing to seek Jesus. Do you cele-
brate Christmas? oh, friend! Have
you heard that Jesus has come?
Then seek with haste the presence
of Jesus. Let the music of Eternal
Life burst in upon your soul and
learn the true Joy of Christmas time.
And then carry the glad message of
the angels to all about of a Saviour
born, of a Saviour crucified, of a
Saviour who ever liveth to make in
tercession.
Jesus VIII Come Again.-But I'll
angels have left another message. 1t
was delivered on the brow of Mount
Olivet, made sacred by the memories
of Christ's presence there as He
communed with His Father and with
His disciples. The handful of disci-
pies are there with their risen Lord
in their midst. They listen to His
parting words; they hear His promise
of power after the Holy Ghost has
come upon them; they receive His
command to go into all the world
and witness for Him, and while they
gaze with rapt absorption upon His
glorified face, He is taken up from
their midst, and a cloud receives Him
out of their sight. And while they
looked steadfastly toward Heaven, as
He went up behold, two men stood
by them in white apparel; which
also said: Ye men of Galilee, why
stand We gazing up into Heaven?
This same Jesus, which is taken up
from you into Heaven, shall so come
go into Heaven" The promise of the
Father borne by the angels from
Heaven to earth is hat Jesus is com
ing again. What a bright hope to
keep the Christian ever gazing Heav-
onward in expectancy.
He is coming! The gentle heart of
the maiden sings with joy at the
thought of the coming of the one
she adores. The daily letter has
come, and the daily letter has gone
speeding on it's way to him. The
communion has been sweet and con
slant between the two, but, oh, he is
coming! Coming, so that his strong
arms shall clasp her to his bosom,
SO that she shall hear his own ten
der voice sounding in her ear, so she
can talk with him face to face and
understand him better and be with
him always. All this is so natural
and human. We understand it. We
love to read the story of love and
constancy, of the sadness of separa
ton which gives place to the glad
ness of reunion And is it a strange
thing that the Christian who is in
daily communion with his Lord
should long to be with Him?
Jesus lover Of my soul,
Let me to Thy bosom fly"
Is it any wonder that John, the be
loved disciple, in closing his wonder.
full Revelation, when he hears his
Lord say: Surely, | come quickly
should respond with a reverent
Amen, and exclaim: Even so, come
Lord Jesus!"
Yes. Jesus IS coming again! God
sent His angels to tell the disciples
so. The manner of His coming is
known, for they said He should
come in the clouds of Heaven, ever
as He went up into Heaven. And
Paul, under the inspiration of the
Holy Spirit, adds: For the Lore
Himself shall descend from HEAVIER
%archangel, and with the trump OF
God: And the dead in Christ shall
rise first: Then we which are alive
and remain, shall be caught up to-
gether with them in the clouds, tC
meet the Lord in the air; and sc
shall we eve be with the Lord"
But the time of His coming is not
known. The angels do not know
Jesus does not know, "but the Fa.
Their, only" watch, therefore,
says Jesus, "for We know not hat
hour your Lord doth come" The
five foolish virgins knew the bride
groom was coming, but they were
not watching and were left outside
the marriage supper and the door
was shut against them. 1t is the
eternal truth of God that, "This same
Jesus is coming again. Is it not q
glad message to couple with the one
that Jesus has come? The Song OF
the angels which announced the birth
of a Saviour for the world was 6
glad burst of Heavenly music, but il
had it's minor chords which marked
the weary, blood-stained path which
Jesus rod up to the cross anC
through the tomb. Two angels an
nounced to the sad-hearted disciples
as they sought their Lords BODY:
"He is not here, but He is risen
And then with new faith awakened
Christ Himself appeared unto them
Two angels appeared to the gazing
disciDleS and announced to them tbat