Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1902-08-16

| That -, Jesus love was the source and
her love was the inevitable result. There
SIRE some elements of Mary's love which
| ought to he studied here.
| al The vision OF angels did not terrify
her. In Matthew'S gospel the angels re.
| assured the woman by saving Fear not. !"
7! As they were afraid, but with Mary she
vas too completely filed with thoughts
| VI Christ to be any ways AFRAID OF the
| sight of angels. Undoubtedly she was alb
| ;olutely forgetful of her physical weakness,
| ;or she said to Him whom she supposed 10
NJ the gardener Sir. ii Thou have borne
Him hence. tell me where Thou hast l1id
| Him. and I will take Him away" How
| would it have been possible for her to
handle the body OF one who was dead
| and yet doubtless she would have found
| Gav. 1t is certainly true that intense de-
rotion to the Lord takes away every
| thought OF the burden OF service. and those
who have an absorbing love for Christ
| may perform deeds which would be inn
| possible under ordinary circumstances.
| There are three people whom we may re-
member as representing the three graces,
| faith. hope and love: Mary. OF Bethany.
who believed that He was TO be cruci.ied
rial. showing her faith; the penitent thief
| upon the cross expected that Christ
| would come in His kingdom. revealing
His hope. but this Mary Magda.ene is
beautiful representation of love.
We find again in this story an illustra-
ton of the fact that fears and sorrows of
believers are often quite needless. We
are told that MARI stood at the sepucher
weeping as if nothing could comfort her.
The angels spoke to her and still she
went. The Lord Himself addressed her
saying. why weepcst thou?' and the
burden of her complaint was always the
save. They have taken away my Lord
-
Him." and yet all this time her risen
Master was close 20 her. Her tears.
therefore. were needless. ard her sorrow
was groundless. Doubtless Mary failed to
recognize Jesus.
First-Because she was not expecting
Him. and so we often miss our choicest
blessings for want of looking for them.
right before us. but doubtless. also she
failed to recognize Him because of the
fact that it was hardly light in the morn.
ing. and she saw Him but dimly. Thus
again she is an illustration OF ourselves
as we behold Him. not so much face to
face as we realize His presence with the
heart. BLESSED are the pure in heart.
for they shall see God" and yet what
thorcht:ul Christian can fail to see that
we have a picture 6f many a believers
experience. How often we are anxious
when there is no cause for anxiety. How
frequently we mourn about the absence
OF things which are really within our
grasn. Two-thirds of the things we fear
in life never happen at all. and many OF
the tears we shed are shed in vain. Ii
Mar had found the seal of the tomb I'M
broken she might well have wept. The
very absence of the body which made her
weep was token for good and cause OF
JOY for herself and fo~ all mankind.
II.
'Jesus saith INTO her, Mary, She
turned herself and saith unto Him. Rab-
boni. which is to say. Master" The way
in which Mary addresses her Lord is most
significant. 1t Is a term often applied to
Him and ALWAYS wisely. In Matthew %:
s. we read. For one is your Master. even
Christ" 1t will be a happy day for the
church when we Weld to the mastery of
Jesus Christ; 1t is true that men are fire.
cucntlv Indifferent to this claim. as, for
example, in Matthew &c: -. Then Ju-
Gas. which BETRAYED Him. answered and
said. Master. Is IL |? He said unto him.
Thou hast said" Many a man has claimed
10 yield TO the mastery of Christ and vet
has betrayed Him by an inconsistent life.
or again in Matthew 81: 40. when Judas
saws vet again. Hail. Master, and kissed
Him." There can be no baser betrayal
than that which comes from the heart of
friend. who claims to be a Christian and
not TO be such. To say that you belong
To Christ and vet to deny Him with your
life is an awful thing. and shall merit one
day the severest condemnation of Christ
Himself There are many places in the
New Testament where find that He is
called Master, in addition to the one in
the text. but three of them L should like
specially to emphasize.
First-Luke II: l3. And they lifted I'D
their voices and said, Jesus. Master, have
mercy on us" This is picture OF the
OF Samaria and Galilee. and is an illus
tration for all who would be freed from
their bondage. They are hopeless and
HELPLESS, dead. according to the law and
cast out from the presence OF men accord
ing to the Scriptures. Luke II: II. And
when He saw them He said unto them.
Go show yourselves unto the priests. And
it came to pass, that. as they went. they
were cleansed." Let il ever be remembered
that as they went they were c,eansed.
God never gives us more light than we use:
nor more freedom than we will practice.
One has only to walk toward the light and
to seS his face toward Christ to be seen
rejoicing in all the glorious liberty of tho
sons of God. In Jesus leprosy has met its
conqueror. and that for which leprosy
stands. namely, sin. its mishtiest foe
Second-Luke 5: ). And Simon answer
ing said unto Him. Master, we have
toled all the night. and have taken moth
ing; nevertheless at Thy word | will let
down the net The disciples are fishing
and all the night they have toiIed and
taken nothing. but the Master makes d
simple suggestion, as a result OF which
they gather in so many fish that their
net brake and their partners came to
help them and fill both the ships so that
they began to sink. He is the Master to
help us in the time of perversity and trial
and business difficulty. There is no an
noyance in the home but what might be
right ii He were III CONTROL there is no
anxiety in business but what might be
avoided or met ii He were really in the
seat OF power in our lives; there is M
difficulty so great or no annoyance sd
trifing as to be beneath His thoughtful
suggestion If, as He said Himself. the
Very hairs OF our head are numbered,
and not a sparrow falls to the ground
without Gods care. then We may rest as.
sured that He will turn to us with COM
plete delivcrance if He only be recog-
nized as Master.
Third-He is the Master OF the home
particularly. and Is the secret Of victory
IN every time OF difficulty or trial! John
II: IS, And when she had so said. she
went her way and called Mary. her sis
ter. secretly. saying. the Master is come
ind calleth for thee" There is no home
more beautiful in all the world than the
home of Mary and Martha and Lazarus.
| only because the chief guest OF that home
was Jesus, and the one controlling thelr
every movement was the Son OF God.
| Again in Luke Q: 49, we read. And be.
| hold man of the company cried out say.
| ing. Master. | beseech Thee. look upon
Il