The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-19

l BolhB 10 reveal HimSell 10 HIS dlsclpleS after long succession of earthly troubles. They try to magnify the hopeless grief of the Christian disciples during the two black nights following the crucifxion to that dumb despair with which the mother 1 of criminal might watch the stern, grim, voieeless, forbidding walls of 1 state penitentiary within which her son is about to be eectrocuted for the crime of murder. 1 once saw such face. l never wish to see the like of 1t again. The mother hired a room overlooking Sing Sing prison. mere she sat hour after hour watching and waiting. Not until this agonizng woman had heard that her boys heart had ceased to beat did she turn away and bury her crushed life in distant city.
 The Cheerful View.
 But I take brighter and more cheer ful view of the resurrection of Jesus Christ in the early dawn. l believe that Jesus Christ appeared unto Mary in the early dawn, when the birds were stretch Ing their wings for a morning bath when the cocks were soundIng their reveille of the barnyards, when the dogs from hunger were trying to hunt around for a stray bone for their breakfast. Christ wants to teach us that just as soon as possible He shall appear to ex-
 
 mysteries and trials and separations. Christ could have appeared the first ! Easter day at the second watch. when all Jerusalem was stirring or at l2 o'clock noon. or even at the tenth hour, or just before sunset. and still have fulfilled the prophecy that He should rise again on the third day But such tardy action is not like that of my Lord and King He would not protract by a moment the of hi f,.fa de soon as the prophecy was fulfilled He burst the bonds of death and revealed Himself unto the broken hearted Mary, and just soon as Christ can return and we are prepared for His message He will appear again and explain away many-perhaps not all, but many-of the 1 hitherto inexplcabe mysteries of our lives.
 Divine explanations this side of the ! grave as well as the other side of the river of deathi Oh, my brother, is not this to you a glorious Easter thought? l do not want to wait until I reach the heavenly land before l shall have had at least some of the reasons given why my troubles were sent to me upon earth. l want some of the reasons explained ter restrially as well as celestially. By these earthly explanations l want to be spirit ually stronger to do the work which has
 
 1t my bleeding feet must pass over blis- tering and thorny pathways I want to nave the same divine revelations appear to me when earthly troubles come that came to the wife of a church officer whom l visited a short time ago. For years this husband and wife had been childless. But at last God blessed their home little one came and stayed just long enough to be loved. and then her Ha1 hopeless, bitter and rebellious? Oh, no. The Christ who had appeared unto Mary In the early dawn stood with her by the empty crib. MT. Talmage" she said. uo not think because my baby Is dead that she has brought no blessing into my husbands and my own life She livpd long enough for us to pity the husband and the wife who never had child She lived long enough to bring my bleeding heart into sympathy with those who have troubles all round me. I can thank God for my little empty cradle. And I can thank God for my little grave" Oh, my brother and sister in the early dawn of the morning would you not like Christ to come and reveal Himself to you? Bv divine inspiration do you not wish. like this Christian lady, to be able to hope- fully and blessedly explain many of the earthly troubles which now seem feady to oyerwhelm you?
 The Mission of Mary.
 The risen Lord appeared unto Mary so that she might go and tell the disciples that she had seen the living Saviour This was no small mission upon which to be sent. Must not the transporting news of a resurrected Christ be carried to the farthermost parts of the world? Must not this news naturally first be spread broadcast bV the tastfr,,opxt of +t,os,o ..t. had lived nearest and closest to Jesus? 1T Mary Magdalene and Peter and John and James and Mary the mother of Christ, would not be true and announce to the world a risen Saviour would the Pharisees or the Roman guard that had been bribed or the blatant basphemers who hated Christ and His doctrines, do soY And If we who are the professed followers of Jesus, will not bear testi- mony to His divine power, will that gos- pei testimony be scattered by those who know Him not?
 And why should not we, the protesting Followers of Jesus. be willing to announce to the world the glad tidings of a risen Christ? Supposing that today your wife was sick and had to undergo a very se- rious operation, would you not notify her mother and father and brothers and Sis ters of the impending danger? And If
 
 not make the telegraph wires thrill with the news, The doctors say the opera ton was success and that she will get weli? If you would thus hasten to send the news that your wife had been saved from the jaws of death, how much more should every one who realizes what the resurrection of the Lord means to our dying race join in the effort to send broadcast through a pershing world the glad news that Christ has risen from the dead?
 We can imagine the joy that was felt many years ago in an old farm house on certain occasion during the late civil war. One of the sons, who was soldier boy, was reported to have been shot, His name appeared in the death column. The oldest brother Immediately went to the front to find out how the lad was shot and, If possible, to bring the body home for burial When he found his brothers regiment and captain, he was told that the young man was not killed. but only wounded. The elder brother did not even wait to see his wounded brother. He rushed to the nearest telegraph office and sent these words to the old folks. Charley is not dead, but alive. shall bring him home as soon as he can leave the hospital An. yes there was joy in the old farm house over the seemingly miraculous resurrection of the dead boy. Is there to be no joy scattered abroad by us when we announce everywhere the glad tidings of Easter morn?
 The Christ of Easter Day.
 But there is one result of Mary's mes sage to the disciples upon which l would