Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1903-04-16


troubles. They try to magnify the
hopeless grief of the Christian disciples
during the two black nights following
the crucifixion to that dumb despair
with which the mother of a criminal
might watch the stern, grim. voicelcss.
forbidding walls Of state penitentlary
within which her son is about to be
electrocuted for the crime of murder
l once saw such a face l never wish
to see the like of it again. The mother
hired room overlooking Sing Sing
prison. There she sat hour after hour
watching and waiting. Not until this
agonizing woman had heard that her
boys heart had ceased to beat did she
turn away and bury her crushed life in
n distant city.
The Cheerful View.
But take q brighter and more cheer
full 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
stretching their wings for morning
bath, when the cocks were sounding
their reveillc of the barnyards, when
the dogs from hunger We're 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 explain all our sorrows and
heartaches and mysteries and trials
and separations. Christ could have ap-
pearcd the first Easter day at the sec
ond watch, when all Jerusalem was
stirring, or at II 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 moment the grief of
his sorrowing friends. Just as soon as
the prophecy was fulfilled he burst the
bonds of death and revealed himself
unto the broken hearted Mary and just
as 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 hith-
erto ineXplicable mysteries Of our lives.
Divine explanations this side of the
grave as well as the other side of the
river of Death. 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. | want son,e
of the reasons explained terrestrially
as we'll as celestially BY these earth
ly explanations | want to be spiritually
stronger to do the work which has been
given me to do, even though to do it
my bleeding feet must pass over Bills
terlng and thorny pathways. l want
to have the same divine revelations ap-
pear to me when earthly troubles come
that CAME to the wife of church off,
Ger whom | visited a short time ago.
For years this husband and wife had
been childless. But at last God blessed
their home. A little one came and
stayed just long enough 10 be loved,
and then her spirit fled. Was that
Christian mother hopeless, bitter and
rebelious? Oh, no. The Christ who
had appeared unto Mary in the early
dawn stood with her by the empty
crib. "Mr Talmage" she said, "do
not think because my baby is dead that
she has brought no blessing into my
husbands and my own life. She lived
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-
can thank God for my little empty
cradle. And l can thank God for my
little grave" oh, my brother and sis
ter, in the early dawn Of the morning
would you not like Christ to come and
reveal himself to you? BY divine in
SEPARATION do you not wish, like this
Christian lady, to be able to hopefully
and blcssedly explain many of the
earthly troubles which now seem ready
to oycrwhelm you?
The Mission of Mary.
The risen Lord appeared unto Mary
so that she might so and tell the dis
ciples that she had seen the living
Saviour. This was no small mission
upon which to be sent. Must not the
transporting news Of resurrected
Christ be carried to the farthermost
parts of the world? Must not this
news naturally first be spread broad
cast by the testimony of those who had
lived nearest and closest to Jesus? II
Mary Magdalene and Peter and John
and James and Mary, the mother of
Christ. would not be true and announce
to the world risen Saviour, would the
Pharisees or the Roman guard that
had been bribed or the blatant bias
phemers who hated Christ and his
doctrines, do so? And II we, who are
the professed followers of Jesus. will
not bear testimony to his divine power