The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-10

mysteries SolNeu.
 Easter afternoons revelation came, in the next place, as a solution of phrophet- ic mysteries. The two disciples must have known the scriptures, but they had not understood the prophecies concern- ing Christ, and not until he explained them did they perceive that the events which had so puzzled and distressed them were precisely those which had been pre- dicted centuries before. It came as a right visual perspective to those whose eyes were focused too far off to prop erly appreciate the eternal significance of the momentous events which had just happened. What had the death and the horrible crucifixion of their dear friend and leader, Jesus, have to do with the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah, written hundreds of years before? Did the words He Is brought as a lamb to the slaugh- ter imply the occurrence of such a national tragedy as that just ended? Per haps these men did not stop to consider or think Did the words of their Savior Destroy this temple. and l will raise II up" allude to the resurrection of Christ own body Perhaps these disciples did not know or consider or think. But when on the Emmaus road the stranger ap- peared and said unto them, 70 fools and slow of heart to believe all that the
  hing "at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all scriptures the things concerning himself'' then they saw, then they knew, that it had been foreseen that Jesus should rise from the dead.
 Fulfilment of Prophecies.
 Have there not been in our own lives and in the lives of our dear ones proph- ecies which on this Easter afternoon find their fulfillment in the risen Christ? How about that fulfilled prophecy in your mothers life? Years ago she marked the favorite psalm of Martin Luther as her special comfort. In the quit of her own room she used to read over and over again these words: God is our refuge and strength a very present help In trouble. Therefore will not We rear, though the earth be removed and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea When your father was ta- ken sick and financial trouble came, and from an earthly standpoint your mother had no where to turn, did not that forty- sixth Psalm come true? Was not the gospel prophecy fulfilled in God being her refuge and strength? When your in valid sister died, what was the strange peace which remained with her on the way to the grave? Did she want to leave her young husband and baby boy? Did she turn a deaf ear to the sobs that were being sounded about her dying bed? Oh, not She was Christian at peace because thousands of years ago God had promised "The mountains shall depart and the hills be removed but my loving kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenants of my peace be removed saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee'' How have Gods promises been fulfilled in your own life? Have not all your past troubles been the means through the in- fluence of the Holy Spirit, of working to- gether for your good? Christ was the fufillment of the prophecy in the Elm maus revelation. Christ is also the full filment of prophecy in our own lives.
 Despair Changed to Hope.
 But again l learn from these Easter af- ternoon lessons that Christ only appeared unto his disciples when they felt their own helplessness without his divine pres ence and sustenance If these men walk ing along that Emmaus road, had said to themselves, Well, Jesus Is dead; per- haps it is just as well that he is gone; we were following him too much any how; we can get along now perhaps bet ter without him than with him." Jesus would never have revealed himself unto them But what did these two men prac- tically say? They said: "Oh, what shall we do, what shall we do? The Christ upon whom we have leaned. the Christ whom we have followed, the Christ whose words have been our meat and strength by day and by night, has gone. What shall we do? What shall we do?' Let me read to you their very words. When this stranger accosted the two disciples they told to him their story. Then in a dispairing tone they said, We trusted that 1t had been he who should have re- deemed Isreal" Yes; i've trusted" but now all their hope was gone. They were hopeless without Christ But when Christ revealed himself then their dis pair was changed into triumphant hope.
 My friend. on this hillside overlooking the little Emmaus village do you feel helpless unless you have Christ? Do you pin to him all your faith both for this world and the next? If you do Christ will reveal himself to you. If you do not he will never reveal himself. In your Easter hopes I want you to feel your absolute dependence upon the divine pow CT which my pious ancestor did many years ago. Rev Nathan Birdseye was among the most famous New England divines of his day. He lived in Connect icut and was not only very wealthy but lived also in the time when the people of New England owned slaves, and he also owned them. There came during his life time a prolonged drought in that coun- try which threatened not only to destroy
 the crops. but also the cattle and the men and women of that region. Old Na- than Birdseye one day gathered his fam fly and servants together and made this simple yet earnest prayer 70 God, thou knowest that without thee we can do nothing Save me and my family and people Save my cattle and my crops. O., n nl mel Thou who didSt rescue the children of Isreal in the wild erness, rescue us now!'
 The Risen Christ.
 "Then," so goes the letter written by this good mans granddaughter to her grandson. my grandfather stepped out of his home and stood as an old man leaning upon his staff. With his cane he gently pushed the earth at his feet. As he pushed it he saw the soil grow darker. Falling to his knees, the old man began to dig the ground with his bare fingers, at the same time calling for help. Spades were brought, and there at his very doorstep. was dug a well which gave precious life saving drink to his family and the people of the sur hills. Thus my dear grandson, I write this that you may know that our family at that time were saved by faith and by relieving prayer. Oh, my friends Christ Is a refuge in every age As the two disciples listened to him and found comfort in their day, as my saint ed ancestor turned to him in his trial and was delivered, so may we in every emergency of our lives find help and peace in looking to him and praying to him Will you not feel as did the two lisciples on the Emmaus road, that with out Christ you can do nothing and that