Democratic messenger., 1904-04-09

encc oI the first Easter day were the
two disciples on the Emmaus road.
who were honest doubters. These two
men had seen the crucifixion. They
had heard the wonderful report Of
Mary from the tomb. They knew the
tomb had been emptied of Christ's
body. but they could not understand
how the miracle could have taken
place. Christ appeared straightway
unto them. Oh. We honest doubters. do
not despair. Hold fast To your belief.
though il he small. Plead. Pray. Keep
on seeking for more divine light. and
Christ will some day reveal himself to
you all as he once revealed himself to
his two troubled disciples ON that Eas-
ter afternoon in the Emmaus village.
l have always been very thankful
that Christ made this revelation on
Easter day 10 the two honest doubters
at the Emmaus village. All. ny
friends. the honest dOubter ought TO
have our sympathy instead of our exc
Grafton. Some people by natural men-
tai construction always must have
fact proved to them before they are
willing to believe. They do not realize
that faith is the evidence of things
not seen" They always demand the
evidence. The brother OF Mark Hop
kins was for years an agnostic merely
because he could not find logical
proof for Christianity. Finally Mark
Hopkins planned a consecutive line of
arguments 10 prove TO his younger
brother that there was logical ground
for accepting Jesus Christ as the Saw
iour of the world. When he had proved
IL Professor Hopkins joined hands
with President Mark Hopkins in his
gospel faith and said. Lord. I believe;
help thou mine unbelief' 1t was as a
result of trying To convert his brother
to Christianity through consecrated
logic that Mark Hopkins prepared his
noted book called the Evidences of
Christianity"
Certain minds naturally demand sight
of the golden links which bind together
the great laws of cause and effect. 4
friend one summer evening turned to
John Tyndall. the famous British phys
icist. and said. "Tyndall. can you be-
hold such a su ,lime Alpine sunset as
this and not feel that there is II Cod
oh" he answered. Il feel il. feel
IL as much rs any man can feel il. and
I rejoice in il. but the trouble is | can
not prove it," All. YES. there are many
doubters who doubt honestly about the
resurrection OF Jesus Christ. There
are scores Of men who cannot explain
how all these things happened. But.
my friends. on this Easter day. il YOU
will only reach ont for more light. as
did the two honest doubtrrs Of the
Emmaus road. Christ will ultimately
reveal himself. Hui. ye honest doubt
crs. mark this: There are two ways Ia
Doubt The wrong way is Ia let your
doubts. as did Tyn,lall. obscure the di-
vine revelation. which you may have
for the askin. The honest way 10
doubt is 10 hold firmly To the divine
revelations you have. with Your mind
open TO receive newer AMI fuller reve-
lation. which will surely come TO you
and i'm the end Danish all Your doubts.
IL you are an honest doubter stand this
day by the emptiel tomb of Il risen
Christ and say. Lord. l believe: help
thou mine unDclicf'
An Easter Thought.
Easter afternoons revelation. in the
next place. came To these TWO doubtcrs
when oh their way Ia their OWN homes
Who We're these two men: We don't
know. But when reading carefully
the Scripture lines we are led Ia sup
pose that they We're among the inhab
itants of this little village of En-
maiIs. which was about sixty staiia. or
seven and One-half miles. distant from
the Jerusalem capital. In other words.
these two disciples of Jesus Christ
were villages. When they heard that
for his life they Immediately went
down 10 the capital to see if they
could help him. There they stayed
through the awful scenes of the cruel
hxion. But when the cruciiixion was
over and their tears of sympathy had
mingled with those of Mary. the moth
er. and the strange reports of Mary
w
they had 10 return To their home du
ties. And while they were going back
home To look after the farm stock AMI
take care of the crops Christ appeared
unto them on the Emmalis road.
II is a beautiful Easter thought that
Christ will reveal himself to us in his
sanctuary. II is a beautiful Easter
thought that he will reveal himself To
us in II pulpit cmbanked and cmbow-
cred by white lilies and in an Easter
choir loft where is being sung dudley
Bucks Christ the Lord Is Risen or
Stainer's ''Cruciiixion." But I glory
today over the fact that Christ can
and will reveal himself TO us on Easter
afternoon on the E.mmaIs road. He
can and will reveal himself To MS while
we are cooking the Easter dinner. or
while we are dressing the children for
the Faster afternoon Sunday school. or
when in the evening hour. with the
children gathered about the piano. we
are singing the Easter songs. The
other day when calling Mt the home Of