The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-01
FIRST QUARTERLY REVIEW
Easter Lesson. John XII LIS,
GoJIen 7exf: Without fulfill tits impo

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There stood Jesus, tho ono she sought,
but she knew 1iiltl not. Ills appearance
| may lave been different from That when
|hHeluslally bore, or Mary may have cast
bit d llasty glance 5nt Him, with the
modcsty common to oriental women
Through her tears under tho excitement
of tho moment with NIL tho peculiar sur
roundings, 1t would have beef, strange
jndeetl Ehud sho. recognized tho master Master.
| ICt.ulte xxvu6.) Besides. 1t is generally
believed that in Ills resurrection state
| tho body Of Jesus was greatly changed.
| THAT Inference Is legitimate from tho
| fact that lie had the power to appear
and disappear Mt pleasure.
.sUPPos1NG.-(ver 15) Tho same
| question pitt by the angels "a
| Jesus .e"Why weepest thou?' ana petore
the reply, &"Whom seekcst thou?" was
| tho next question. Tho latter question
really 3inclt,ded the first and showed that
|Jesus knew tho heart of Mary. Inc Why
Of the tears and the whom Of the searcn
were iinseparnble till the veil was over
her eyes that she should not see ana o ~.
l'her ears that she should not near. one
| thought the one who had spoken was tho
gardener a very natural Inference from
| the last question:. Who other In such q
place would seek to know Oh sllch o. SUP
tect? Then came the love OF Mary. 10
|
| tho secret Of Ills disappearance she OF
! fered, IF the gardener would show "hera
| Jesus had been laid, to take Him away
! There was in this tho assumption lhat
| the bodyatad been taken away FOR some
! good reason or with pure motive. pos
sibly to relieve the temporary pace o.
ldeposit She proposed to give permanent
and honorable burial. deemed IN the least
/ t. he a mark Of high esteem.
\ q RECOGNIZING .-(Verse 16) The depth
and agony OF love that had led the Mag
: dalene to forget the restraints OF Jew.
+ ish womans intercourse with q s tratlg er'
| opened the heart and lips Of Jesus. Be
| fore He had questioned on the score OF
| sorrow Now lie spoke her name IN the
i 5well-renemb accents that had UNI
t bound her from demontac power ana call
| ed her into new life. Iuke Vili:2.)
! That name SO spoken again was announcer
| call to the inner ma tllic of Mary. ana she
/ was Immediately aroused. There was no
Ijmistaking the voice this time. 1t was q
| personal, direct, familiar and tender APP
/ peal, and she turned herself fully to-
ward the speaker, and as her eyes resi- ca
l1upon Him, exclaimed: 'Rnbbont,' thai
! is Master. She had rejected the Greek
1 tongue, that commonly used and hnd
/ returned to the Hebrew. the Language
1 OF her people and Of the covenant, q
| very common occurrence among those
| who have taken UP a form Of speech, but
| who in hours of deep feeling revert again
! to the expressions that are In the blood
| and race. The two had recognized eacil
| other
INsTRUCTTNG.-(y NV Mary
/ would fain have grasped the form which
! e. moment before she supposed was cod
| in DEATH Seeing Him again in life, she
! was prompted to worship, but her move
l nlents were gently but authoritativeiyi
| restrained by Jesus, who Informed her on
ma tarS
/ not yet assembled to the Father; He had
not returned to Heaven, there was yetza
I completion before Him unknown to Mary.
| The present interval between the suffer-
ing and the glorfcatlon did not admit
OF personal homage. She must not there
| fore, touch Him. .. He would be here
only little time. and then He would
90 home. so fulfilling the promise made
! in His immortal address to the apostles
| in the upper room at Jerusalem. (John
| .tvi:2S.) g. She must be the bearer OF
(! the good tidings to the brethren. Matt.
xxvili:1o) They must know OF His brief
stay in order to the accomplishment OF
certain important purposes, but they
| must know it through her testimony.
REPORTING--(Verse 49, Away went
Mary AIagralene to the city on her err
| rand She WAS preceded by the other
| women who had reported what the angels
| had said unto them. I.uke xNiv:5-6.).
| but came with n larger message than
! they. declaring not only the resurrec-
ticn, but the appearance and the In
| struction. The faithful witness was
| Mary that day. testifylng what she had
seen and heard. Her words would doubt
/ less have been received under ordinary
1 circumstances concerning any Of the
I. common events OF life. But this story
| was incredible. That a man should be
4 put to death on tho cross and live again
4 and meet a woman and speak to her was
I wholly within tho realm OF the improba-
II BILE. Furthermore, three different stories
1 were afioat two besides Marys. Peter
and John had found an empty scpuchcr.
with loose linen cloths. used as bandages.
Joanna and the mother of James. with
other women, had seen angelsl and heard
their utterances concerning the rising OF
Jesus from the dead. Why should one
woman be permitted to sec Jesus and
speak with Him--a privilege denied the
two apostles and several women? But
Marys words, though doubted, were not
recalled
REFLECTTONs.---1. Tho threshold con-
versa ton OF Mary was indicative OF her
changes from her SORROW to joy-wlth the
angels, with tho Lord. wsh the disciples.
2. The mood Of Mary changed as she was
instruct cd--,nt first she desired to remain
and worship tho risen Christ. but after
ward she gladly departed to serve Him.
g. Many n tender and hunlbled soul
mourns over the loss of the Saviour while
yet He Is near, tho greater and more In
tense the distress the nearer is lre. 4.
Eve, the first woman, brought transgres-
sion into the world. but Mary was. on
the other hand. the first preacher OF a
risen Saviour. s. Mary and Rabboni,
just two words constitute the heart con"
versation. but they were full OF power.
Let all men so strive that some day
Jesus may call them by name. (John
x;3.) 6. "Blessed arc they that mourn,
for they shall be comforted." The Easter