The Tupelo journal., 1905-04-14
mother ana laid her hand lovingly D 8

ents. 1t should be their sacred privilege
to hear the joyful news first:
"And l have seen her! And SO shall
you! Only believed"
If Ruth were alive, the parents must
see her. They did not think of her In
her resurrected glory, but only as their
treasure whom they wanted back in
their home again. Their desire conferred
in the girl who had been the idol OF
their hearts, and they had no thought
for the Christ through Whose power
she had risen.
But it is only the heart OF faltn
which is granted the vision of Heavenly
things, and day after day as h parents
haunted the places where Jesus
the others had appeared to the believing
disciples they were broken and crushed
by disappointment. They kept eager
vigil on the house-top where Mary had
met and talked with Ruth. They went
out to the empty tomb where Jesus had
lain. but no Ruth could they find, no
answer came to the cry of their hearts.
They were being broken that Jesus
might heal them. Such discipline is
hard. but the blessing which follows Is
rich and full.
Thus the days dragged on. They
companied with the disciples frequent
ly. and Mary in gentle, loving ministry
tried to turn their thoughts toward
Jesus. When the disciples and others
left to go into Galilee to meet Jesus,
as He commanded them to do, they
fingered behind.
What days of waiting and struggle
those were! How rebellious their
hearts!
Surely, Ruth, who loved us so dear
ly, will come to u.s." the mother e
claimed one evening. She had repeat
ed that thought and hope of her heart
over and over again since the resur-
rection day, and they had found SYM
pathetic response in the heart of the
father.
Eyes, but suppose she does not?'
questioned the father. If she is with
Jesus, ought we not to be glad?" he
asked. half hesitatingly, half fearful
ly, for he had not dared before to sug-
gest the possibility of such a thing,
for both he and his wife had expected
that the first one to greet them when
they came to Jerusalem would be their
daughter. How blind is the human
heart. how slow to believe.
A flood of tears and violent Sobs was
the response which startled and fright
ened him. Here was a new and unex-
pected display of emotion. AS the
sobs subsidized, in broken voice she said:
"Oh. husband, I fear III love has
been so unworthy of her. We have
let our affection for u dear Ruth so
fill our hearts as to blind us to God
and make us Indifferent to His claims
upon u.s."
"And if this Christ is Gods Son,
ought we not to receive Him, as we
refused to do so long ago, to the great
grief of our daughter" spoke up the
father with a sigh, as though the ex-
preston of the thought took a great
burden from his heart.
81 see it now. I see it now" broke
out the other. "How could we see our
Ruth when we were refusing to see
her Christ? Oh, how wicked and blind
our hearts have been. Can God for
give us?"
In this state of heart and mind the
disciples found them on their return
to Jerusalem. They came with glow
ing stories of Jesus appearance to
them, and with a new and subdued
spirit the parents listened eagerly and
asked many questions about Jesus.
A new and blessed light was breaking
in upon their hearts and Jesus was the
center of it all.
At last the day when Jesus vas to
be received up into glory dawned.
The followers of Jesus were gathered
together, and while they waited Jesus
came into their midst, and held sweet
and blessed communion with them.
1t was the first vision of the Christ
which the parents of Ruth had had
since long before, when they had seen
Him in Bethany at the tomb of Lag
arus. Then their unbelief shut Him
out; now their subdued and broken
hearts opened full and wide to receive
Him. How they enjoyed that walk
with Him, in company with the other
disciples, out from the city, over the
pathway which led by Gethsemane
and down the sloping side of Mount
Olivet towards Bethany.
So absorbed were they in the mes
sage of Jesus, so wrapped in contem-
plation of the wonderful things He
was saying, that they did not notice
the shining figure which walked by
their side. Jesus last commission had
been given. AS He lifted up His
hands and blessed that little company
of believers, they bowed their heads
in reverent worship, and then, lifting
them. they saw Jesus slowly and
maiestieally rising from the earth,
while a cloud was seen to descend
from the heavens to meet him.
At that moment a gentle touch was
felt upon the arm by the parents, and
as they turned, the words: "Mother!'
Father!" fell upon their ears, and be-
fore them stood the radiant presence
of their daughter Ruth.
The vision of that moment, oh, how
precious! How sweet to have Jesus
give them thus the token of His love
and blessing! Those words, that Vi
sion, that loving touch, how it re-
NAMED as a sweet and holy memory
during all the remaining days Of their
earthly pilgrimage! The heart may
catch in an instant a vision that will