St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-13

| AS Size spoke LueSe NOIuS me ldluof
and mother started as if struck, and
stared at her with eyes in which could
| be seen conflicting fear and dawnirs
hope.
In a half whisper the mother gasped:
| Her tomb is empty!"
A new light broke in upon Mary, az
she took in the situation. and she bent
down and spoke in low and tender voice,
fer her message now was for the. par
| ,ents. 1t should be their sacred privilege
| to hear the joyful news first:
And | 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 centereI
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 faith
which is granted the vision of Heavenly
49,
haunted the places where Jesus AMI
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 Gays 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 so 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 eX-
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
Yes, 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
they came to Jerusalem would be their
daughter How blind is the human
heart how slow to believe.
A food of tears and violent sobs was
the response which startled and fright
ened him. Here was new and unex.
pected display OF emotion. AS the
sobs subsidized. in broken voice she said:
ooh. husband, I fear our love has
been so unworthy of her. We have
let our affection for our dear Ruth so
fill cur 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.
Il see it now, I see it now" broke
out the other. How could we see our
Ruth when we We're refusing to see
her Christ? Oh, how wicked and blind
our hearts have been. Can God for
give u.s."
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 |
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 was 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.
It 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 Laz-
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
which led by Gethsemane
and down the slipping side of Mount
0livet 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
he shining figure which walked by
heir side. Jesus last commission had
been given. AS He lifted up His
hands and blessed that little company
If believers. they bowed their heads
n reverent worship and then. lifting
hem, they saw Jesus slowly and
rising from the earth.
while a cloud was seen to descend
rom the heavens to meet Him.
At that moment a gentle touch was
elt upon the arm by the parents. and
Is they turned, the words: "Mother!'
fell upon their ears, and be-