The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-05-20
-."The Last Interview"

them, IT ID not for you to know ! ne
times, or the SEASONS which the F'ather
hath put In Hisown power. But ye snail
receive power after that the Holy Ghost
Is come upon you and We srnll be Witness
es unto Me. bothln Jerusalem '7as u ana
unto the utterniost parts Of theT-tsen 7,
And when lie Ehad spoken these Things!
while they beheld, lie was taken up; una
q cloud received Him out Of Their, sight.
And while they looked stendfastly 70:
ward Him. as He went up, behold TOO mon
stood by them In white apparel, Whlcl
also .sald .Yo met, of Galileetswhy- stand,
ye, gazing up into Heaven ?sThisS az rne.,.Je;S
sus, which L. taken up from YOU INTO
Heaven shall so come in like manner e.l as
ye have 'seen Him go into Heaven. lhe on
returned they unto Jerusalem. 49,
and when they were come IN. they. Went !,
UP into anfupper room. ~ ana a.!
continued with fone accord in prayer ana
supplcntion. Acts 1;6-l4 G8 y l$att'
This is the last glimpse we get Of
Christ below It Is the end OF Ills visible
course. on enrth. These are hIiis itn Sfl
words and Instructions. They concern:
not only His disciples gathered there. but
Els church ings all ages. 4, 5.S{
Let us consider, then; ,Sftll. 81
+. Tho question OF the disciples. It ! iss
concerning the Kingdom of Israel, ,Whloh
had for 50 many years been given to the the!
aGentiles. Their question was not al car
nal. They ask about a Kingdom that had
been lost; that was to be restored; ana by
the Messiah. But the main point OF the
question was as to the time or all ms s.
When shall. all this be? Shall 1t be now2
Tell us your Plan
II, He refuses tosreply. He does not re-
prove thcm for their carnal expectations;
nor the error in their prophetic views
nor Yet in their longing for that Kingdom.
But He rebukes their eagerness to know
the "time. That was the Father own
secret and must be left to Him. we
should desire to study, and know. whae
has been revealed concerning Chrst's
Kingdom, but the time must be always
left to Him. 81
Iii. He couples Ills reproof with q
promise. So like Himself! He acnn not
rebuke, but He must add a. word H.ot
love, The Holy Ghost Is to come and 70
come to them. They. are to receive power power,
and thenceforth to be His witnesses IRON
Jerusalem unto the ends OF the earth
Much was to be done and much suf-I
fered ere that Kingdom was to be restored.
It could mot come unless HIS discl-
ples labored for It. We have here
glimpse of the interval--and the unceas-
Ing work to be carried on during that time.
OF waiting. * b u,
Ills reproof ended. and His promise
n f,,t 20
most marvellous event "1e was taken
7,pr' Enoch was the first; Elijah next
and last the Son Of God. Who thus as
cended. why had not Christ the pre-
em,ncnce In this? We cannot tell, and 1t
Is not for us to ask. He was In reality,
the great first. tho opener OF the gates.
and to His ascension. they owed theirs.
Because he rose, they rose as 4
A cloud received him outof their sight.
to form His chariot. Tor we are told he
..malecth the clouds His chariot and walk
eth upon the wings OF the wind"
This wonderful event took place while
they beheld," while they were gazing at
Him, SO they could not be mistaken. 5Ihcy
saw Him standing with them. on the
ground, and they saw Him rise, ana final-
Nv disappeap as they looked stead
lastly toward heaven.
They could not leave the spot, nor With
nesses. They were In white apparel"
draw their eyes, TIL the angels spoke.
They. were two, for they came as Wit
to shew what they are, It was ns II the
Lord when passing upward. out OF sight,
saw the longing, molstful eyes, or the poor
helpless disciples and dispatched quickly
two of His glorious attendants, with
message which was both to comfort and
to direct.
The angels use words Of recognition,
"Men OF Gallcc" They speak as IL they
knew the disciples, who they we're, ana
why they were thus wondering, why
stand ye gazing up into Ieaven?" What
do you mean by this? What lis the use
of it? 1t was not for this, that your
Lord ascended. All the more must ye
carry on His work, now that He is gone"
10 comfort them, they gave them the
promise OF His return lie Is not gone
forever nor has He forsaken tho earth
finally. He is to come again; to come
the very same Jesus, not different, but
in every way the same, lie. is to come
in the same way Ito went.S.nnd to the
very same spot, too, Zach, xIY:a)
The consolation here lH, not that you
shall 90 to Him. but, He shall return to
| you, such Is the stress which Scripture
lays on ChristH second 4: coming Not
death, but His return stthe consolation
Of Ills people. surely" salthss lie, iis5''1
come quickly 1r.4 M
So. the disciples, conforted In spite OF
themselves, withdraw their longing eyes,
ma obey the angelic messenger. A They
return to Jerusalem. dwell Ing aoH jisthe
thought of His return. How that journey
would recall old scenes and His nwn
words. They 80 back to tho city that had
! crucihed their Master-not knowing What
they should do but content to walt tlll