The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-04-11


The white walls of a villa peer through
the thick foliage of the olives on the cast
ern slope of Olivet. II Is the home OF COM
fort and love. but deeply Swallowed now.
out of that courtyard lately came a funeral
train. The body. carried on bier, was
swathed in linen bands. There were the dis
cordant notes of flutes and hired walters.
The director had thrice halted the process
sion to comfort the mourners. An egg had
been broken-sign of mortality. and Moses
Psalm chanted, and the body laid on the
rocky shelf in the grotto. The stone had
beer. rolled across the mouth OF the sepu!-
cher. and all whitened to remind the mad
vertent not to approach within four cuplts
on penalty OF ceremonial dehlement.
The saddest part OF IT. the return, haa
been accomplished. During the absence of
the mourners assduous hands had over
turned the couches and strewn broken pot
| terry about TO symbolic distraction. The
sisters sit now with yelled races ana dust
uron their heads and unsandled feet, break
| their fast with only egg and lentils, while
throngs pay their stlf visits OF coincidence.
Every casual word the bereaved sisters
| speak makes a mournful refrain. Every
time they steal away to the tomb to weep
| they are persistently followed by those who
make merchandise OF their coincidence. In
this Instance, as In most, there Is that ever
| recurring .if." If and so. our brother
! would not have died. That III" Is very
inausitor's instrument.
The fourth day had con1e-that fatal
fourth day after death--when, according to
|
he vers about the corpse, sees the signs OF
decay in the face, and takes Its final de-
| parture Only then did Jesus come. This
decay was not however, at the expense of
| Lazarus and his sisters. The spiritual gains
| 10 them were Incalculable At the same time
I 1t gave Jesus opportunity to work his tran
4 scendant miracle.
Martha goes impetuously to meet the
| Master and utters her plaintiye az" Her
| faith sweeps out to embrace the hope OF her
| brothers immediate restoration. But when
| Jesus seems to confirm the hope 1t as quick
Inv recedes. we can forgive Martha, since
! II drew from the Saviours lips that majes-
| tic affirmation which has heartened the
dying and bereaved In every generation
| sircc. Now Mary. summoned, comes with
stronger though uneXpressed. failn, She Is
| followed by her guests of coincidence, Thus
| tn, miracle Is furnished with witnesses Ger
/ tainly not prejudiced in favor Of the worker,
| great surge of sorrow breaks upon
Jesus heart in the effort to control, which
/ he shakes and groans. II gives place to
tenderest sympathy for the bereaved and
| that great company OF mourners they repre-
som In each succeeding age. His tears
caused favorable remark. But a discordant
note is also struck by those who wish to
| Jesus failure to avert this event, Mar
| tha's faith also shrinks back as she protests
! against uncovering the putrescence OF the
| tomb; but Jesus encourages her to believe
and see the glory of God.
| When the stone Is rolled away, Jesus, with
|uplifed eyes ioyously acknowledges the as
! surancc he has received that what he Is
| about to do meets with the Fathers APP
|proyal Both prayer and miracle are de-
4 hear and see, 4
| nh.. w.. ,nho Ia hath Life aud Rasurrec c.