The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1908-12-31
THE EVER LIVING ONE.
Jan. 3. 'O9-CActs 1:1-1D.

Is this: they are all dead, He Is alive
foreycrmore. when Confucius, Budd-
ba Mahomet. had finished their
earthly lives they went down into the
crave; when Christ went out OF
earthly relations He asccndei into.
the heavens Their bodies crum5lcd
back to dust, His body rests in no
earthly tomb Heather dcvotpcs
prostrate themselves at the scpul-
chrcs where their great rcliciors
founders lies. He left behini only
his grave clothes. As the Apostles
Creed has II. The third day He rose
again, He ascended to the right hand
of God. the Father Almighty"
Ucathcn and Papan nations worship
a dca memory; Christianity ador,s a
Living Lord. No one undertakes to
argue that the founders of false re-
ligions still issue orders or utter wise
teachings. all Chrlstcndom moves
forward with the certain conviction
that the pierced hand Of IN, worlds
Redccmor IS swaying the sccptoy Of
universal dominion, destined. in the
fullness OF time TO put all things un-
der his feet.
Gradually Prepared N,n.
The process by which Christ dis
engaged himself from his disciples
is intensely interesting. 80 sooner
had he selected the men Who were 10
De- the horalds OF the Now rahE ON.
than He began to prepare ta.u for
His departure. IL bound ,.om 90
Him with hooks of stecl. and al TIE
same time began TO ,"."a ..oW 10
walk alone. lie gradually Withdrew
from them that they might develop
gy,f-couddence, originality, initiative.
He showed them their u.. turaoi
their faces toward the four quarters
of the earth. lifted thcm oat of mar
row geographical and saDtarian
boundaries. inspired them with ~
ambition for Worldwide conquest.
and gradually withdrew from the
lime light of publicity. He uucl.sa-
cd their hands, gently, tendorly, yet
emphatically At the TrausnguraLOa,
a. the Last supper. at Gcthscmane,
at Calvary, at the Empty Tomb, at
Emmaus, in the upper room, al the
Sea OF Galilee. and finally from the
summit OF Olivet, as the graytation
of earth released its hold upon Him
and the attraction of Paradise re-
claimed Him, leaving His human fol-
lowers stretching their hands and
straining their eyes after Him as
cloud of supernatural beings received
Him out of their sight.
Learn to DO by Doing.
And why not? There is sound
philosophy here as well as theological
dogma. The mother must hold up
the child learning to walk, but the
wise mother withdraws her support
ing hand just as speedily as neces-
sary The best teachers are not
those who do the work OF their
pupils for them, but who throw them
upon their own resources. No man
learns trade, by seeing other men
work, he must take the tools in MS
own hand sooner or later. He may
bungle and do a lot OF damage, De-
fore he becomes proficient, but he
will never be a master workman un-
Ill he is capable of handling the.
tools. We learn to do. by doing.
The capabilities and spiritual quail
ties OF the disciples were never
known until their Master was re-
moved from them. When He was at
the head, they were like a flock OF
trained sheep, budding around a pro-
tecting shepherd, stampedinS when
the wolves howled upon them, but
the moment they were thrown upon
their own resources they turned up
Oh their enemies like roaring lions
assumed the air OF conquerorS'
bearded hoary iniquities in their
dens, developed undreamed qualltles'
turned Jerusalem upside down with
fiery zeal, and swept on their Victori-
GUS way undaunted by any obstacles
Instead of being orphanage the as
cension of Christ was the best thlhe
that had happened to the ohurch up
to that hour, Hitherto they mao
been drilling, marking time, chahnG
in the harness, held back with the
prey in sight
Headquarters Transferred.
The instant headquarters was
transferred from Jerusalem IN PaIes-
tine TO the Jerusalem Which IS
above, the mother OF us all, and IN"
command rang out, Go. those men
flung themselves upon the heatheh'
pagan, civilized and /uncivilized
world like those who knew they
held all-conQuering weapons IN lheiE
hands. They had found themselves
God was on the field, when lie was
most invisible. Presence had become
omnipresence Locality had been
caised to universally. Wherever
now. any human being stands Tor
truth against untruth, Righteousness
against unrighteousness, light
against darkness, freedom against
Oppression, JOY against sorrow, VIZ
tue against shame, uprightnesS