The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-04-30


has it that this is the same upper
room" which was owned by one
friendly to our Lord and his disciples
and who granted it as their meeting
place on several occasions most init
mately associated with the Inaugural
ton OF Christianity. Tradition also
has 1t that this is the room mentioned
by St. Mark in our text, where the
disciples with the Lord partook of the
last Jewish Passover Supper, after
or Lords Supper as an antitypical
memorial, taking the place of the
Passover to all who accept Jesus as
the Passover Lamb-s'The Lamb of
world (John i, 29); Christ our Pass
over is slain, therefore let us keep the
feast" Il Corinthians v, Z, 80
Tradition assures us that this is the
same room mentioned in the Book of
Acts q, 49, as the place where the
Apostles resided and assembled for
worship during the ten days following
the Lords ascension-the same "up-
per room" therefore, in which was
manifested the acceptance of all the
consecrated followers of Jesus into
covenant relationship with God as
members of the Body of Christ,
which is the church" OF course, our
permission to use this room for a pub
Encouragement with those having it
in charge. True, traditions are not
always reliable. Surely, in almost ev-
cry other part of the world it would
be absurd to think of the preservation
of the identity of a house like this for
more than eighteen centuries. But
here we have most peculiar condi-
tions. The inhabitants of this land
seem content to leave things just as
they found them from generation to
generation, merely making such slight
repairs as were from time to time
found necessary. Here visitors come,
look and depart, filled with a sacred
awe, and have done so for centuries,
his own business, have ignored this
in a manner hardly imaginable by
Europeans. 1t is possible therefore
that tradition in this case and in other
rectly, just as in Rome the prison in
which Paul was confined is indicated
by tradition with apparent accuracy.
Christ Our Passover.
We are favored not only in respect
to the use of the room, but additional
ly in respect to the time OF our visit
and our use of it. This, according to
Passover week-it began last evening
at 6 o'clock The three hours pre-
ceding that marked the time or our
Lords death and the begging by Jo-
burying his body in his new tomb and
the hasty taking of our Lord from the
cross and getting him only partially
embaImed and the tomb closed ana
sealed before o'c1ock-this day be-
ginning at o'clock being amongst
the Jews, as the apostle declared. an
''high day." a Sabbath day or speciai
sacredness as the beginning or the
Passover Feast-Week.
AS we look back to thar memora PIE
occasion we can sympathize with the
Apostles and early believers IN tne
blighting of all of their hopes by the
failure of Jesus TO make gooo
his claim of MessiahshiD we can I'M
agine better than we can descrlpe tn G1,
detection, their disappointment On
the next day, corresponding TO tomor-
row the two with whom Jesus met on
the way to Emmaus said sadly we
had trusted that it had been ne Wno
should have redeemed 1sraeP 1Luke
xiv 21).
Thew had hoped that his miracles
his teaching. when he
'spake as never man spake, were cyl
d ences that he was the Messiah. Iney
now finally Gods promises to their ma,
ton would be fulflled-that Israel
should be exalted In the earth IN name
and fame and power and auInoIlty 10
bless and to instruct ali the Iaml-
lies of the earth Thew had hoped
that Messiah would be the great king
under whose beneficent reign. as the
great mediator between GOD ana men,
the long promised blessing would come
TO the earth They had hoped also for
q personal share of his kingdom, &C
cording to his own words-"Ye shall
sit with me on twelve thrones. judging
(ru1ing) the twelve tribes OF Israel
(Matthew XIX 2S9. His death as q
God. seemed to cast a shadow over
every hope and to leave them not only
desolate in heart themselves. but de-
spfsed by their neighbors as deceived
IL ,fxvr rT<arar-