The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-05-19

1t taught mankind that whom we can.
not find God visible to our human eye,
on this earth. We must go forth &c
ems where He is.
Is there not something that cores
ponds to this and lets us understand 1,
In tho history of every friendship
which has grown strong and familia,
here upon the earth, and then has
been stretched by the death OF one OF
the friends until It, reaches all the
way from earth to heaven and bridges
all the gulf between! You used to
see your friend every day You talk
cd with him OF little things. You
grew familiar over trines. The fields
under your feet. the merchandise that
passed from hand to hand, interpreted
you TO each other. And then deuth
came. and none of that treasured
familiarity is lost In all the years tina t
have passed since you looked into his
face for the last time lie is as near
to you as ever. He IN the Same to
you. but greater. He is rs real but
iar more lofty. He has not ceased to
meet YOU on the earth hut now You
also must meet him in the air, and so
he influences both the least and the
greatest part OF you.
Let US try IL We arc really Chris
tlans who believe that Christ our
i'ord has assembled into heaven" to
enter into His heavenly life by tho
larSencss and loftiness of the PRAYERS
that We bring to Him. God forbid that
we should so mfsread His cxaltation
that we should hesitate to ask Him
for tho very smallest things; but the
'hinEs that belong TO our peace are
what He wants to give us. Tho things
that make this world and its interests
seem small when we think of them:
the forgiveness of sin. the perfect puri-
hcation of our souls, the driving ont NJ
sel1shness. tho disregard OF comfort
In pursuit of duty, the care for breth-
rem more than for ourselves; not com
fort. not spiritual rest nor freedom
from pain hero or hereaftcr-not these.
but the chance. the power. the Will 10
He the perfect Son. dld in Iis-this
we may ask If we believe in the az
ccnsion and have understood the
heavenly life of Him who Is stir our
Brother and Saviour.
Another suggestion which comes TO
us with the story OF the ascension of
Jesus Is that of the true association
of our humanity with the vastness of
tho universe. Tho resurrection had
shown that humanity might relive
here upon the earth, even after the
catastrophe of death. that seems so
terribly the end OF all. The ascension
showed that out beyond the earth.
Wherever the vast system of existence
Is held as a unit In the hand of one
Creator who is Lord OF ali: out to the
end OF all things over which God
reigns' this humanity. which seems to
be shut in to one small planet. NAV
so and find home and kindred beyond
the farthest star.
No man can fully comprehend all
this without the whole aspect and
him. For a human being to 20 out
from this earth is n dreadful thing IL II
is only with the earth that humanity
has any known relation. No wonder
that he would rather fret himself
against the wharf than cast adrirt
upon sea that has no other shore.
But now let us believe In the ascension
Once human being. tho best and com
pletest of all human beings that nave
ever lived, tho human being whose hu-
mainly was perfect by its very union
with Divinity. has gone. still human.
out of the sight OF mcn-gone, evident
ly, all alive. We cannot trace His
course. The cloud received Him. But
yet we know that somewhere out be-
You'd the limits OF our little earth that
true humanity Of His has found n
nome. For His humanity has claimed
its place in tho great universe. The
humanity Of Jesus has gone before
and makes the vast unknown not un
familiar. Around our thought of IL
our thoughts of the men We have seen
"'N wi '"o"S''S OIL our own coming
deaths. can gathcr into confidence and
calmness.
All this the ascension does for u..
"a cloud received Him out OF their
sight" Into mystery and n darkness to
which His going there alone gives any
true light our Saviour goes. But, oh.
my friends. when by and by our way
leads also into mystery and darkness.
when truth becomes covered with
doubt and JOY with sadness. and life
begins to feel the waiting death, what
can help ns like tho faith of the as
cehdeu jesus The way into the cloud
may be way mp and not way down,
a way toward Him ana not way from
Him Doubt, sorrow. death-theso