Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-07-26


just as that event awaits the fruition
OF its purpose in his return again to
the earth. for II IL not TIL then tina,
the divine plan concerning his man
Tested kingdom will begin to ap
proach fulfillment.
But that which gives peculiar inter
est TO Christ's ascension is its bear.
ing on our spiritual life today. for II
we are being established In the faith
enlightened IN the knowledge of God
sanctiiied In our souls and anointed
by the Holy Spirit for service, all
blessings are the result OF our Sa.
viour's presence in heaven as our In.
terceding high priest at the right
hand OF God
At the ascension the body OF Jesus
did not vanish Into nothing. for not
only did the disciples see him as he
went up, but stephen beheld him az
forwards. standing at the right.hand
OF Cod (Acts VII. $3.50 Moreover,
the angels on Mount Olivet said to the
disciples that he would so come in
like manner as he was seen to &c
Acts. lid. In other words. heaven
Is q locality and Jesus Christ. the
gloritied Goldman. is there We can.
not understand how the original body
OF Jesus was transmitted into his res.
direction and gloriiied body. any more
than We can understand how heavy
waited is changed into light yapor. or
dark flint into transparent glass. by
heat, but we know that he is In the
same body, although now in another
form OF existence and standing under
other laws. How the thought digni.
fes our conception OF human nature
and broadens our idea OF the scope
of the atonement, The presence OF
his glorifed body In heaven takes
away any vagueness as to our own
glorihed bodies being there, II We
have been united TO him by living
faith-because he lives. We shall live
also.
Was II not the reward OF his ODE.
dience to the father In his sufferings
and death on behalf OF guilty men?
Was II not the joy set before him for
which he was willing to endure the
cross. despising the shame? And yet
there is more to follow. when, In the
regeneration OF the heavens and the
earth. he shall sit upon the throne OF
his power in the sight OF the whole
universe. and every knee shall bow to
him and every tongue confess that he
is lord to the glory of God the father
philippians H. 9lD.
OF course We speak now. only OF his
human nature. OF the Goldman consid.
cred as the mediatorial prince. Such
terms do not pertain 10 his deity, in
which sense his glory could not be
enhanced and the thought OF reward
is entirely excluded.
hut the ascension OF Jesus Christ
means great things for us who believe
on him as we'll as great things for
himself. IL means the reinstatement
of our nature Ia all its lost honors.
In reconciliation with God II means
our reception into Paradise and par.
ticipation in endless felicity II Christ
had risen from the dead and still re-
manned on earth We might have been
assured OF deliyerance from the grave.
and possibly protracted residence
here: but what We desire before all
things Is reunion with God. the hab
itation Of glory and the communion
OF his presence The ascension Sc
cures this
Oh. you TO whom these truths have
no meaning. in whose esteem they are
as foolishnesses. think what you are
losing now. and shall forever lose. II
they be true. would have you fol.
low the example of John keble. who,
conscious of his groveling thoughts
which lay half buried, roaiped lawless.
ly around this earthly waste. ex.
claimed.