The Clio messenger. (Clio, Mich.) 1907-current, 1916-10-27

IA 49, ascends it is with
- -----S---@a the calmneSS of
one who goes to his native sphere,
and here we find al illustration of the
contrast which is always seen between
the master and his servants. For eX-
ample, when the prophets received
communications from heaven, it was
some, like Daniel, were sick many
days. But Christ walks in the COM
mon ways Of life and speaks as by in
tuition of heavenly things which eye
hath not seen nor ear heard and which
the heart of man hath not conceived.
elijah and Elisha must stretch them
selves upon a dead child if they would
restore it to life, but Christ merely
stands and cries, "Come forth" and he
who had been dead four days appears,
alive. 1t is fitting that Luke should
tell us, in the verse following the text,
that ''they worshiped him."
Why God Does Not Stop the War.
Note the attitude in which Christ
left the earth-"while he blessed
them" Those pierced hands have been
extended in blessing ever since, and
will be, until this day Of grace and
salvation ends and the day of the
Lord, the day of judgment, dawns. Just
here Is the key to many of our mys-
teries. We wonder why God does not
interpose to stop the war in Europe.
Does he not care? Is he the loving
God we have thought him to be? Well,
| he will interpose in the worlds history
some day and there will be an end of
oppression and fraud and violence.
But there will be also an end Of mercy
for it will be day Of the Lords ven
geance. So 1t comes to pass that,
while men question the goodness OF
God. it is his very goodness that stays
his hand. 1.-THE Lord is not slack con-
corning his promise, as some men
count slackness but is long suf-
fering to usward, not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come
to repentance" (II Pet. 3 :9). Christ's
hands are still extended in blessing.
While the lamp holds out to burn,
The vilest sinner may return.
We are told cloud received him.
| Many believe this was no other than
the Shekinah, or cloud Of glory, which
had glowed in the holy of HOLES over
| the mercy seat. 1t had not shone I'm
the temple for many years, but, on the
night he was born, "the glory of the
ord, chona around ohout tho chap-
herds: this was the Shekinah come
back to earth. Again, on the mount
of TRANSPORTATION, "a bright cloud"
overshadowed them, but Christ passed
into it, unafraid; we have no doubt it
was the cloud of glory again. SO, at
the ascension, the symbol of the pres
ence of God is seen, hiding their de-
parting Lord from their sight.
Another interesting feature of the
ascension is the presence of angels.
The record speaks Of two men In white
apparel and some have thought they
ture from the world had been so mys-
terious. The general opinion, however,
is that they were angels. 1t Is to be
noted that angels appear at the birth
Of Christ and during the closing scenes
of his history, but not during his min
istry. 1t has been beautifully said
that when the sun of righteousness
was shining the stars, the angels, could
not be seen.
The Finished Work Of Christ.
Finally, Mark tells us that when the
Lord was received into heaven HE
sat at the right hand of God" No
creature could sit there. Moreover,
when the Son of God took his place
there it meant that his work of re-
demption was complete. Oh, might
the full meaning of this vision burst
upon some heart which reads these
lines 1t means that there is nothing
more to be done to purchase salvation
for sinners. 1t means that we may
put away our fears, for work has
been accomplished for us with which
God himself is fuzzy satisfied, so that
his son may sit down to rest at his
right hand. 1t means that not sigh,
a tear, service of any sort, needs
Dt uudtu, Jul pfthtt Us u NViDpVh
of acceptance with God. at is fin
ished," and sinners need only humbly
to accept the finished work of Christ.
The fright hand" is the place of power
and Christ is now exalted at the right
hand of God to be a prince and sa-
vior, to give repentance and remis-
sion of sins, to the Jew first and also
/ l.A