THE

YOUNG CHRISTIAN'S

SUNDAY EVENING.

FIRST SUNDAY EVENING.

THE APOSTLES WAITING FOR THE PROMISE.

MAMMA. You appear to have been deeply engaged with your book to day, Edward, and if I mistake not, with the best of books. May I ask what it is that has interested you so much?

EDWARD. Dear Mamma, I cannot get out of my mind your last conversation with me about our blessed Saviour. I have been reading again, the beautiful account given by the Evangelists of His glorious ascension into Heaven, and wishing that the cloud had not concealed Him from our sight.

M. From our sight, Edward?

E. From the sight of the Apostles, I mean; for then they might have told us more about Him. Mamma, how I pity the apostles! What must they have felt when that cloud came and parted our Lord from them; especially when they recollected that He was really gone, and that they should not be able to see

Him, or to talk to Him any more! How very miserable they must have been!

M. Miserable indeed, Edward, if it had not been for that gracious promise which our Lord left with them at the very moment of parting; "Lo! I am with you alway even unto the end of the world." With such an assurance as this from the lips of One who had never deceived nor disappointed them, they could not look upon their gracious Lord and Master as entirely removed from them.

The cloud indeed had come between Him and their bodily sight for a time; but that blessed principle of faith, which He had taught them to exercise, would enable them to see beyond it, and to comfort themselves with the hope that they should one day behold Him again, without any cloud between. Then, if you recollect, the Lord Jesus had left them a parting gift which would be an effectual antidote to all overwhelming grief. Have you forgotten those soothing words? "Peace I leave with you; my Peace I give unto you : let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." Do you think our blessed Lord could speak peace in vain?

E. No, I am sure He never spoke in vain. Even when He said to the waves," Peace, be still! there was a great calm."

M. And the same mighty voice can calm in a moment the tempest of sorrow in the heart of man. The human mind overwhelmed with grief is like the troubled sea when it cannot rest; but when Jesus speaks all is still. If we are but persuaded of this, we can bear to think of the disciples, though separated from Christ. We can bear to follow them even from Olivet,

and can bring ourselves to believe that, though sorrowful, they might still be rejoicing; that, though left, they were not entirely forsaken. Do you not remember how the Lord Jesus gave them a pledge of this at the very moment of parting.

E. You mean, Mamma, that He left an angel to comfort them. Yes, I remember that, and I know how the angel did comfort them. It was with the assurance that "this same Jesus, who was taken from them, should so come in like manner as they had seen Him go into Heaven."

M. Yes, it was thus He comforted them, and they were comforted by that blessed thought; and what other promise could have consoled them half so much? Do you not think that almost all the bitterness of parting with those we love would be taken away, if we could but feel certain that they would come back to us again? Is it not a sort of dread in our hearts that we may never see our dear friends again, a sort of fear of the many things which may happen to prevent our re-union, which makes the pain of parting so very great? We may imagine then how full of consolation were the words of this angel to the grieving hearts of the Apostles. And not only to them were they calculated to convey comfort, but to every true believer to the end of the world. Does any one long to see Christ, or grieve that he has not seen Him, let him only cultivate holiness of life, and he shall assuredly see Him, and not be disappointed: for "this same Jesus" who ascended from Bethany shall come again with greater glory, yet, "so come in like manner," in a cloud, and in a bodily form; and still more wonderful will be the sight to behold Him descending from