THE REV. THOMAS CONNELLAN, - The Gospel Magazine

The Gospel Magazine. 517
I·
VISIOD. "Handle Mc, and see," is faith's warrant to stretch forth
her hand and to lay hold upon Him in His Person of God-Man.
The operations of faith are both tangible and visual. Ohrist
delights to be apprehended by His brethren by both methods.
When faith cannot see Him, because it is dark, it feels for Him
till it find Him. He manifests Himself to all who diligently seek
Him. He is never far off the needy and poor in spirit. What
loving pains He took to assure His disciples after His resurrection
that He was the self-same Jesus Who had taught them and cared
for them in the days of His ministry. Death could not quench
the flame of His vast love, Dor could the waters of judgment drown
it. Having loved His own which were in the world, "He loved
them unto the end," and after accomplishing His Oovenant work
of redemption, He impressed upon them that victory and exaltation
had in no way affected His meek and lowly heart, the gentleness
of His character, and the tenderness of His regard for them.
He is of the same mind still. All that we read of Him in the
Scriptures after His resurrection impresses upon us this most
blessed truth. If doubt p.nd fear possess our souls, His word of
compassion is still-" Handle Me, and see, that it is I Myself."
How precious is that brief declaration-"It is I Myself!" How it
drives away all foolish, fleshly apprehensions from us, and cheers
us in our seasons of gloom. To know that Jesus is with us lightenR
our burdens, dries up our tears, and strengthens our hearts. And
even when faith is at a low ebb, and we fail to touch or to see Him,
it is yet left us to remember that He has promised-" I will never
leave thee, nor forsake thee." vVe dare not think He has broken
His holy Word, or forgotten His Covenant pledge. It is an interesting
fact, and significant of the Divine mindfulness, that various
cases are recorded in Scripture in which the Lord appeared" by
night" to His needy saints. Thus, the very night that Jacob
left his earthly father's house he saw in his dream a "ladder,"
which opened up direct communication with his Father's house
above, and, as one has said, "the loneliness of that solitary night
was more than cheered by the words God spake to Him; for' the
Lord stood above and said, Behold I am with thee.'" Another
night was passed by the same gracious patriarch-a man full of
fears-in celestial company. .. Jacob was left alone, and there
wrestled a man with him, until the breaking of the day." That
sleepless night was one of the most profitable that Isaac's son