Original - The Preterist Archive

32 NAOMI.
worthy of a cruel death, was indeed the Lord Christ, the longpromised
Messiah. But there is a frankness in your manner
and countenance that convinces me you only continue in this
error because you are ignorant of the grounds of our faith, and
have been taught to give credit to the false statements invented
to excuse the murder of the Lord of Life, and to conceal the
wondrous fact of his resurrection from the dead."
" I know," replied Naomi, "that it is said his disciples carried
away his body by night, and then declared that he was risen.
But who ever saw him alive after his crucifixion."
" / did,"" answered the stranger. " My eyes
beheld him surrounded
by his disciples; my hands touched his sacred and
human form ; my ears listened to his gracious voice, speaking
as never man spake and
; my heart believed and was comforted.
1 was with his sorrowing disciples when, on the day
of his
resurrection, we assembled to mourn over his death, and our
blighted hopes ; and in fear and trembling, because of the
indignation of the Jews against his followers, we had closed the
doors on our sad meeting. And then, while consternation filled
every breast, He whom we wept as dead suddenly appeared
c
in the midst of us, and said in his well-known voice, Peace be
unto you.' Only those who were then present can know the
f jelings of our hearts at this unexpected apparition. We could
not believe that it was He himself in bodily form, for our hearts
were hardened, and we remembered not the words which he
had spoken unto us, that lie must be killed, and rise again the
third day; and we thought that it was his spirit. But he showed
us his hands and his side, so lately pierced by the nails and the
spear of his murderers ;
and then we were glad, for we knew it
was the Lord himself. And at other times I saw him, when he
took bread, and did eat it before us, that no doubts might remain
in our minds as to the actual resurrection of his body. And last
of all I saw him, when he led his disciples out as far as to
Bethany, and having exhorted them, and comforted them with
the promise of his continual presence, he lifted up his hands
and blessed them ;
and then, while every eye was fixed upon
him, he rose slowly into the air, and ascended until a cloud
received him out of our sight. Oh ! how fervently did we then
worship our risen and exalted Saviour! And while we yet
looked steadfastly toward heaven, as he went up, two heavenly
messengers stood by us in '
shining garments, and said, Why
stand ye gazing up into heaven ? This same Jesus, which is
taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as
you have seen him go into heaven.' Then we knew that he