THE Resurrection and Personal Immortality

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20002, 29 July 1939, Page 13

THE Resurrection and Personal Immortality

■THE resurrection is a pledge that human souls, when transformed * by qualities that belong to God’s nature, put on immortality. It is the confirmation of our belief that righteousness, goodness, mercy, truth, and love cannot be destroyed. They may seem to vanish from the earth, but they are everlasting in the world of the spirit. They are the imperishable stuff of the kingdom of God. To know God and to serve Him, is to put on immortality. Death can destroy the body, but the fruits of the Spirit are everlasting.— S. J. Reid, D.D., in The AVatchman-Examiner.

* >:< $ * The Emmaus incident reminds us of "hree distinguishing and remarkable things about our Lord’s resurrection body. First of all, although it was the 'same he ‘wore in the days of his flesh, it was Strangely different. It was transfigured, and for that reason Jesus was not recognised by those Who saw him until a token 'had been given Which removed the veil from ‘heir eyes. Again, that body was not subject to the ordinary laws of matter. It could penetrate through closed doors, and appear and disappear at will. It was 'invisible to the natural eye. Those -only who were spiritually prepared were able to see it at all. The Ever-Living Christ The post-resurrection- appearances lvad profound significance. Their purpose was to prepare the disciples to do without them altogether. They were -a preparatory discipline for the eternal presence of Christ, which would 'be visible to the eye of faith. We must not think then of our Lord as migrating to a distant heaven and forsaking the carih. His person may be as real to us to-day as it was to those to whom he appeared in the resurrection ministry. Christ was '-./war nearer to men than he is to-day. “Lo. I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” That was his parting word, and Christian experience is just the testing and proving of that word. Thus we learn that the risen Christ is ever present with life disciples. We have not to search far -and wide 'for him. A little child ban find Jesus. He ...v,, go with us all along life’s road, sharing with us our joys and sorrows, proving himself the companion of men. The message of Easter is life. The living Christ is present and he wants to give us life. The great proof that satisfies man that Jesus rose from the dead is the fact that the New

Testament was 'written to tell of the new life Christ’s resurrection ‘brought to man. The foundation on which the church rests is the death and resurrection of our triumphant Redeemer. When the apostles went out to preach of Jesus, they preached the resurrection, the one thing of which they were sure. Our Hope It is surely an undoubted fact of history that without the resurrection there would have 'been no Christian church -at all. Then there is the continued experience of the church and of 'individual iChristi'ans. It is true lo say that even at this time there is no one. of all those who are influencing the world, -who can ibe compared with Jesus Christ. Christ is the One with whom -all statesmen, sociologists, psychologists, and all who really are Caring -about humanity and know their business must deal. The resurrection is a message of hope. Hope is the mainspring of human life. When John Knox lay dying, a friend askecl him, “Hast thou hope?” He said nothing but raised

Contributed by the Ministers’ Association

his finger and pointed upward —and so he died. What does the resurrection mean to us? It means many things in one, and that one crowning blessing i that we shall be like him who is our risen Lord. What stupendous honour' AVhat unparalleled glory! We shall be like him—thought of sweetest comfort For souls that mourn, a nature aT undone. AVe shall be like the altogether lovel: The wholly perfect One.

ilixitGx oU/JL-iClwl O-i I'nursaay iwgiL a CMug:n..-u. a-imser party was airau s ta uy m* and Mrs. G. S. Briage, raw, ac d»«. masonic Hotel lor Misses Junan tsoy. txna Mary Fj.sr.er, Motu, wno nner rnade their debut at the eon Lruo The distinctive table decorations ,vere most artistically carried ou. wita trails 01 rosebuds \ in delicate .oning-s. Mrs. Bridge was wearing an eiegan. ■ roca 01 misty pintc georgette ana race, and titoe chief guests looked very a .tractive in their pretty' white frocks. Among those present were Mr. and ,-j.rs. H. C. Boys Misses B. Fisher, J. and J. Scott. J. Tietjen, and h. rlasniiLon; Messrs ,1. and D. Dymock, T. Maclean, L. and F. Smith, R. Shaw, J. Tietjen and W. Scott. Informal Dinner Party The Golf Club Ball on Thursday night was heralded by a jolly bullet dinner party given by Miss Mary Walton and her brother, Mr. lan Walton, at their home in Rutene road. Artistic floral decorations and largp fires offered a cheery welcome to the guests. bprays of japonica were effectively arranged m the lounge, and the draw-ing-room was gay with shaded Iceland poppies, while in the dining-room a posy bowl of violets, jonquils and marigolds beautified the table. Mrs. Walton was wearing an elegant frock of black panne velvet accented with a diamante clip, and Miss Walton looked extremely smart in a frock of hyacinth pink georgette. Among those present were Misses M. Newman. M. and I. Coleman, J. Adair, R. Sinclair, J. Wallis, C. Blackburn, D. and T. Bayliss, J. McGougan, B. Finlay. M. Hockley. M. Cooper, and N. Hayes; Messrs. E. C. Walton (Stratford), R. Coleman, J. Scton, W. Lysnar. R. Sinclair, I. Scott, A. Bamlleld, R. Bell, W. Veitch, K. Moneic, A. Faulkner, P. Hockley, and N. Dumont. Birthday Party A delightful children’s party was given by Mrs. J. C. N. Thomas at ,er pretty riverside home, on Wcd.esduv afternoon in celebration oi .he third birthday of her grandson, Harold, only son of Mr. and Mrs. N. 3. Thomas, Tolaga Bay. _ The weather was particularly kind md the guests rbmped on the lawn in the sunshine, a number of grownups enjoying the fun quite as much as the tiny tots. A. bran tub proved an irresistable ■ttraction, and later a gay company sat down to a wonderful party tea in the dining-room. Multi-colour-

ed balloons were suspended above the table, which was laden with all the good things dear to childhood, and Iceland poppies and quaint favours were effectively arranged round the handsome birthday cake, surmounted toy three candles.

The drawing-room was artistically decorated with bowls of mixed flowers in delicate pink tonings. Among the children were Bridget and Timothy Burke, Nolan (2), Richard Sherratt, Tony Chrisp. Peter and Jennifer Barker, Bruce (2), Mark Invin, Gerald and Gretchen Blathwayt, Adrian and Simon Cave, Parker, ‘Caultdn (2), Prescilla, Dan and Tim Broad, Kemp. Gerard Watson. Bridgit Savage, Ann Kerr, and Margaret Evelyn Thomas. Queen Mary as Writer

For the past few days Queen Mary has spent much of her time correcting and amending proofs of a book about the Royal Family. “Royal Cavalcade.” which is to be published this year. Queen Mary herself has written several interesting passages, including narratives about the private lives oi members of her family.

Helping her in the work has been p-*.,pp-s Beatrice, daughter of Queen Victoria. “Her Majesty lias been most helpful,” the authoress, Miss Erica Beal, said.

“Queen Mary is a most punctilious reader, and besides revising the book she revised the genealogical tables.

“In one passage I described King Edward the Seventh’s Court, and various ladies were mentioned for their beauty. “The chapter was returned to me with a blue-pencil mark through one name, because as the Queen said, ‘Lady X is not beautiful.’ ”