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 tion before  crucifixion,  by  His  three  hours  on  the cross, by  the  gaping  wound  in  His  side,  by  the  soldiers who  refrained  from  breaking  His  limbs  because they found  Him  already  dead. And that  He  rose  the third day  from  the  dead,  who  shall  deny? They will tell you  those  timid  Apostles  rolled  back  the  stone and stole  His  body,  that  the  rigid  discipline  of Rome  was  relaxed  for  once  and  the  soldiers  slept; but ask  them  for  their  proofs  and  they  will  bring  forward, as  did  the  chief  priests,  these  same  sleepy  soldiers as  witnesses  of  the  theft. Far different  the proofs of  our  belief. We know  whom  we  have  believed— we  know  that  our  Redeemer  liveth. We have met  Him  newly  risen  on  the  way  to  Emmaus and heard  it  from  His  very  lips. We have  seen  in Him  evidence  of  rational  life  when  He  expounded the Scriptures  and  upbraided  our  incredulity;  of sentient  life  when  He  heeded  our  hospitable  entreaties; of  animal  life  when  He  shared  our  meal. Why, have  we  not  put  our  finger  into  the  very  print of the  nails,  and  our  hand  into  His  side? What remains for  us  to  do,  in  the  face  of  such  evidence,  but to fall  down  adoringly  and  exclaim:  "  My  Lord  and my  God!"

Brethren, the  Ascension  which  we  last  Thursday commemorated is  still  another  proof  of  Christ's divinity. Had He  been  a  mere  mortal,  He  could not have  ascended  of  Himself;  there  would  have  been need of  Elias's  fiery  chariot  or  of  some  similiar  manifestation of  almighty  power. That is  why  the  Church draws such  a  sharp  distinction  between  Christ's  man-