Page:The Faith as Unfolded by Many Prophets.djvu/106

 by arising from the sepulchre himself, and ascending into heaven in the sight of many. Till Christ came, they who mourned for the dead earnestly desired to know whither they had departed, or whether they should indeed exist no more. They looked around for signs of what should become of the life of man. They saw how trees, whose branches had been bare, put forth leaves again as the seasons changed; and while they saw this, they hoped. But they also beheld how the human body is sometimes turned to dust, and scattered to the four winds; and then they feared that no new life could spring from such remains. Again, they watched the dragon-fly as it came forth from the reeds where it abode as a worm, and spread its silken wings in the sunshine; and then there was again a hope that if from so mean a body so beautiful a life could arise, life might also issue from the grave. — But in all this there was no certainty: and those who now read what Paul wrote concerning the resurrection, look back upon the doctrines of ancient times as a man remembers the idle tales of his childhood. The believing Christian is no longer perplexed when the hour is come for himself or for any whom he loves; but a sure hope sustains him when