The Easter Visitant

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21769, 7 April 1934, Page 4 (Supplement)

The Easter Visitant

By P.M.IT. The little angel was sad. All was hustle and bustle in Heaven in preparation for the great Easter festival. Each angel had his appointed task to do as the great, day drew near. But first came the sadness of Good Friday, when all the loved ones of Christ remembered what their Master had done for them on that lone hill on Calvary. The little angel had not long been fully fledged and. although ho was promoted to the ranks of the grown-up angels, ho was not yet considered experienced enough to bo given any task on earth to do. But as the others flow off one by one his wings drooped and lie hung his head to hide hi? tears of disappointment. Finally he was loft alone, and then the Archangel Gabriel took pity on him; and, as there would be much on earth to do and many gifts to bring up to the Saviour on Easter Day, he was told he might go and help. He flew gladly away. But alas, when he got down to earth, he did not know how to set about his task of fetching gifts from the followers of Christ. Ho flew into a large cathedral, but all was sadness there—the altar draped in black, a few mourners, but nothing for him to do. Then into the homes of the poor ho flow. There was sadness and poverty, but the sadness was not because of the sufferings of their Master, whom many of them knew nothing about. Ho felt it would be hard for him to get any offerings with so much poverty. But surely not so much, for ho passed many staggering and foolish ones coming from the overcrowded pub-lic-houses. It was Thursday, pay-day before the great holiday and in spite of poverty the shops were doing a roaring trade and everyone who could was getting ready to go away. Lots of food and drink was being taken and no one had time to bother about the little angel's timid request as to whether he could go with them to church on Sunday and carry their gift up to Heaven. Still empty-handed and seeking guidiance, the angel flew to the head of one of the largest charitable organisations in the city to' ask what these thingß meant in a Christian nation and how he was to get something to offer to the Master on Easter morning, when the Great Ones would bring their costly gifts from the rich churches in the city. The worker shook her head. She was tired and depressed from trying to do so much with so little. She said.no wonder times were hard with so much wickedness in high places and so many people who had forgotten their God. The angel passed,.out, but looking at her noble work for others, and that of her associates, he remembered hearing that " for the sake of ten the city was/ saved." It ' was now Easter Eve. Everyone seemed to have left the city and darkness was setting in. To-morrow, the greiit day, he would have to return to Heaven without having a single gift. He crept into a little mission chapel. No lamps, no incense, just a few flowers on the altar for the next day's service. He was very young and his pinions not yet strong—so much flying about, and he really wondered if he could manage the return home. He fell asleep. When he awoke it was Easter Morning, half-past nine. He had slept through two oeiehrntions and now the young people's Communion was in progress. Some confirmees were making their first Communion. He rubbed his eyes, so bright was the chapel and so beautiful the music coming from a small handorgan played hv an enthustiastic and hard-worked young missioner. The missioner. crippled and racked with pain, carried on his duties, and in a few words spoke to his people, telling them how, for the first time at that particular service, he would have a collection, as they would like to give something of their earnings to the Master who gave so much for them —even if it's only a halfpenny each service. But that gift of money in the ej es of God was paltry compared with the gift of themselves, which they must offer up to God this morning in remembrance of the day when He gave them the great gift of His Son —the Resurrection Morning. The littlo angel felt very awed and impressed. Was this humble gathering, from the poorest Dart of the eitv, gathered there on a day with a cold southeasterly blowing outside, perhaps the " little leaven which leaveneth the whole "? You see, he knew his Scriptures. Was this what was meant by " having vision "?• Ho trembled and was glad. The confirmees renewed their vows at the altar and, borne on their praise find thanksgiving, he was carried back into Heaven just as the archangels and angels were casting their gifts before the Throne —gifts from the cathedrals and churches all over the world. Wafted oiv wings of song to the feet of the Master, he remembered, ashamed that he had brought no gift—when, 10l He was .raised up to a place of honour, for his gilt, the offer of themselves from a. few humble workers in the poorest part of a great city hod become the greatest of all and shone in the radiance from the Master. So was the little angel honoured that Easter Day.