"But oh, that time, brother, when the Son of God was dying on the cross!
While the earth was shrouded in darkness, and the bulk of it trembled in
sympathy with the death throes of its Maker, the spirit world also
received the imprint of the terrible event on Calvary as for a moment
the whole spiritual creation lay in tense expectancy. The usual
occupations were suspended. Speech became low and constrained. Songs
ended abruptly, and laughter ceased. There were no audible sobs, neither
sighing. Bird and beast were stilled, as if the end had come, and
nothing more mattered. Then, in a little while, the tenseness relaxed,
and everything went on as before, though much subdued. The righteous in
the Paradise of God quietly gathered themselves together in their usual
places of worship. They clasped each other's hands, and looked with
trembling gladness into each other's faces. There was no fear here: they
were ready."

"And then His actual coming! That which had been fore-ordained from
before the foundation of the world was about to be fulfilled; that which
had been the theme of the prophets from the beginning was at the door;
that which the seers of all times and nations had beheld in vision was
now to be realized; that about which poets had sung; that for which
every pure heart had yearned; that for which the ages had waited, was
now here! A feeling of sweet peace filled the righteous, which expressed
itself in songs of praise and gladness. Thus they watched and waited."

"Then Jesus stood in their midst, and they beheld the glorious presence
of their Lord. Then there came to their hearts a small, sweet,
penetrating voice, testifying that this was Jesus Christ the Son of God
who had glorified the name of the Father; who was the life and the light
of the world; who had drunk of the bitter cup which the Father had given