en Peter and John ran, and John the loving ran faster than Peter the
believing, and was the first to reach the tomb. The other women also
had gone to the tomb early bearing their spices for the embalming,
wondering on the way who should roll away for them the great stone that
stood at the door of the tomb. But they found the stone rolled past
the door, and entering the low vestibule they saw a vision of an angel,
in a long white garment, and were afraid.

[Illustration: The angel of the Resurrection]

"Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth which was crucified," he said; "He is risen;
He is not here: behold the place where they laid Him. But go your way,
tell His disciples and Peter that He goeth before you into Galilee;
there shall ye see Him, as He said unto you."

The Lord had left a special message for Peter who had denied Him so
cruelly and had repented so thoroughly! As they looked to "behold the
place where they laid Him," they saw another angel shining white
through the gloom, "one at the head, and the other at the feet where
the body of Jesus had lain." They also ran, glad, yet half afraid, to
tell the disciples what they had seen and heard.

Peter and John found the linen that had wrapped the Lord's body laid
carefully aside. They did not yet remember the prophecy concerning His
resurrection from the dead, but they believed He had risen, and they
went away, hoping perhaps, that He was seeking them.

Mary Magdalene could not leave the empty tomb until she had learned
something more about the Lord. Weeping and desolate she stood at the
low door of the cave-tomb, and stooping to look in again she saw the
vision of angels that the other women had seen, "one at the head and
the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain."

"Why weepest thou?" they asked, and she answered,

"Because they have taken away my Lord, and I know not where they have
laid Him." As she turned to go out into the garden she saw one
standing there who said,

"Woman why weepest thou? Whom seekest thou?"

She thought as she looked through her tears that it must be the man who
kept the garden, so she said,

"Sir, if thou have borne Him hence tell me where thou hast laid Him,
and I will take Him away."

"Mary!"

It was the voice of Jesus--the same that once said to her, "Thy sins
are forgiven," and she spread her arms to clasp His feet, crying.

"_Rabboni!_--my Master!"

"Touch me not," He said, "for I am not yet ascended to m