ts, but was thoroughly
wretched on account of them. And being thoroughly wretched because of
them, he was willing to be set right. He wanted to believe. It seems
to me that any man would. Thomas was eager to be made sure that the
Christ he loved was really alive. He yearned for certainty.

Thomas was not only willing, but Thomas was reasonable. When he sought
to be sure of Jesus he put himself in the best possible position to
learn the truth. When he wanted to be made sure of Christ he did not
seek knowledge at the hands of the enemies of Christ. He did not ask
information of those who were confessed strangers to Christ. So often
we do. We get in the grip of doubt and straightway we turn from the
fellowship of those who know the Lord to the fellowship of those who
confessedly do not know Him. We read those books that strengthen our
doubts rather than those that strengthen our faith. But Thomas was
wiser.

"Thomas, we have seen the Lord." That is what Peter and James and John
and the rest said to Thomas after this wonderful service that Thomas
missed. And what was the answer of this doubter? Did his face light
up as he said, "I am glad to hear it"? Not a bit of it. He said,
"Except I see in His hand the print of the nails and put my finger into
the print of the nails and thrust my hand into His side I will not
believe." And what Thomas meant by this answer was simply this: "There
is nothing that you can say or do that will make me believe at all. I
simply cannot believe and cannot be made to believe that Jesus has
risen."

Now I do not think that his fellow disciples argued With him. Really
it would have done no good. They simply left him to his own thoughts.
And I fancy that those thoughts ran something after this fashion: "What
they say is not true. They are mistaken. Of course they are. They
must be. And yet they certainly believe in the truth of what they say.
God grant that they are right. There is nothing that I would not give
to know."

Then what did this honest and earnest doubter do? Listen! "And after
eight days again the disciples were within and Thomas with them." Yes,
Thomas is a doubter. But he is an honest and hungry-hearted doubter.
He is willing to give himself every opportunity to know the truth. He
says, "I will turn my face toward the east. Then if there is a dawn I
will see it." And what happened? The dawning came. The sun rose,
"even the Son of righteousness w