The New York herald., 1845-02-22
Professor Bush's Lecture on the Doctrine OF
the Resurrection.

| On wednesday evening last, Professor BUSH,
whose writings on the resurrection have made
much sensation, addressed large audience in the
lecture room of the Stuyvesant Institute on that
doctrine The apartment was nearly tull of highly
respectable looking cltlzens-a fair proportion Of
whom were ladies' We observed several clergy
men also IN attendance. The utmost degree of at
tentlon was given to the gentleman during his dis
course, which was very long aud argumentatve,
and from all appearances the doctrine which form.
ed the subject OF his essay. regarded not only by
him. but by the orthodox in general, ,as most preg-
nant and momentous one. Professor Bush appears
to be deeply sensible ofthis, and has evidently given
| the whole matter thorough investigation. His
| features bear the marks of man of close appica-
| tion, and the earnestness of his manner shows he
does not look upon the question as one merely for
| curious enquiry, but closely allied to sound un-
dersandlng OF scripture, consistently with science
| and philosophy. He commenced as folows:-
II any person be true believer in revelation, it
cannot be denied by him that the doctrine Of the
resurrection stands prominent and pre-. eminent
among the disclosures Of that sacred volume The
dark guessings of the ancient philosophy, the
tons of universal reason that man in his essential
being may survive the triumphs OF the tomb, or
his mortal life, are all confirmed, authenticated
and assured to his faith by the teachings of Him
Gospel Upon the impregnable rock Of the same
authority stands the asserted fact of the resurrec
ton OF Christ himself, who as the first fruits
OF those who slept. The fact of our resurrection
is indssolub!y connected with The fact Of his, with
only this difference necessarily occurring in the
nature of the case, from the difference that separ.
ates man from the Goldman. The great mystery
sumo not to fathom, but receive it as fact
resting upon the sole authority of reye-
lation; that in the, economy Of redemption
in the tabernacle Of the flesh We receive It as
true that this divine person died on the cross and
arose again the third day as truly as he died So
iaI we are ground common to all evan
the Importance of this fact the great essential
truth OF the Christian doctrine of the resurrection
Of the saints The return to life, on the third day,
OF the august Lord Of all, is the assured pledge oi
the restoration to life again OF those who sleep in
Jesus; but how tar the resurrection of Christ is to
regarded ashe exact pattern of that of the salnts
can onlybe determined by determining how far in
the nature Of each the same results mightbe expec
ted IN similar cases: Certainly, the body of Christ
did not see corruption but it is certain that the
bodies OF the saints do. Here a memorable diff
| ference between the two. In one case, the. body
is made the subject of change, called the resur-
rectlon, while Its organic nature remains unim.
paired; whilst IN the other, every organ of the body
isdissolved, dlsslpated, compounded anew and re-
constructed, and made to live anew as the bodies
that died. If this be not the commonly received,
will gladly be Informed of what it is Again, il
Is clear that the divlne-human constitution OF our
Saviour must be divesed Of the difference between
him and his people, both before and after iresur
rectlOn, before we can reason from the one to the
other. 1t does not follow Christ became a man
from the laws OF his being-goes into certain
state-that that law holds good in reasoning o.
Jesus; and it would be equally unjust to show,
from the nature of Chrst's resurrection that that
OF mankind does not simply a resurrection of the
same BODY. Ihe question then comes, what Is the
nature OF Christs resurrection, and the quality of
that body he assumed on passing out of the tomb,
and IN which ne appeared during the forty days be-
fore his ascension? To determine that question
the only source Of information is the inspired writ
ings Reason and science are utterly at fault to
solve the problem Of the nature and laws OF
| that existence OF him who said, 81 am
the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and
which was, and which is to GENE, the Almighty"
We are, therefore,, entirely dependent upon revela-
Of that word am ready TO abide. What is it's tes
tlmony! The first visitants to the sepulchre, on
the morning OF the third day, were company OF
baming the Lords body, when they found the
stone rolled away, and perceived that the body
was not there. A moment after, they were ac-
costed by two beings in the human form, with
shining garments, who asked them-"Why seek ye
the living among the dead? He is not here, but is
risen. is worthy OF notice that the angels were
invisible when the women first entered the sepul-
cavated in the rock. When they could not find
the body of the Lord cas- they were sorely per.
picked, behold two men stood by them in shining
garments" Now, we would especially notice the
strange fact, that whilst they perplexed at
finding the body OF the Lord, in small room, they
did not zee the two angels, which should be the
rs objects to strike their vision, had they been in
form and aspect to be seen by the natural eye
1t cannot be imagined that the angels entered from
without. What, then, is the inference to be drawn
from the narrative? z? That the angels were pre-
viously there, and made visible to them by mira
culous effect wrought in the women themselves,
whose eyes were brought TO discern these beings
Of supernatural rank Yet here is the palpable
fact OF the revelation of two supernatural bodies
their first enrance-from which, at least, it is
proved that spiritual body may become in some
way visible But, to proceed with the narrative:
Sand they departed quickly from the sepulchre,
disciples word And as they went to tell his disci
pies, behold Jesus met them saying, all hail Here
we must note the sudden and miraculous appear
ance OF Jesus, who, although in the midst of them,
and liable to be seen il in natural body but the
narrative clearly intlmates that none OF them saw
him, but that his appearance was as sudden ae was
that OF the angels to the women In the sepuchre.
Mary Magdaene, after delivering the message to
John and Peter who returns by another route to the
puchre without seeing the Lord they entered and found
tame out and returned home leaving Mary Magdalene
and the others at the entrance Of the tomb. After their
departure she oops down and behed two aDgel in white
observed that Peter and John few before
in the sepuchre and nothing What we to infer
from not eVluent tnc uuBcis WcIo tnoIc
the time and remained invisible to Peter and John but
made themselves visible to Mary, and consequently that
they could become visible or invisible at pleasure. do
hesitate say that in sctness Of speech the angels
at first there although cannot tell how, for that
would lead to assumption about the angels to 10
cality for which have authority. For does not
follow that angel becomes visible he must have
changed his locality in relation to that Of men We can
have notion Of locality in relation to spirits As to
the precise in which this is possble-whether
by change in themselves, in Mary 1t not essential
This point propose to establish that the appearance Of
the angels was uperpatural eect-that they could be
invisbly present and visible the next moment To the
opponents Of belief in spiritual eyes, may be observed
the human eye any thing not material II an snge
ssen must be in natural form, or seen by eyes adap
ted take cognzance of spiritual objects The idea o
pritual eyes familiar the people Of the present
day. and therefore is clearly comprehended by them
We told In scripture that Esha prayed, and said 20
Lord pray thee open the eyes OF this young man. that
he may seer and the Lord opened his eyes, and he