Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-07-22
10a 81
FROM the New England Farmer.


FROM the New England Farmer.
Inc Inen were the disciples glad when thew
Ine festival of Easter had inst baan co,
eorated by many believing hearts ~ron
turles ago, on the bright morning Of tbo
hrst day OF the week, the mourning a;sc;,
pies and woman who loved Jesus went ear
ly to the sepulchre, within whose cold CON
fines the form of the Crucified had boen
laid. To their amazement, the stone rbat
guarded the entrance had been re.noyesl. s.rd
Wnen tneyfooKed within only bis vestments
remained; the form they had enyeIoneS
was gone from its resting place.
1t is not for us to fathom the deptbs of
emotion stirred In those troubled hearts
py this strange discovery. Some who thus
came to gaze followed him THROUGH sun-
shine and storm, perils by land and periIs
bOy sea, had known his agony in the oar.
den, his betrayal by Judas, his trial before
Plate, Peters denial, his examination and
his lingering death. The great doctrines
ne had taught them, including the great
est, that OF Immortality, came rushing to
their mlndsln strange contradiction with his
lgnomlnious death. 'He could save others.
himself he could save ? Alas, that ieer.
ing tongues could so put them to silence.
Not yet raised from their humiliation
and sorrow, they drew near to the sepul-
chre to hear the bewildering annunciation.
.He is not here, he is risenp O. let not
those stricken hearts be mocked by vain
assurances; where is He whom they saw
perish upon the cross, and whom they as
sisted to robe for the last dreamless sleep2
'He Is not here, He is risen 2 The weep
ing Mary turned away in her disappoint-
ment, and was aceosted by Jesus whom
she knew not. fWhy weepest thou, and
whom dost thou seek he asked of her
my Lord, she replied, 'they have taken
him away, and l know not where they
have laid Himp Mary the Divine One
said again, In accents not to be mistaken.
MASTER was all the overcharged heart
would permit her to utter but in that one
word lay all the faith and hope and love
that had been garnered in her breast, and
from that hour her doubts were dispelled,
and she knew he had conquered death and
brought Immortality to light.
The unadorned records of these impor-
tant events have solemnity and charm
that surpass all displays of rhetoric. No
power is theirs but that which truth always
conveys, and the heart yielded to them the
involuntary tribute Its faith. Jesus did
how, Ssns N sHe most spIs lEv8lea 81! s, Iaga
are bruised, and the hopes of life disap-
pointed, and He knew, also of those stor-
my passages that some endure ere the rest
of the grave is attained.
He knew mans need of the assurance
of final rest, to enable him to bear brave
ly the adversities that beset his earthly
career and after He had given him this
assurance, and died in defence of His doc
trines, He came again to the weeping Ma
ry and the unbelieving Thomas, and to
others whom he had known and loved du
ring His ministry, that they might have
sight as well as faith, and thus leave to the
scoffer no ground for his rejection.
He has performed his part in the great
work of mans redemption, and has left us
ours, no doubtful task, but one plain as the
sun at cloudless midday, breathing from
every page of his written word, traced on
our consciences as with pen of fire, with
US by the sacred relations of life, brought
to us by the vieWless. wind and the mur-
murings of the sea, calling to us from the
midnight sky, with all its mulsitude of
stars.
Sometimes he speaks to us in voices of
great gladness, and sometimes with a sad
and solemn cadence that presses the life
blood from our hearts. But it is always
in love, and if we recognize and obey, the
SOULS warfare is ended, and all is hence.
forth peace. He died, he rose for each
individual soul; he must be received singly,
alone, and made the souls single hope, OF
He is nothing. a.
Refuse not the sacrifice, for there is no
other refuge offered; give him shyself and
thy burdens, and for thee there is no death,
only the raising Off veil that now conceals
the face beaming with unutterable love for
thee and thine. III. j. L.
-<ARNS-