The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1865-03-02


"AIarye NOT at this; for the hour IS coming in the
which all that in the graves shall hear his voice
and shall come forth. "-JoHS y: %.
|. It is impossible for us to imagine. with
what unbounded establishment the heather
world first heard the Apostles of our Saviour
maintaining, that there would be resurrection
both Of the just and the unjust 1t seemed to
. them incredible that the human BODY after it
had mouldered for ages IN the grave, should be
raised to life again, and should be clothed with
immortal y0ath aud beauty. They regarded
the doctrine with supreme contempt Il seemed
to them absurd and ridiculous. Paups eloquent
sermon preicired 10 the AJheuians on Mars
Hi only provoked Ihe indignant displeasure Of
his audience. "Aud when they heard of the
resurrection Of the dead some Knocked; and
others said, we Will hear the again of this
matter
Que Of the heather philosophers, who at an
early period wrote hook against the Christian
religion, accuses the disciples of the Saviour of
coatriyiug Old wives fables andes fa5uIai. They
tell Us, he says that they shall be brought to
life after death, and the ashes Of the funeral
pile; aud believe their own lies. So that YOU
might think they had already revived. Oh
two-fOld madness to denounce destruction 10
the heavens and the stars, which We leave as
We ind them, and at the same time TO promise
eternity 10 themselves, when dead ynd extin
guished" We must admit however that the
heather had good reason for their wonder and
a>tOnishment. The consultations that adorn
the starry heavens appear 70 US eternal and un-.
ehangeable in their brightness, their su5limity
and their glory. They are forever changing
their places in the blue ETHEREAL sky, and yet
remain forever the same They are as bright
and beautiful now, as they were at the first
dawn Of creation They are TO US the emblem
Of all that Is pure, holy and sublime; aud moth
ing could have appeared TO the MUD Of hea
then philosopher more strange or wonderful,
than TO hear the preachers Of new religion
boldly asserting that all the glory Of the starry
heavens would pass away, like the baseless
fabric Of SdTeaRl. whilst at the same time they
taught that mans poor feeble dying body would
be raised agaih from the dust Of the EARTH and
bloom and flourish with undecsying vigor
through the long ages Of never ending eter-
nifty. Yet to proclaim this very doctrine was
the mission of the Apostles of our Lord aud
Saviour Jesus Christ, after his resurrection from
the dead.
AS the very foundation Of all their argu-
ments they maidtaned that it was an incon-
trovertible and undeniable fact, that Jesus
Christ had been raised from the dead by the
power of the Father; and that as the Saviour
rose, SO al his followers must.
The proof of the SayiOur's resurrection was
so conclusive that none could deny it. He had
been seen by his disciples after he rose from
the dead. lie had conversed with them aud
eaten with them. After continuing with them
foIty days, he had in their sight assembled into
heaven. lie had endowed them with power
from on high; and the Apostles wrought mira.
cles in confirmation Of the dottriues they taught.
No reasonable mind could call in question the
correctness Of their testimony, or the sincerity
of their faith They could not be deceived,
for they were eyewitness Of what they had
seen and heard.
The supposition that the Apostles devised
the story Of the Sayiour's resurrection to de-
ceive mankind, Is too absurd to be entertained
for moment. They did not believe IN it them
selves, until incontrover;ible proof wrought
conviction in their own minds: The incredu-
lity Of Thomas wss remarkablei but at last he
had all his doubts removed, and cried out with
assured faith, ''My Lord and my God.
2. To the Jews on tie day Of Pertecost the
Apostle Peter proved, that the prophet David
had foretold the resurrection Of the Messiah,
when he said Therefore did my heart rejoice,
and ny tongue wss glad; moreover also my
hssh sball rest in hopes because thou wilt not
leave my soul in he'll, neither wilt thou suffer
thine Holy one TO ace corruption. This Jesus
hath God raised up, whereof We al. are wit
rosscs.'
The Jews could not deny the resurrection Of
Christ, but attempted TO account for it BY sup
posing that his disciples had in some way or
other got possession Of the true pronunciation
OF the word, Jehovsh, aud by that means had
reanimated his body
The doetiue Of the resurrection was known
to the Jews before our Ssyiour's day. The
Phs-isees believed in 1t; but the SaddUceeS
were bitterly opposed to it. On this account
the Apostle Paul could triumphantly say TO
king Agrippa, 'Why should It be thought q
thing incredible with YOU, that God should
raise the dead 70 Educated II the Jewish faith,
Aggrippa could not deny that the twelve tribes
instantly serving Goa day and night, had their
eyes always fixed upon the hope of resurrec-
ton to a new and glorious life beyond the grave.
Christianity is only the fulhlment OF the prom
ise made Of God unto the fathers.
1 Some have argued, that the PARTICLES OF
matter, which compose the human body will at
death Do sc completely scattered by the winds
Of heaven ard the waves Of the sea, that u VIII
De impossibls even for omnipoteuce TO collect
them together again. For this reason they have
rejected the Bible, as unworthy of belief.
It is said, that an iR6del, who once lived in
Virginia, enjoiDed it upon his friends in his
last will aud testament, to burn his body after
ais decease, and to scatter bis ashes on the wind
from the top of Williss mountain, so that It
III ght be utterly impossible for him TO be raised
up on the day Of judgment. Such request,
made in tho near prospect Of death, only shows
10 What provoking height Of wickedDess the
human mind may be carried By the profsDe
reasouing Of inSdel philosophers. Our bodies
N AZ be dsvouEsi By cannibas, or torn 70 pieces