The New York herald., 1870-04-18
LEXINGTON AVENUE Nj. E. CHlRCH.

The Resurrection Of Christ-Plnin Facts
Uttered to Plain People in Plain Church
The Central Truth Of Christianity the Pivot
OF the Church's Faith.
Christianity, which Is Judaism verified, yesterday
commemoraIed its great central trutn-namely, the
resurrection OF Chrst-witnout winch, as q religious
system, 1t could never have succeeded. jesus
living or dying, would have made no more impress
sion upon mankind than other good men IN all ages
OF the world but Christ, risen from the dead, be.
comes the first fruits OF them that slept. Hence the
lie ana character the sufferings and death or the
Saviour, become to us much more than the mere
example OF good man-they are living reali-
ties by which, and by faith Him, we
rise from earth toward heaven, and, leaving
temporal things, we attain to things eternal.
1t 49, therefore. proper that ChrisIendOm should
commemorate this great fact u year. 1t was
tho event specially referred 70 III our city churches
Yesterday. In Lexington Avenue Methodist Epl. CO.
pal church 1t was the theme OF Rev. H. NJ. tratlon's
dlscOurses, morning and evening. HIS morning
text was Corinthians Xy. 20 Tue birth, death Ana
resurrection Of the Lord Jesus Christ are The
THREE GREAT FACTS OF HISTORY,
he said. But
On this glad day brighter
OF glory disp aged
BY the eternal " ord, than when
The universe made.
He rises who mankind has bougat
,r min . srist a. ana pain extreme
Twas greater to redeem.
This event was declared In prophecy and by tae
Saviour Himself The fact OF HIS death was ever
before Him, and SO was also HIS resurrection. The
acceptance OF this fact leads to the belief that He
lived and that lie was buried. Both events were
public. MuLitudes OF men knew them as facls.
but, Notwithstanding thls there are yet many who
assert that the cause OF rejoicing Is founded
In truth. They nevertheless acKno W Ieage the Iact
OF an empty tomD; but they account for iC by say
ing that Ills disciples stole Him away. But IL was
impossible thaG eleven men, tInld as they proved
themselves to be should undertake the perilous task
OF Stealing Ills body from q tOmD guarded by sixty
soldiers and sealed with the Governors seal.
tomb was within the walls or Jerusalem. and IL was
the time OF the Passover when the city was iul
OF people; and besides that they could not have
rolled away tue stone without awakIng tue guard.
This has always seemed to. the preacher to De
THE WEAKEST LIE
that ever was invented and yet IL has numerous be-
LEVERS Admitting That the disciples were inclined
to steal the body OF tner Master 1t VIII be apparent
that they could not have done secretly under the
attendant crcums tances. " Is something e6traor-
dlnary that sixty men should all lali asleep at the
same moment and remain asleep untn this theft had
been accomplished ana then should be aDle to de-
clare that His disciples were the thieves. Iney
knew tnat death was the punishment for beng
found asleep post and It was not ut all likely that
they would incur the penalty and afterward ac-
knowledge to 1t, ana especially under conditions OF
30 great anxiety as then prevailed. ihe same argu-
ments against this fact presented to-day, after
the lapse VI nearly nineteen hundred years. bat the
Iock oi our enemies ~ not as our ROCK, themsel es
being the Judges Down through the throbDiug gen
e,atons OF men has come this blessed assurance OF
the Master am the resurrection and the lie. IL IS
tue granuest truth IN history-the pivot upon which
all our hopes rcvolve, the anchor TO which we cling.
Let our hearts therefore reJoice and be glad.
Lift your glad voices triumph on high,
For Jesus hath risen, and man shall not die;
Vain were the terrors that gather'd around him.
And short the dominion OF death aud the grave:
He Durst from the letters OF darkness bound him
kcsplendeni in glory, TO live and to
Loud was the chorus OF angels high
The Saviour hath risen, and man shall no. die.
Glory God in full anthems OF Joy,
The being be gave death cannot destroy:
SAD the lie part with TO morrow
If tears were our birthrght and death our cnd
Bul Jesus hath cneer'd the dark valley Of sorrow
And bsde us immortal to heaven ascend.
Lit, then, your Oh hiuh
For Jesus hath risen, and shall not die
Lexington avenue Methodist Episcopal church h IA
PLAN brick cdice, Standing on the corner Of Fty.