New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1874-04-06
The COMPLETION OF CHRIsrs WORK

THE COMPLETION OF CIIRISTS WORK.
The Re, r. g. MacArilur at Cslrary Bqpha Church.
The Rev. II. S. Macarthur preached yester-
day at Calvary Baptist Church, on Fifh-aye In the
morning he took for his text g He is not here, Tor
He is risen. as He said Matt xviii e. The preacher
spoke substantially as follows:
This day is known and loved by large numbers OF
Christians as Easter Sunday. It is day OF glad and
holy Joy. In some respects Easter is to Christians what
the Passover was to the Jews II is the Oldest and most
significant OF the yearly festivals Of the Church 1t can
be traced back the first century IL celebrates Cnrsts
gloous resurrection and complete triumph over all the
peng act in the work Of Christ FOR the redemption OF
lost and ruined world IL marks Gods approval of the
work of sacrifice and atOnement made the of
Calvary. Very finely and very truly does tue late Bshop
Draesccke of Magdeburg say, Easter IS GODS Amen
and the Hallelujdh or humanity IL Is the echo 10
heaven EARTH aud hell OF Chriss triumphant excama
ton on the cross, 81 It's finished"
IL mad been day OF great excitement IN Jerusalem
but now in the city and about Calvary there is almost
perfect calm The soldiers have carried from the cross
the thieves they had pierced the side of Christ ana
assured themselves that he was truly dead. Joseph
goes to aud procures permission to take away the
body OF Jesus 1t l. almost sunset Joseph with
Nc0demus comes The body of Christ Is tcndery taken
down. Tue who stood near were amazed to see
these two engaged IN TINS work They had not De-
fore known them as friends Of the crucifed one
But observing their tenderness they are encouraged
TO draw near. Their gentle hands swathe the body and
bind the napkin around the tnorn-perced brow. Ten
DERBY is Jesus borne to Joephs new tomb 10 the garden
near by; endery is he laid therein The great stone Is
rolled gaiust the door. The men depart; but Mary
Magdaeno, and the othe? Mary remain The spot
is dear 10 them. The shadows OF night fall !;
90 TO ~ Their IT, lonely fome:. The Sabbath
dawns. The people thrOng TO The Temple courts to
worship strange sight greets them the vail is rent
in twain; the Holy Place Is exposed TO gaze Strange
them. perhaps He was the SON OF God His blood
may come upon us aud our children To the men and
women who knew and loved jesus that was long and
sad sabbath Their hearts, their hopes were buried in
A work of love remained for them Tie embaming
ne nil bcfDrp uurTicdV done. They Will
plee the third morning daWns. From Bethany
aud from various parts city they do this
work OF love They approach the grave, wondering
wll roll away the stone dazzling sight greets them
they ala the birth The is rolled away;
but the Lord has gone, and they know not whittier
Mary Magdaene, forgetful OF the angels presence
Peters FeeT and Sf0A john that %S the Lords omo
dshonored the body of her Lord shall here
the events their order: The old familiar word
Mary" Is pronounced. Her soul il thrilled. That
voice Is the gardeners. Its the Lord "Rabboni -
she cxclams II is moment OF rapture. A life Of
thought and feeling is lived IN moment New truths
flash upon the mind. Mary is rewarded for remaining
last at the cross and last at the grave
on on the tno gtaVe on The Resurrection morning
Through her tears recognized; and Mary
the and the first to preach the risen Savior
THIS fundamental truth OF the Christian religion was
first proclaimed bya woman as the preacher Five times
during that evenfu day was Christ seen by
of his Disciples They could exclam, The Lord is
risen. indeed. and hath appeared to Simon"
Of deepest import in the study of our Lords life and
character and in the history of the Christian Church
The resurrection Of Christ marked the completion of
His work as Atonng SAVIOR In one sense, the work
head and said "Itis finished In another and import
ant sense work not done until He came forth
triumphant from the grave Had the work which He
had never come forth from that TOMB. That
glorious resurrection was Gods Z" Amen" TO
marking his approval Of all that Christ was and did Our
Lord prophesed his death and resurrection. His truth
plishment of the event Had He not risen lie would
be branded an mpOstOr All that Is dear in the char
acter of our peerless Lord is dependent on this issue
Deny the resurrection and the existence of the Christian
Church is an unsoved problem Would the disciples
nave incurred danger and death for dead man-and ne
an mpOstOri Friends the cornerstone of the Christian
Church is laid In the empty grave OF Jesus Christ 80
the Apostle Paul reasons: If Christ be not rsen your
faith is yain-ye are yet in your sins"
AS the resurrection of Christ proved Gods acceptance
of His work and the ruthfuness OF Chrsrs character
laid down His life He took II again. 1t was a yolun-
tary sacrifice; 1t was kingy assumption OF that life
a conqueror. The napkin LAID aside there was no
unseeinly haste. Calmly did the Lord of Life sleep on
came forth leading captivity captive" Ia His life He
disrobed dscrOwned and dishonored DEATH But in His
Never before did such visitor enter the realm OF death
Never before was such victory won. Enoch and Elijah
hun. Christ conquered death because He crap.
pied with hun The grave is robbed OF It's
lay garments of earth put the robes of
glory o, glorious victor o, endless victory Christ
spOlleu powers, anu made show OF
them openly This victory Is for Ne. That empty grave
the garden proof and prophecy that all tine graves
Of earth will day be empty. Christ came forth TO
answer the deepest and saddest questions of the human
heart He forth from the univers night OF death
throw the brightness of that glad morning over the
tom6s Of the world That light shall forever shine:
that glory grow brighter until the perfect day. III we
are Cnrsts by living personal faith his victory shall
he ours. II We sleep In Jesus shall awake in him
The last enemy shan then be destroyed aud we shall
take up triumphant song OF the Apostle O. death
where is thy sting o. grave. where is thy victory
Thanks be TO God who gyeth US the victory through
Lord Jesus Christ"