The Portland daily press., 1877-04-04

haps there are some infdels and scoffers with
credulity SO unbounded, so gullible and easily
imposed upon that they will believe this, hut
am sure none of us care to join their number.
As lor us IL taxes our faith far less to accept
the simple statement of the angel. s'the Lord is
risen. The calm assurance of Mary Magdalene,
L nave seen the lord" and the unwavering
sLIatement OF Paul, snow is Christ risen from
No event in the history of the world is 30
well authenticated as this event which Christen-
nom to-day celebrates. The concise histories OF
Iacltus are not so trustworthy. The accounts
OF !dvy and Herodotus are less reliable. The
pest authenticated tales of Josephus are fabu.,
!ous compared with the simple accounts OF
Matthew and Mark and Luke and John. We
know far less of Rome or Athens or Carthage
or Troy than of Jerusalem at this time we
are not so well assured rs simple historical
iact that Caesar subdued the Ganls or that
Hannibal crossed the Alps or that Wellington
won the day at Waterloo as that Jesus Christ
rose from the grave in Palestine.
We have but limited at few of the many
lines of proof. To follow them al out would
take many days instead of single half hour
many volumes instead of single sermon. But
If We accept this fact that Christ lose we must
accept still more. We must believe in the
words which he spoke, in the miracles he per-
formed, IN the deeds which be did. This is
lneyita6le. 1t we believe that Napoleon died
at st. Helena after five years exile, watched all
this time by British ships, we must believe IN
the facts snd causes which led to this exiled
death. We must believe that he won great
battles, that he was mighty general. Won
derful commander of men. If we believe that
Shakespeare wrote the works ascribed to him
we must believe still more, We must believe
that he had marvellous insight into human
nature, most extraordinary fertility of genius
and command of the English language which
has never been surpassed
So If we believe that Christ rose from the
dead, that this Easter day is not founded upon
myth, then We must believe that he is no i'm
poster. 1t he is not an imposter all that he has
done and said is strictly trae, 1t what he says
!. true those, and only those. who believe on
him will be saved. "He that believeth on me
hath everlasting life; he that believeth not is
condemned already. Here, dear friends, just
here is where the teaching of this Easter day
applies to us. There are only three steps from
the day we commemorate to our personal duty
of accepting the Saviour. If this Easter day
means anything it means that Christ once rose
from the dead; if he rose from the dead he is
not an mposter all that he said is true and he
is the Saviour of mankind. If be is the Saviour
OF mankind he is our Saviour and we ought to
accept him as such.
y dear friends, can you sing these Easter
hymns, can you hear the Easter bells ring out
this day, can you think of him who once rose
from the grave and ever lives to intercede fol
You without resolving that this shall be true
Easter day in your heart day when the sun
of righteousness shall rise there and you will
be able to say as Mary said on that first Easter
morn, 81 have seen the Lord" Christian
friends let US rejoice and be glad as never
before. If Christ be not raised our faith is
vain; but this is Easter, Christ is raised and
our faith is not vain. If in this life only we
have hope then are we of all men most miser.
able. But this is Easter day, because of this
day we have hope in the next life also, and we
are of ali men the most blessed. Are we sick
and weary of life and respondent? This is
Easter day and our risen Lord beckons us te
that land where there is no dependency and
where the inhabitants never saith, am sick
Are we poverty stricken and destitute? Re-
member, friends, this is Easter day and onl
risen Saviour is waiting for us where there is
wealth enough for the most needy. Because OF
this day and because of what it means, riches
health, honor, pleasure, life that is endless and
peace that is fathomless, all are ours if we can
sing in the grand triumphant words of Charles
Wesley,
Lives again our glorious King!
Where, o death, is now thy sting?
Once he died our souls to save,
Where thy victory, o grave.
Soar we now where Christ has led,
Following our exalted Head.
Made like him, like him we rise.
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies