Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-06-28
The Lem0nWeir Convention.
From the Waushara Argus.

churches met at Hancock on Tuesday
evening the 9Th inst, at s p. m.
Brother II. B. Philleo. of Grand
Rapids, the retiring Moderator, gave
the following opening address, from
John 20:13-16:
These words after the lapse of eigh-
teen centuries, come to US freighted
with wonderful significance. Abstract
ly they mean no more, no less, to-day,
than when spoken two thousand years
ago by the lips of the loving faithful
Mary, they were addressed to the risen
Christ, who, in the great agony of her
grief she had mistaken for the gardner
The significance of the words spok-
en- by Mary On fact of the dialogue in
its entirety) is intensified because of
their application to the world as we
find it to-day.
The lapse Of years works wonderful
changes in material things, and centu-
ries transform not infrequently, the
beautiful into the more beautiful, and
even hideousness may be clothed with
a garb of loneliness if so there exist
one little germ of beauty upon which
the great Alchemist, Time, may bring
to bear the secret workings Of his
mighty power. In an inverse ratio
that which is surprisingly lovely may
be transmitted into the veriest dross,
and lose its wealth of beauty and rich
ness in a degradation of materiaIity
The years that have passed over the
world with their mighty sweep have
brought the Christ OF Peter, of Paul,
of Mary, closer to us, and the sweet
ness of His life and even the glory Of
His death upon the degrading cross,
have lifted up the souls of men who,
as yet, are not ready to confess him
as the worlds Saviour. The centuries
have transformed the cross which was
typical of shame eighteen hundred
years ago. into glorious symbol, in
which of itself there is nothing to at
tract, but which, as typical of the
agony which divine unselfsh Christ
endured for the worlds sake has come
to be the magnet which is drawing
the world into the very embrace Of the
Father.
We love to dwoll upon the words
which Mary Magdalene addressed to
her Saviour. They are full of simpli-
city, while overlooking with wealth
of chara cter- character which it were
well for cultured world to study, and
if possible to emulate.
To mind susceptible to beauty
capable of portraying upon the canvass
of thought with the pencil of the i'm
agination the sublime and ravishing
pictures which the bible presents upon
It's almost every page, we know of none
more pleasing or so grandly sublime
so surprisingly beautiful as this, the
meeting of Mary with her Christ We
can picture the scene and paint in
glowing coloTs as our Imagination may
conceive, but it will ever remain with.
out the scope Of mortal power to pre-
sent the picture in all its amplitude Of
beauty to earthly vision. We can gel
a glimpse, but it will be only shadow
1t is not a picture to be viewed by the
eye \; it can be seen only by the soul
and by the soul only as the Infinite
Love shall illumine the canvas.
The great world moved along TIVE
thousand years ago much the same a,
it does to-day. The connection pro
duced throughout all Judea by thu
new teachings of Christ, were undoubt
edly much the same as have been ex
perienced at later periods when some
earnest reformer has dared to step out o
the beaten paths where the great mul
titudes have been treading for years, t
promulgate unwelcome truths which
perchance should shake society ant
perhaps threaten revolution.
The awful tragedy of the Cross haC
been enacted. The terrible-the as
tonishing events following the crufx
ion, the rending of the vail of the
temple, the quaking of the earth, The
opening of the graves and the walking
forth of the entombed, all these won
derful manifestations Of divine powe,
as though the seal of Omnipotence haC
been affixed to the edict of God il
condemnation all these undoubtedly
formed topics for conversation and dis
cussion among the people of tina
period much the same as feebler dem
constructions would, or do, to-day amons
all classes, the cultured and the uncul
tured-the learned and the unlearnet
the believer and the skeptic.
The Scared body of the suffering
Christ had been laid away by loving
hands, and the hour was approaching
as had been predicted, but so little I'M
derstood by those who had come t.
love the blessed Redeemer. when he
should arise from the tomb, leading
Captivity captive, the conqueror O
Death.
1t is early morning. The stars like
golden points pierce the blue heavens
while along the eastern horizon SKIRT
ing the Judean hills streaks of Grim
son betoken the coming Of another
day. The hour is one of holy silence.
All nature as yet sleeps in unbrokeE
repose. The loving hearts who,
though impegiied by the threatenings
of an imperial monarch had dared
maintain their allegiance to the new
horn tjorr own an tho oiart drawn