The Osceola times., 1877-02-10
Evidence Of Christ's Resurrection

In the comments on the Sunday
school lesson for December 3, in your
issue for November %, the following
statements are made: Historically,
Christianity is fact to be received
like any other fact on adequate and
satisfactory evidence Of unprejudiced,
disinterested witnesses. The resur-
rection of Christ is the best attested
fact in ancient history" l have al
ways been IN Ter the impression that
except in the new testament no refer.
ence has been made to it by any histo-
rian, and the testimony of the disci.
piles could hardly be called unpreju
diced" Paul does not seem to have
known of it or believed it until after
his conversion. Will you not please
state in your "Inquiring Friends /"
column briefly the evidences that en-
able us to regard it as "the best at
tested fact?" etc.
SUNDAY SCHOOL TEACHER.
|. The disciples were not prejudiced
witnesses, since they were not expecting
the resurrection, were skeptical con-
cerning it when it was told to them by
others, and only accepted it after re-
peated appearances of their Lord,
under circumstances which convinced
them that there was no room for mis-
take. 2. There could have been no
mistake unless there was fraud. Who
practiced ity Was Jesus a party to
itg Were the disciples, who approved
their honesty by their sufferings and
deaths? 3. Within thirty years after
its supposed occurrence it was univer-
sally believed by the Christian church.
This church was made up of converts
from 10th Jews and Gentiles, who cer-
tainly were not prejudiced in favor of
the doctrine of the resurrection. Yet
the early church was planted on that
fact, and the staple of the early preach
ing testimony to this fact. 4. A mar
velous change was unquestionably
wrought in the spirit and character of
the apostles Immediately after the
death oftheir lord. Before, they were
weak, timid, easily cowed and dispersed.
Afterwards, they were bold, energetic,
catholic, hopeful with a hope that moth
ing could daunt. Was there ever a
case like this, in which the death of the
loved and trusted leader gave a new
inspiration to the followers? They
attributed this change to his resurrec.
ton, and no other hypothesis has ever
been proposed to account for it. 3.
Nothing is so difficult to change as a
national festival, except a religious
festival. The Sabbath was both a
religious and national festival with
out any express command, or even a
church decree, it was changed BY the
universal consent of the christians be-
cause on the Jewish Sabbath their Lord
had lain in the tomb and on the follow
ing day he had risen from the dead.
Every Sunday testifes to the strength
and power Of the early conviction OF
all who inquired into the facts that on
that day Jesus did rise from the dead.
We think then that the resurrection
is the best attested. fact in history, as
it certainly is the fact which has pro
duced a greater effect on the destinie'
OF the human race than any other. Il
can only be gainsaid by philosophy
which refuses to accept any fact on hu
man testimony if it is opposed to pre-
conceived theories of the universe
that kind of skepticism which pracli
cally does away with all evidence ant
leaves nothing certain.-Christian Un