Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-10-19
Life from the Dead.

If man die, shall he live sgain?" Jobs
question has been re-echoed by many bro
ken heart not able 10 echo his victorious
answer. Many centuries passed before it
was answered by Jesus. But the answer
when it came was complete and clear. al
am the resurrection and the life," saith the
Lord; "he that believeth in me, though he
were dead, yet shall he live; and he that
beieveth in me shall never die." Upon this
strong assurance we can now fall back
We have gone to the grave with our dear
ones, and have seen the dust fall on the cof-
fin lid, and have asked whether the gate
which we have closed in our sorrow shall
ever be opened again; and we have been
able to answer it in these words of Christ.
But the mere assurance of words is not
enough 1t is beautiful and strong and
comforting; but we need something more {:
wa naed In know thst ora hoo actually e.. ed
the dread combataut and mastered him
that he has plucked the sting from death,
and spoiled the victory of the grave. Aud
it is only when we know and are sure tn at
he who said these words has verified them
by his own victory that the fearful question
ing of death and the grave receive an answer
which can satisfy. Jesus Christ rose from
the dead, and became the first-fruits of his
sleeping people. He overcame the sharpness
of death, and rose aud revived and be-
cause he lives we shall live also. This
thought OF Christ's conquest for US over
death may be broken into two parts. There
is first the continued life of the soul. If
we are united to Christ by faith, life stream
enters into our souls, which the grave cannot
touch, far less destroy. ale that believeth
in me shall not die' Death to such a life
is but a passing gloom soon lost in the sun
shine. 1t is not able to interrupt, far less
finally to break, the tie that binds to Christ.
As river runs through lake, aud pursues
its crystal way beyond, not lost by its pas
sage through the intervening waters so the
life given through faith that is in Jesus
Christ flows on through the marshes and
swamps of death, and comes out clear at the
other side. Not only so. The fact that the
essential life remains guarantees that by
and-by all else that is worth saving shall be
saved. That is the meaning and the proof
of the resurrection of the body. Jesus Christ
died to redeem the soul in the first instance,
but he also died to redeem the body, and
though we have to wait long for the redsmp-
tion of the body, and though death does his
dishonoring work, yet he who has put his
hand to the work will finally complete it, and
having brought the soul to himself, he will
by-and-by bring its companion also. Dearer
than the dust of Zion to the ancient saints
is the dust of his redeemed people to the
Lord Jesus; aud though it may be driven
and scattered by the winds and centuries, it
shall be regathered, aud all that is really
precious and really part of ourselves shall
live. We can say to death, "Thou hast no
power at all over my soul aud thou couldst
have none over my body, except it were given
thee from above The perfect man shall be
brought at last into the heaven where the
glorified man Christ Jesus sits enthroned.-
Rev. w. r. NicoH.