Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1884-04-18

near the desk. The choir gave a special NJ
gram Of Easter music and Rev. Mr. Tows,S.
sermon from John Xxx II was on the escs.
sion and it's lessons. Christ, tho proacL1.
said, regarded his ascension as a most ~,
portant event. lie often spoke Of Il To
chided his disciples because they received lbo
announcement with sadness. He declared
that the descent Of the Holy Spirit waitoS
upon it. And in the text he endeavors To sv
the minds OF his disciples upon il as no,o
important than his mere bodily re apne,,
ance from the tomb. For all this there va.
threofold cause. l. The ascension wso
an important epoch in Chrisrs personal bis
tory. II was the time Of his complete indi
vidual Qualification. His resurrected bod,
had new and wonderful powers, as seen in Nh.
strange manner Of life during the forty davs
after he rose. But its full power and oloy,
could not appear in the imperfect world mn
der the sway of the natural law and marrsd
by the effects Of sin. His complete glori6cs'
ton could not take place until he assembled
out of the material into the spiritual world
1t was then that he appeared in his truo DOW.
or and glory and received the homage of an.
gels 3. II was also ON important epoch IN
the departed saints Of tho old dispeusalion
It raises them to a higher state and position
Of glory in the unseen world. II is thus that
Christ is said 10 be our forerunner in enter.
ing into the most holy place, or the highest
heaven, the way into which was not rnade
manifest while tho first tabernacle was vel
standing. He thus fulfilled his promise IN
make ready mansions in bis fathers bouss
for the reception Of his people. B. 1t was
an important epoch TO the church on earth
It gave to Zion her true king, and began thu
era of conquest. The effusion of the spirit
of Pentecost and the rapid spread of Chris
At IA. T. - AZ a
of the ascension. This gulf stream of hu.
man history is the result of the exercised
power of the assembled Lord. lie is not on.
" willing but liable to save unto the utter.
most all who como TO God by him" In the
evening an attractive Easter exercise, early
in the Morning, by Rev. Robert Lowry, was
given by the Sunday school before large
audience, the choir assisting, and the pastor
giving brief address.
THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH.
At the Centre church there was an efTec.
tive massing Of Towering and foliage plants
on the pulpit platform, and the choir gave
special Easter selections. Rev. Mr. Lees
sermon, founded on / Petor 3, 4, was de.
voted to a consideration OF Christ's resurrec.
ton as bearing upon his mission and ita re.
suits. The resurrection of Christ was the
keystone of the Christian temple Christ's
life upon the EARTH his teachings his mira.
Giles, even his death upon the cross, had made
no deep and lasting impression upon the
minds of those by whom hs was surrounded
it was his rising from the dead and subse
quent appearance among the disciples which
at last dissipated all doubts as to his divine
nature and mission, aroused aud inspired his
followers, and gave earnestness and power
and success to the Christian church. Christs
resurrection was not only a miracle, il was
an exceptional miracle, in that it was not
performed for the direct benefit of others
but in vindication of himself. 1t marked the
end of his humiliation and the beginning OF
his glory. Considered in its relation to w,
Christ's resurrection establishes his messiah
ship, verifes his previous miracles, throws
light upon his present relation TO his disci-
Piles, and affirms the resurrection of his fol-
lowers. In the evening the Sunday school
gave Lowry's Easter exercise, early in the
Morning." with some special parts arranged
by the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES including an
exercise by a class Of young ladies and one
by the primary class.
THE METHODIST CHURCH.
The floral display at the Methodist church
was unusually attractive and consisted of
handsome potted plants arranged in the chan
eel front and upon the desk and organ. The
Rev. Mr.. Truax preached from Isaiah XVI,
10. The term resurrection, he said, means
10 rise again from the dead, the resumption
of life, and not creating anew. When house
is to be repaired the occupants leave it for
time and reGnter it after it ia beautifed The
soul must leave the body for a time, until the
resurrection, when the body shall have been
refined and purifed-throw of its imperfec-
tions and be reinhRbted by the soul God
saves the physiological part of mans being
Ntan nc - a 49,. 4
his body has hope of resurrection to eter-
nal life. There is q necessary connection be-
tween the resurrection of Christ and the res
direction of his followers. The evidence
which substantiates the resurrection OF Christ
substantiates the resurrection of men. His
is the first fruits Of them that slept. The
fact of the resurrec tion does not rest upon
reason, philosophy or anything in nature,
but upon the testimony Of Jesus. It is al
ways spoken of in the Scriptures as being
done by miraculous power or the power Of
God. When this great change shall take
place, its organization, support and nature
will be different. Think of body that shall
no longer clog the soul, but aid it! Think OF
body freed from hunger and thirst fatigue,
infirmity, deformity, decrepitude, pain. age
and death Think of perpetual health and
immortal youth Think of a body raised TO
glory, Immortality and eternal life Then
shall the soul be removed in glory, the body
fashioned after the gloriied human nature Of
Christ both redeemed from all sin, both in
efably happy, and soul aud body, reunited
in immortal wedlock, shall bear the glorious
image of Jesus Christ, and, joined together
in an indstruotible bond which shall ba
clearer than the moon, brighter than tho sun
and more respondent than all tho heavenly
spheres. In the evening Sunday school
concert was given in the church which in
cluded appropriate Easter selections.
THE UNIvERsAL1sr CHURCH.
At the Universalist church Rev. Z. W.
Whitney preached upon knowledge Here
and Hereafter" 1 Cor. xm:12. "Now we
SEQ in a mirror darkly, but then face to
face" (Revised version) II ancient mir.
rors were like those now in use the words of
st. Paul would have little force, but in olden
times they were made of polished metal,
which reflected objects in O dim and imper
feet manner. Christs victory over death
proves Immortality of the soul, but it must be
admitted that the knowledge possible in this
world is limited. Many things seem like
enigmas or riddles. A few steps in any de-
partment of science lead to the domain of
mystery, where the mind must be content
with guesses and theories, instead of assured
facts. Even the phrases of science are often
Wv AASoAS VI OOhCchliIb lBuOThuce. now
many questions can be asked in regard to
the starry worlds, the earth's history and the
forms of life which no one can answer
Who has fathomed the being aud methods OF
God2 Who has lifted the veil and shown
the when and how Of the immortal realm |?
Even Christ has given but a glimpse of its
glory, while the apostles hint that its amaz-
ing splendors arc beyond the power of hu-
man language. knowledge in the future
world must be above the limits of time and
sense. Now we know in part, but then, as
the Greek words signify, we shall fully
know, as wo are known fully" As the
perfect is not attained in this world, the full
vision will'not come till this mortal has put
on immortality. knowledge will then be di-
rect. Not the image of an object reflected
in mirror, but face TO face" External
things are here known through the five
senses. By the complicated mechanism of
the eye, color, light and distance are per-
oeived. The length and power of sound
must be discerned through the ears, while
many physical properties are only learned by
the sense OF touch. Death will sweep away
these barriers of sense and enable the soul to
directly perceive by its freer and keener pow
ers. The range of knowledge will also be
broadened. Many objects arc too smell or
distant for the eyes to see. Many vibrations
OF air are too fine or faint for the ears to hear.
The scope of the other senses is likewise
lmitad Not npIv r,o,, l.