Daily Republican., 1884-04-12
The SleFy Of lalv

1omOrrOW Will Do celebrated as the
day upon which Christ arose from his
rocky tomb eighteen hundred and eigh-
ty-four years ago. But three days be-
fore he hung upon the cross nailed
through his hands and feet, his droop-
ing head still wearing the crown of
thorns, and from his spear-pierced side
oozed the water and the blood. Every
one will know that tomorrow is Easter
Sunday, but many will scarcely know
why 1t is called Easter. Little do they
think Of the scenes that surrounded
Calvary on that eventful Sunday morn
ing. Christ had lain in the grave three
days and three nights. His followers
many of them, were hiding in the
caves Of the earth, and in the fastnesses
OF the mountains His apostles had
given him up for lost, as they sat and
pOndered over the things he had told
them. Their hopes had been dashed to
the ground, for they had expected that
Christ would set up his kingdom on the
earth, and that they would hold offices
under him. With feelings fluctuating
between hope and fear they beheld him
led away to Calvary to be crucified.
They stood afar off while the soldiers
nailed him to the cross. Is this the
man, they thought, who was to pull
down the temple and in three days
build it up again ? If he could do this
why does he not deliver himself from
his prosecutors All, Peter. All,
John, have you been so long with Christ
and know him not.
1t is all over? No, listen to the rum
bling earthquake. 1t draws nearer
and nearer. The earth trembles, the
rocks quake, the veil of the temple is
rent. the graves are opened, the dead
are walking through the streets of the
city, the moon has turned to blood, the
gun withholds its light and darkness
covers the earth.
Christ is dying? No, not dying,
only changing the mortal for the i'm
mortal. Surely this was the Son of
God said the soldiers. The body is laid
away in Joseph's tomb, and that there
may be no mistake Plate has great
stone rolled up to The mouth of the
tomb and soldiers placed around it to |
watch it. Slowly rolls around the time. |
Sunday morning came. 1t was the
third day but somehow the disciples
seem to have forgotten that he told |
them he was to arise upon that day, or
if they had notthey evidently treated his
words as the language of a visionary.
But the women had not forgotten
Christ. Mary Magdalen remembered
him as her dearest friend. On that
Sabbath morning while the disciples
had given up all hope and Peter was
contemplating going back to fishing
again for a living, Mary Magdalen
and other women might have been seen
vending their way solemnly and silent
ly towards the tomb, carrying spices
with which to perfume the body of
their blessed Lord.
1t was very early. How they must
have hurried along on their holy errand!
How, with bated breath and palpitating
heart, they must have talked of the
great miracles he had wrought, and of
the tenderness he exercised towards
them. AS they approach nearer the
tomb methinks they walk faster. Mary
Magdalen leads the way,the greater the
sinner, the nearer Christ she wants to
get. But methinks they halt suddenly
az they approach the tomb. The stone
is rolled away, and no soldiers are to be
seen What has happened? Curious
ly they look within, but instead of see
ing Jesus saw two shining ones, who
told them that Chris. had risen. Bless
ed woman; the last at the cross, the
First at the tomb ; the first to carry the
news of risen Saviour to the.. disciples.
That was the first Easter Sunday; to-
morrow will be the eighteen hundred
and eighty, fourth.