Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1885-04-10

public services we're held with large and at
tentive congregations. The floral decora-
tons we're in excellent taste. At the early
service Morning Prayer was said. At the sec
ond service the Holy Communion was cele.
brated and an Easter sermon preached. Al
P. N. the chidren's service was held and
the carols finely rendered. The musical pro.
gram at the morning service was as an
nounced last week.
Al THE CENTRE CHURCH.
At the Centre church there gathered the
largest audience OF the season. Dudley Bucks
Easter hymn and Mozart's Lift up your
voice." were effectively rendered by the
choir. The sermon on the text, Phil lilo
The power OF Christie resurrection" set
forth the moral influence which the fact OF
Christ's resurrection may and ought to have
on the believer.
The resurrection wrought marvellous transforma-
ton in the vews feelings aud conduct Of those who
were witnesses unto It. SO 1t should in US. After
the erueihIiOn the disciples In sore perpie1ity
aud dependency. Their inherited expectation Of d
temporal king 10 the Messiah was disappopted Prob
ably however they still believed In Jesus the Re
deemer aud the bead Of spiritual kin gdom which he
might Hoon come in glory 10 reign over. There is
faith in Jesus. Yet they believed him 10 be dead aud
did not expect him TO rise His teachings concerning
his death aud resurrection never TO have been
realized by them until the events occurred. To
how they gradually brought out Of this pou.ex-
pectaton aud grief, trace the story Of their coming
to the belief 10 the risen Christ. His Appearances in
their probable order were to MARY Magdalene to the
two disciples the road to EmmGus, to Peter alone
to the ten disciples on the evening OF resurrection
day, TO the eleven week later, and on Lake Gallee:
others the order Of which cannot be ascertained 10
lanes alone to the ave hundred AT once 10 the eiev
II the mountain IN Galee, and at Bethany cd the
occasion Of his ascension; last Of all TO Paul In all
eleven instances specified, besides the general state
ment Of Luke that for the space Of forty DAYS he CON
! tiuued among them eTpounding the things Of the
kingdom. Thus gradually and thoroughly the disci-
j Piles convinced. This fact the Holy Spirit used
al the day Of Penecost and subsequently to en- power
/ the apostles aud TO move the multitudes. We can
hardly imagine the extreme revulsion Of feeling
which the disciples experienced. But We can see
Of the force Of the fact II ended the sense OF
defeat at the hands Of Christs enemies. They had
failed. He was victor. The resurrection reAflrmed
all his teachings concerning himself aud confirmed
all his claims upon the faith and love OF men 1t is
a powerful guarantee unto the believer IN him, Of
complete reconciliation with God II contains the
promise OF the redemption OF entire Dature,
body, soul and spirit Finally it sets forth the stand
raised from the dead by the glory Of the Father even
90 also should walk in newness Of hfe." For
the same high standard. As Paul prHys, That "
may know the exceeding greatness Of his power to
us-ward who believe according TO the working Of his
mighty power which be wrought In Christ when be
raised him from the dead and set him at his right
hand in the heavenly places far above all principally
aud power" II God 30 work 10 our behalf wherefore
should be content TO live feeble and sinful lives
The resurrection Of Christ has thus power in it for
as Paul did, to know.
In the evening the Sunday school gave an
Easter concert e1ercise-"TheE Early Dawn
composed very largely Of musical numbers
Of high order which we're eXcellently rem
dered A solo by Mise Alice Howe, and a
duet by Miss Howe and Miss MAusur were
especially appreciated. Mr.. Lee gave a short
address in which the story OF the resurrection
was briefly told for the children.
THE DAY AT THE UNIvERsALIsT cHuRoH-MR
wHITNEY's SERMON.
Easter was celebrated in the usual manner
at the UniVersalist church. The decoration
OF flowers and plants presented a very at
traotive appearance. Rarely, IL ever has
the music been finer, or more effectively rem
dered. An Easter anthem and the responsive
service we're especially noticeable Rev. E.
W. Whitney preached from l Cor xv:2O:
'rNoW hath Christ been raised from the dead
the first fruits of them that are asleep" IRE
vised version
With glad aud grateful hearts again celebrate
the anniversary Of Chrst's resurrection. II Is hard
to realize the effects Of this event In confirming
mems faith in immortality. Before Christ prophets
and sages had taught the doctrine Of future life,
but Jesus lifted the veil OF the INN orai realm and
drought life and Immortality to light" /. In what
sense are the dead taBleep2" Are they in uncon-
scious state7 VIII they remain dormant, with no
power of sensation motion till the end Of the phys
ca universe perhaps Thousands OF millions of years
in the future7 such doctrine robs the mourner Of
NN
by the roots the finest anAoges Of nature in favor of
Immortality. Even the classic writers who refer TO
the dead heroes Of Greece and Troy asleep describe
them In the "shades below" as conscious and active.
De Rossi and others have collected thousands OF cpl
taphs from the Roman catacombs which show Ike
belief among the early Christians. "He sleeps but
lives" "He is not dead, but lives above the stars
and his body rests in this tomb "Thou Invest in
the glory OF God aud 10 the peace OF Lord Jesus
Christ" These, and many like inscriptions, voice
the triumphant faith OF the early church. Sleep is
beautiful metaphor OF death. II Is the symbol Of
rest after labor aud struggle To those weary of toll
burdened with cares. with disease how pleas
ing the thought that "He gveth his beloved sleep"
In sleep the soul is freed from the limits OF time and
sense. BY dreams and visions II communes with the
dear departed, and may like Paul, receive mandates
from God himself. By sleep the larger range and
freedom Of the future life hney suggested. Nor
need believe like Qshauseu that the dead are IN
sem-oonscOps state. II at the end Of the world the
natural body is to be rai0ed, life till then may depend
the relation OF the diseipbodied soul 10 the ee-
ments of the body, Even 10 the OF those who's
bodies had been ssnctihed by holy life, this could
be little better than twilight existence Christ
aud the apostles however plainly teach the resurree
ton OF spiritual body aud the conscious existence
Of the unnumbered dead 2. How 10 Christ the "hrst
fruits 2" Among the Jews the hrst-born held IN
special HONOR They received q double portion Of /
their fgthers Inheritance, aud succeeded to their
rank aud power. The frat born Of animals we're de-
voted TO God; the rst fruits Of the harvest Of
tered up IN tbs temple ~ symbol Of gratitude aud