The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-26
Authorization. differing in no respect from

and not seeing Him when lie was u. c In
in the tomb and not only the disciples, but
the Roman soldiers and every dweller in
Jerusalem who looked into the tomb was
under this hallucination. But the body
might have been stolen. 1t was not
stolen by enemies, for they sought to
prevent it, If stolen by friends then it
ceases TO be hallucination and becomes
| fraud.
Third. Was it fraud? Where did
this fraud begin. 1t must have begun
with Christ, for He said He would rise
| again. He is risen as He said.
a. Is it probable that any man would
plan a fraud to be carried out after his
death. The worst men are generally
honest when death is before them. Cd
Is it probable that any man would tell
those who were to carry out that fraud
that they would suffer persecution. lose
all their possessions and life itself, es
pecially if these persons were as coward>
ly as the disciples were? a. Is it
probable that any man would tell His
enemies the very day and almost the hour
that He would carry out that fraud? a.
The character of Christ admitted by His
foes to be perfect is against fraud.
But those who hold this theory exon
crate Christ and charge only his disciples.
This IS impossible, but admitting the dis
ciples only to be guilty, j. e. that they
stole the body. a. Why. did they
steal it? Answer-to make the world be-
lieve He had risen. (2) Why then did
they say some one else had stolen it.
"They have tlken away my Lord and
know not where they have laid him."
90 If they wanted the world to be-
lieve that He had risen, why didn't they
believe it themselves? a. Why did
they visit the tomb weeping and talking as
if all their hopes were lost? % If they
stole the body why did not Jews arrest
| them? 1t was crime TO break into a
sealed tomb.
So much for its improbablity. Look
at its imposslbility. ~. 1t was NOR
ally impossible that such timid and dis
couraged men should have undertaken
this against Jews and Romans and a
sealed tomb. (2). Impossible for them
to get into this tomb without waking the
soldier, even if asleep, for it was scaled
with cement. (3). Had too much rev.
erence to strip Christ. If stolen would
have hurried away with Him. If enemies
stole Him they would have taken the
rich wrapplngs; would not have taken
the naked corpse.
First. 1t was a reality. %. Testimony
of soldiers. Showed the high priest all
that was done; how an earthquake shook
the sealed stone loose. and mighty an
gel rolled it away. Broad testimony
coming as it does from enemies. (2)
Testimony of Jews, circumstaHtial, and
so most fOrcible. Gamaliel advised the
Sanhedrim to let these men alone, and
they took the advice. Strange procedure
with men even suspected with fraud.
Remember they were before this coun-
Gil for preaching resurrection. (3l.
The testimony of apostles. What
changed them from fugItives in the
night to the bold accusers of a nation
sinf Nothing but the fact of the resur-
rection. (4). The testimony of the
thousands who had accepted this docs
trine and became christians They had
everything to lose and nothing to gain if
it were false We must suppose they
were convicted by evidence. (5). The
change of the Sabbath from the seventh
to the first day of the week when an
event is COMMUNICATED by an ordinance
reaching from the beginning until the
present era have the most undeniable
evidence of its truthfulness"
At the First NJ E. church, Rev. Il. G
Pearce took for his text The Tomb of
Jesus, and preached splendid discourse
The singing was a special feature and the
decorations were profuse and beautiful
At the Christian chapel. Rev J. H
Wright preached from the text Lord.
Day, or Easter the True Resurrection
Commemorative.
At the First Baptist chur oh, Rev. !.
w. Read took for the subject of HI
) morning discourse The New Birth, anC
preached an eloquent sermon therefrom.
At the United Presbyterian church
Rev. W. A. Spauling. Of Davenport, oc-
cupied the pulpit in the morning, preach
ing from the text Risen with Christ
At the Broadway Presbyterian. the
chancel and windows had been hand
somely decorated with flowers com
memorative of the new light which haG
broken forth on Easter morn. Tn,
morning sermon of Rev W S. MarQui
was founded on the topic The Immor-
tality of the Soul, and the resultant dis
course was one of appropriateness to tn
day and setting forth the duties of Chris
tians upon such an occasion.
At Trinity, the floral decoration!
|, were abundant and beautiful. The
4 morning sermon by Rev. r. F. Sweet
was devoted to the holiness and import
ance of Easter tide. The reverend gen
! tleman spoke of the JOY that should per
wade the universe at such time |
was day when Christ who had suffered
even unto death, was born again. 1t wa
3 day of new life and one when thos
o who had stood outside the threshold o
n Christianity should come 10; day O
n brightness and rejoicing.
d EASTER EGGS
A number of new spring hats crowne
d the heads of the fair sex yesterday, de
e spite the rainy weather.
IS There were not as many colored egg
II as is usually the custom, though ther
= were plenty.
8 A class of thirty was confirmed q
Il Trinity church at Davenport last evenin
s by Bishop Perry. the largest single elias
the bishop of Iowa has ever administers
the holy rites to. Rev. d. c. Garnett
c rector of Trinity.