The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1886-05-05

And those who live in Me shall die no more" |
Susan Coolidge, IN NJ Y. Independent.
EASTER SUNDAY.
The Day on which Is Commemorated tho
Resurrection of the Lord.
Weary man once rested from his la
bors on the last day of the week. Now
on It's first day he seeks strength where
with to face the work of life. This
change from the Sabbath to the Lords
Day finds its rational explanation in
the fact that on the first morning of the
week Jesus rose from the dead
From the dawn of Christianity one
day in the year has commemorated the
resurrection Of the Lord. There is no
satisfactory statement of the origin of
Easter except that which admits that
ON that festival the early church affirmed
in triumphant song its creed:
"We believe in Jesus Christ our
Lord. who was cruciied. dead and
buried; the third day He rose from the
dead" Ia I'D
An intelligent skeptic may assert
that it is impossible that one should
rise from the dead. But he must be
silent in the presence of the stupen-
dous fact that for nineteen centuries
Christianity has rested upon an empty
tomb. He is silent because, though
his shepticism is intolerant of mira
Gle, his intellect is too conscientious to
accept those explanations of the phe-
nomenon which affirm the imposture,
or the hallucinatiOn. of strong-minded
men who battled and died for their
faith in the trustworthiness of their
senses.
One of the most striking facts in the
history of the resurrection is that the
disciples faith found them and not
they it. The event was so antagonistic
to their thoughts that not until they
had seen the risen Lord again and
again, had eaten and talked with Him,
had touched and handled Him, did
they accept the evidence of their senses.
Again and again through those Won
dertul forty days did they verify what
their eyes saw and their ears heard.
Only when they were possessed by the
ma iesty of the fact did they proclaim
that their Master had risen from the
dead.
Faster is the festival of exultation.
1t commentaries not a spectacular in
cident of the Masters life, but the d.
vine attestatiOn that He was what He
claimed to be-a teacher sent from
God. Those who sympathize with this
"Queen of days." as the ancient church
called it, exult with mind and heart
as they recall the event which brought
life and Immortality to light, and hear
again those assuring words: Because
live We shall live ALSO"
Their exultation is rational. 1t is
the joyous expression of men who, con-
WINGED of the truth of the Lords resur-
rection and words, have been quick
ened by the love which elevates con-
viction into personal trust in Him who
came, suffered, died and rose again
that they might have life and immor-
tally.
Ancient paganism gave no helpful
response to the souls cry: IF man
die, shall he live again?' One of its
poets expresses the common faith:
'Hope goes with life-all hopeless are
the dead" ''Once dead there is no
resurrection MORE" mournfully echoes
the Greek tragedy.
Here and there were to be found
those who admitted the possibility of a
future life. Some went SO far as to
think it probable that the souls of
heroes, slain for their country, sur
vived death, though their spirits were
not themselves, but the ghosts of what
they had been. Themselves were their
bodies left on the battlefield to be de-
voured by dogs and vultures. But in
that probability few found consolation
hone the inspiration of hope. On no
pagan tomb was inscribed: HE
sleeps"
Even the poets and prophets of the
Old Testament struggled to discern
more of the future life than the dawn
of revelation disclosed. The struggle.
now and then, brought to them q
vision SO clear that they could chant
II will behold Thy face in righteous.
ness; shall be satisfied when 1 awake
in Thy likeness"
| But the resurrection of Jesus &C
flooded that ancient world with the
light of the life beyond death, that even
she bondman believed in the souls I'M
mortality, and the peasant beheld the
bestific vision. Then followed spirit.
ual upheaval such as the world hat
never seen. Common life was dignified
and dfudgery became service Of love
The slave. conscious of his immortality
went about as freeman. The pa
trician, knowing that he was an he'll
of the eternal life, became the servan
of those who were joint-heirs with him
No life was insignificant The acct
dents of birth, or income, neither en-
HANGED nor lessened 1t. A hut nigh
be temple, and the lowliest task :
spiritual vocation.