The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1888-04-06
miscellaneous.
EASTER SUNDAY.
The Day ON which IL CommemOrated
the Resurrection Of the Lord.


Weary man once rested from his labors or
the last day of the week. Now on its frs,
day he seeks strength wherewith to face the
work of life. This change from the Sabbath
to the Lords Day finds its rational explana.
ton in the fact that on the first morning oil
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 state
ment OF the origin of Easter except that
which admits that on that festival the early
church affirmed in triumphant song its
creed:
1--WE believe In Jesus Christ our Lord, who
was crucitied, dead and buried; the third
day He rose from the dead"
An intelligent skeplic may assert that it
is impossible that one should rise from the
dead. But he must be silent in the presence
of the stupendous fact that for nineteen cen
turtles Christianity has rested upon an empty
tomb. He lis silent because, though his skep-
ticism is intolerant of a miracle, his intellect
is too conscientious to accept those explana-
tons of the phenomenon which affirm the
imposture, or the halluciDation, of strong
minded men who battled and died for their
faith in the trustworthiness oftheir senses.
One of the most striking facts in the his
tory 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, and
handled Him, did they accept the evidence
OF their senses.
Again and again through those wonderful
forty days did they verify what their eyes
saw and their ears heard. Only when they
were possessed by the majesty of the fact
did they proclaim that their Master had risen
from the dead.
Easter is the festival of exultaton. 1t com
memorates not spectacular incident of
the Masters life, but the divine attestation
that He was what He claimed 10 be-a
teacher sent from God. Those who sympa-
thize with this Queen of days." as the
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 Joy
GUS expression of men who, convinced OF the
truth of the Lords resurrection and words,
have been quckened by the love which ele-
Yates conviction into personal trust in Him
who came, suffered, died and rose again that
they might have life and Immortality
Ancient paganism gave no hopeful response
to the souls cry: "If man die, shall he
life again?" One Of its poets expresses the
faith: Hope goes with life-all hopeless
are the dead" "Oncc dead there is no
resurrection more" mourntully echoes the
Greek tragedy.
Here and there were to be found those
who admitted the possibility of future life.
Some went so far us to think it probable that
the souls of heroes, slain for their country,
enruiup1 flnntb tbpunI l,ai N;r;t ,
Themselves, but the ghosts OF what they had
been. Themselves were their bodies left on
the battle field to be devoured by dogs and
vultures. But in that probability few found
consolation-none the inspiration of hope.
On one 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 dis
closed. The struggle, now and then, brought
TO them vision so clear that they could
chant: II will behold Thy face in righteous
ness shall be satisfied when / awake in
Thy likeness"
But the resurrection of Jesus so flooded
that ancient world with the light of the life
beyond death, that even the bondman be-
lieved in the souls immortality, and the
peasant beheld the beatific vision. Then
followed spiritual upheaval such as the
world had never seen. Common life was
digniied, and drudgery became service Of
love. The slave, conscious of his immortal
ty, went about as freeman. The patrcian,
knowing that he was an heir of the eternal
life, became the servant of those who were
joint-heirs with him. No life was insignifi-
cant. The accidents of birth, or Income
neither enhanced nor lessened it. A hut
might be temple, and lowest task spirit
ual vocation.
In the light of our Lords resurrection the
intellect sees and is satisfied that whatever
may the changes which await us in the un.
derclothing OF death, there will be no dis
traction Of consciousness and no loss of per-
sonal identity
We, ourselves, shall be clothed upon.
Our graves shall be emptied our bodies shall
be changed, yet our personality illcontinue.
Death has no sting for those whose eyes are
aglow with the Easter hope.