The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1891-04-03
THE RESURRECTION.
An Easter Discourse By Rev. T.
De Witt TaImage.
The saviOur's Burial and the Lessons Draw,
From Et-APPrOpriatensSs OF Floral
DeeOratiOns-1easter Typical
OF Peace.

Easter Sunday on the sub ject of the
Resurrection, his text being from
Matt xviii: 9; Come, see the place
where the Lord lay He said:
Visiting any great city we are not
satisfied until we have also looked at its
cemetery. We examine all the STYLES
of cenOtaph, maUsOleun, sarcophag-us
crypt and sculpture. Here lies buried
a statesman, yonder an orator, here a
poet, out there an inventor, in some
other place a great philanthrophist
But with how much greater interest
and with more depth of emotion we
look upon our family plot in the Gene
terry. In the one case it is a matter of
public interest; in the other it is a mat
ter OF private and heartfelt affection
But around the grave at which we halt
this morning there are gathered all
kinds of stupendous interest. At this
-sePuIchre, l have to tell you, in this
sepulchre there We're buried a King, q
-COnquerOr, an EmancipatOr, a Friend, a
Brother, a Christ. Monarch of the
universe, but bone of our bone, and
flesh OF our flesh, and sorrow of our
sorrow, and heart of our heart. Come,
see the place where the Lord lay
1t has for surroundings, the manor in
the suburbs of Jerusalem, manor
owned by wealthy gentleman by the
name of Joseph He was one of the
court of seventy who had condemned
Christ, but 1 think he had voted in the
negative, or being a timid man had
been absent at the time of the casting
OF the vote. He had laid out the par
rterre at great expense. 1t was a hot
climate and suppose there were broad
branched trees and winding paths I'M
.derneath them, while here the waters
rippled over the rock into a fishpOoI,
and yOnder the vines and the flowers
;clambered over the wall, and all around
there were the beauties of the kiosk
and arbOricu1ture.
After the fatigues of the Jerusalem
court room how refreshing to come out
in these suburbs botanical and pOmO-
logical I walk a little further on in
the parterre and come across d cluster
OF rocks, and I see on them the marks
of the sculptor's chiseL come still
closer and 1 find that there is a subter-
ranean recess, and I walk down the
marble stairs, and come to a portico,
over the dOOrway-and architecture of
fruits and flowers chiseIed by the hand
of the sculptor. go into the POrticO
and on either side there are rooms, two
or four, or six rooms of rock; in the
walls, inches, each niche large enough
to hold a dead body. One of these
rooms of rock is especially wealthy
with sculpture. It was beautiful and
charming spot. Why all this? The
fact was that Joseph. the owner of the
parterre, of that wealthy manor. had
recognized the fact that he could not
always walk those gardens, and he
sought this as his own last resting
place. What beautiful plot in which
to await for the resurrection!
Mark well the mausOleum in the rock.
1T is to be the most celebrated tomb in
all the ages. Catacombs of Egypt,
tomb of Napoleon, NIahal Tai of India
nothing compared with it Christ had
just been murdered and His body must
=
as was customary with crucified bodies,
unless there be prompt and effective
hindrance. Joseph, the owner of the
maUsoleum, begs for the body of Christ,
and he takes and washes the poor and
mutilated frame from the blood and the
dust, and shrouds it and perfumes it.
The funeral advances Present, Joseph,
the owner of the mausoleum; NicOde-
mus, who brought the flowers, and the
two Marys- Heavy burden on the
shoulders of two men as theyNcarry the
body of Christ down the marble stairs
and into the pOrticO and lift the dead
weight to the level of the niche in the
rock, and push the body of Christ into the
only pleasant resting place it ever had.
These men coming forth close the door
OF rock against the recess. The govern
ment, afraid that the disciples would
steal the body of Christ and play resur-
rectiOn, put upon the door the seal of
seal, like the seal of the United States
government, or OF the British govern
1nent, always followed with severe pen
alties.
A regiment of soldiers from the tower
of Antonio is detailed to guard that
mausoleum. At the door of that tomb,
a fight took place which decided the
question of all graveyards and GENE
-teries. Sword or lightning against
sword of steel Angel of God against
the military The body in the crypt be
gins to move in its shroud of fine linen
and slides down upon the pavement,
moves through the pOFtico. appears in
the doorway, comes up the marble
steps Christ having left His mortuary
attire behind him, comes forth in the
garb of a workman as take it. from
the fact that the women mistOOk him
for the gardener.
There and then was shattered the
tomb so that it can never be rebuilt.