Southern standard. (McMinnville, Tenn.) 1879-current, 1891-04-04
THE CONDITION AND AsPIRA-
TON or THE CHRISTIAN
LIFE.
COL. III:l-3.

rian church in McMinnvile on Easter
Sunday.
The early Christians observed the
Easter Festival in very suggestive
manner. During the week preceding
it they knelt in prayer to denote their
heartfelt humiliation at the remem-
brance of the sufferings and death of
the Redeemer. But on Easter day
they prayed standing, to signify their
joy in recalling the fact that through
the resurrection of Christ fallen man
had been raised to newness of life.
Let us today enter into the spiritual
disposition symbolized by that bodily
attitude, as we contemplate our
resurrection with the risen and as
cended Saviour.
In the preceding verses the apostle
indicates the glorious privileges
which had become the birthright of
Christian believers. But lest any of
them should be exalted above meas
ure at the thought of those privileges,
he is careful to remind them of their
continued obligations to faithful SER
vice to God. Though now free from
the yoke of the ceremonial law, they
are bound TO live in accordance with
the moral law Like military gen
eral who enforces on his soldiers the
duty of observing the strictest dis
cipline by motives drawn from the
loftiest patriotism, so Paul here
speaks of Christian privilege that he
may the more effectually prevail up
on Christian people to consecrate
themselves to a life of evangelical
obedience.
Consider first the fact here assured,
viz: that Christ rose from the dead.
This fact presupposes another, viz:
that he died. There can be no doubt
that ne was both dead and buried.
Even J0sephus tostiGos That "aftcr q
life full of astonishing deeds, Jesus
died amid q mass Of wonders" The
sun was darkenal for three hours;
the rocks rent; the graves were
opened and the bodies of the saints
arose Wen might Dionysius say,
Either the God of nature is suffering,
or the whole frame of nature is going
to pieces" How unique the accom-
paniment Of horror by which that
death was distinguished from all
other deaths! When Socrates, the
great philosopher of the heather
world was condemned to death, his
friends gathered around him to SYM
pathize with him. Even the eXecu-
toner appointed to administer the
hemlOck was well nigh overwhelmed
with grief, on account of the doom
which he was the unwilling agent of
bringing upon the illustrious sage.
How different the circumstances con-
nected with the final sufferings of
Him in whom dwelt all the treasures
of heavenly wisdom! He trode the
winepress alone, and of the people
there was none with him He was
betrayed by the perfdy of a professed
friend, and forsaken by all. Heaven,
earth and hell seemed leagued to-
gether to put him to grief. The Sun
OF Righteousness which had run its
race through the cloudy and temptu.
Gus sky of untold sorrow, set at last
in hurricane Of wrath. In the
death and burial of Jesus, Heaven
seemed to end the controversy be,
tween Him and His foes, in favor Of
the latter.
But 10! on the third day He rose
into the morning air with the step O
II conqueror. He opened His eyes
and death was abolished.
The fact Of His resurrection is as vel
certified as that of His death. Pro
fame and sacred history attest it in thu
clearest and strongest manner. Iftht
fact that Jesus rose be unreliable, NJ
historical fact is worthy of credence
and to be consistent sceptics should
consign their Caesars and Liry, anC
their Gibbons and Grotes to thu
flames. The jealousy Of the Jewisf
priesthood, the services of the Roman
guard, the imperial seal, and the in
cledulity and adoring faith of Thorn
us, all go to support our faith in TIT
fact Of the Savieur's resurrection.
1t is only by admitting this fac
that we can account for the courage
hopefulness and devotion of the dis
ciples. 1t is true that we who ar
now in the secret of Providence ma,
think Of the burial of Jesus withou
emotion. But it was quite differen
with those first discipleS who knpv