Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-30

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large cluster Of Easter lilies adorned the
pastors desk on The one hand and on the
other vas placed 4 vase Of the peculiar
blossoms Of the begonia. In front Of the
desk was 8 magnificent potted by dranges in
full bloom, The green foliage forming
rich back ground forth clusters Of flowers.
Ga either side Of the desk were tasty knots
# Gala lilies. The entire effect was m0st
pleasing. The music for the service was
appropriate to Easter, and every selt c.
ton was extremely we'll rendered BY the
church choir. The special features Of the
music were the superb anthem. "'rhe Day
Of Resurrection" by Schneider; the
response, ''Resurrection Hymn" by Shell
ley, and two Easter carols. Let the Merry
Church Bell Ring" and Wonderful Easter
Morning" Rev. J. S Williamson, the
pastor of the church, delivered an eloquent
al able sermon from Luke "a 6. "He is
not here, He is risen" The highest hope
Of the human soul is built on an empty
tomb. There is no more certain fact in
ancient history that Is true today than the
resurrection of Christ. The wac Of critics
is constantly diIecIed against the miracles
OF The Bible, and especially that Of the resur
| recaon; but i. stands As ruth nevertheless.
There are three thoughts in connection with
this: The fact of the resurrection; what
il meant TO the disciples and what it may
mean to Us. The evidence of truth Of the
resurrection seems so plain and clear that
it is time wasted to altemp. to refute the
shalio = theories brought sgainst this truth
The fact rests on personal testimony. We
accept personal testimony today snd we
ask no more regsrding the testimony OF
the discp Piles than is granted to other testi-
mony, bur we do ask as much.
The ancient documents of which some peo-
pie think the books of the Bible
are only copies were first written on the
human heart and were there long before
they were transcribed upon parchment
Had there never been manuscript found
the church OF God would still exist. No
critic denies that there vas 8 church in
Corinth as d. picted in the Epistle of Paul
to the Corinthians and that Paul preached
TO the M. The truths he told them are
recorded and they were facts. They were
discovered rather than asserted and they
are an indirect evidence of the resurre otion
At Rome, the centre of psganism, the
people heard the word of Gpd AID believed.
These facts plscsd together, are evidence
Of The truth Of the resurrection.
What did il mssn to the disciples $! Ii is
said these disciples we're enthusiastic. How
co We know? Are the critics Of today able
to settle this question beyond q doubt?
Take their language a, they talked and
wrote to the people. 1t is plain simple and
ratiansl Read il through aud see If they
can be called enthusiasts. 1t is said they
did it for temporal gain. What had they
u gain? Many of them had happy homes
ard they left them and went out
into the world At the MasteI's
call, to be burned. imprisoned, scoutged
and made to suffer Intense agony
Christ came to them as ruling Messiah
and they followed tim through the shifting
scenes of bis lite until the death Of the
cross with all It's inte nse sufferir g, ard they
saw their Messiah crowned With u crown of
thorns. But then came the resurrection
and they saw hat they were worshippir &
not ruhDg Messiah Of earth but . spirit
usl king, and IS their vision and uuder.
standing orosdeped they struggled harder
to accomp ish that for " hich their Lord had
! risen.
To US the resurrection may mean much
The intellect, sen.ioility and will may be
! removed and guided by living, percepti-
be hing. Ii will give US the thought of The
gift of new body. As the cares aud
troubles of life wear upon US and as We
grow old, the weakness of age comes upon
US. But we are 70 have ev body free
from all their in6tmitiss. We .hsll have
. new and . changed nature. more and more
Chi, like, peacAble, lovely and lovable. 1t
will come to Us, also, win the assurance
that we shall meet with departed friends.
We shall be reunited With each Other Ia
communion with the risen Christ We are
TO zee him a. he is in ali hi. glory and beauty,
the r.igning Chris, There is q voice
which shall call all from the sea, the ear,h
and the quiet chuichyArd to . union With
Him, to . resurrection Of eternal life" In
| the evening at O'Clock q responsive SER
vice Was held and sermon delivered by
the pastor. The music, also especially
prepared by the choir, was Of character
appropriate to Easter.
Free Baptist choIch.
At the Free Baptist church the Easter
services were very appropriate. The floral
display was attractive and consisted of
petuniss, fuchsias, roses and geraniums.
The pulpit was decorated with roses, and
lily occupied prominent placs 10 front Of
the pulpit. The service Vas very largely
attended. Seeciai mu sic was provided By
. double quarte, with orchestra acconpAsi-
| ment, under the direction CT Mr.. J. w
Beck. The following vas the musical
programme: Organ Voluntary; d xslogy;
Anthem, 1.-The Easter Bells are Chimirp,"
quartet and orchestra; Hymn; Anthem,
Come See The Place where Jesus Lay, with
| orchestra. The sn,hsm "Ch'ist IL Risep,'
with orchestra, followed the sermon. Miss
Lens Bean presided at the organ Tie
sermon was preached by Mr.. <. C. HAYES,
Of Cobb Divinity School. Mr.. Hayes
| sai3:
There wereia few obscure men fishers a. d
others, Who hoped that in Jesus they bsd
found IsrAefs long promised Messiah. We
zee tbat great stone rolled upon Chfi.t's
tomb with little feeling because We kno~
| what God 10 going to do. They did not.
At his arreat they all fofscok him and fed.
Peter indeed follosed to the judgement
hall, john even went and saw rim cruel
asd, maybe till tie last moment hoping
agsinst hope. But the last moment passed
and their Rabbi Jesus WAS dead and buried.
What now femsined but to 90 back to their
hshing nets. Thus % two Of them Jour
neysd toward Enmsus this great sigh es-
csred them: We trusted that Il had been
He that had redes med Israel" The werds
Of the women that told the disciples Christ
had risen seemed to them q idle isles, and
they believed them not. By iepes'ed sp-
peafances Christ scarcely raised his dis
cipies from this despair. and made the IN
trust that the dead was risen. The career
Of the apostles proves them 70 have
been men incapable Of falsehood. and had
they been affant liars they could NOT have
invented. much lsss have found fsce AFTER
invsntine e to proclain such . story.