The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1891-04-01
AT CHRIST's TOMB.
Rev. T. Dewitt Talmage breaches
an Easter Sermon.
The Place Where the Saviour Lay and
from which He Rose Tho Most
Celebrated Tomb In All the Ages
The Significance OF Easter.

mon TO his two audiences last Sunday.
The text Of thepreacher's discourse was
Matt xviii, Q: "Come, see the place
where the Lord lay" Following is the
sermon:
Visiting any great city we are not sat
isfled until we have also looked at its
cemetery. We examine all the styles
Of cenotaph, mausoleum, sarcophagus,
crypt and sculpture. Here lies buried a
statesman, yonder an orator, here a
poet, out there an inventor, in some
other place great philanthropist. But
with how much greater interest and
with more depth of emotion we look
upon our family plot in the cemetery.
IN the one case, II Is a matter Of public
interest; in the other. II is a matter Of
private and heartfelt affection. But
around the grave ut which we halt this
morning. there are gathered all kinds
Of stupendous interests. At this sepul-
cher, ! have to tell you, in this sepulcher
there was buried a King,a Conquerer, an
Emancipator, Friend, 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"
II has for surroundings, the manor in
the suburbs Of Jerusalem, a manor
owned by wealthy gentleman by the
name Of Joseph. He was one Of the
court Of seventy who had condemned
Christ, but think he had voted In the
negative, or being timid man, had
been absent at the time of the casting
Of the vote. He had laid out the par
terre at great expense. 1t was a hot
climate and I suppose there were broad
branched trees and winding paths un-
derneath them, while here the waters
rippled over the rock in fishpool, and
yonder the vines and the flowers clam
bered over the wall, and all around
there were the beauties OF kiosk and
9rboriculture. After the fatigues Of the
Jerusalem court room. how refreshing
10 come out In these suburbs botanical
and pomological.
l walk little further on in the par
terre, and come across n cluster of rocks,
and see on them the marks Of the
sculptor's cbisel. I come still closer,
and find that there Is subterranean
recess, and walk down the marble
stairs, and come TO a portico over the
doorway-an architecture OF fruits and
flowers chiseled 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
dead body. One Of these rooms OF
rock is especially wealthy with sculp-
ture. II 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 a beauti-
ful place in which to wait for the res
urrectionl
Mark well the mausoleum in the rock.
II Is 10 be the most celebrated tomb In
all the ages. Catacombs Of Egypt,
tomb Of Napoleon. Mahal Tai Of India
nothing compared with It. Christ had
just been murdered and his body must
be thrown out 70 the dogs and the
ravens, as was customary with the cru
Cited 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 IL and
perfumes II.
! think embalmment was omitted.
When In olden times they wished TO
embalm q dead body, the priest with
some pretension Of medical skill would
show, the point between the ribs where
the incision was 10 be made. Then the
operator would come and make the In
cision, and then run for his life else he
would be slain for violating the dead
body. Then the other priests would
come with salt and nitre, and cassia and
wine Of palm tree, and complete the
embalmment. But think in this case
embalmment was omitted lest there be
more excitement and anotherriot The
funeral advances. Present, Joseph, the
owner Of the mausoleum; Nicodemus,
who brought the flowers and the two
Msrys Heavy burden on the shoulders
Of two men as they carry 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, aud
push the body OF Christ into the only
pleasant place II ever had. These men
coming forth close the door OF rock
against the recess. The government,
sfraid that the disciples would steal the
body Of Christ and play resurrection,
put upon the door the seal Of the San
hedrim, the violation Of that seal, like
the violation Of the seal Of the United
States government. or Of the British
government, always followed with So
we're penalties. n .-ir l,l
A regiment OF soldiers from the tower
Of Antonio Is detailed 10 guard that
mausoleum. At the door Of that tomb,
. fight took place which decided the
question for all grayeyards and GENE
terica Sword Of lightning against
sword Of steel. Angel of God against
the military. The body In the crypt be-
gins 10 move In It's shroud Of fine linen
and slides down upon the pavement,
moves through the portico, appears in
the doorway, comes up the marble
steps. Christ having left his mortuary
attire behind Him, comes forth In the
garb Of q workman, ms take II, from
the fact that the women mistook Him
for the gardener.