The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1891-04-09
AN EASTER SERMON.
A Lifelike Description Of the Maui
solemn Where Our Savior
Was Buried.
: The Tomb Of Solid Rock From Which
Christ Rose Typical Of the Final
Resurrection.


took for the text for his Easter SER
zmon:. Matt. xviii, 6: "Come, see
the place where the Lord lay"
Visiting any great city we are not
satisfied until we have also looked at
its cemetery. We examine all the
styles of cenotaph, mausoleum, sar-
'cophagus, crypt and sculpture. Here
lies buried q statesman, yonder an
orator, here poet, out there an in
Ventor, in some other place a great
phllanthropist. But with how much
greater interest and with more depth
of emotion we look upon our family
plot in the cemetery. In that one case,
1t is a matter OF public interest; in the
other, it is a matter of private and
heartfelt affection. But around the
grave at which we halt this morning,
there are gathered all kinds OF stupend-
Gus interest. Atthis sepulchre, l have
to tell you, in this sepulchre there was
buried q King, a Conqueror, an Eman-
clpator, a Friend, q Brother, 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 OTTO who had condemned Christ,
but | think he had voted in the mega
tive, 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. It was hot
climate and l suppose there were
broad-branched trees and winding
paths underneath them, while
THE WATERS RIPPLED
over the rock into the fishpool, and
.yonder the vines and the flowers over
the wall, and all around there were
beauties of kiosk and arboriculture.
After the fatigues of the Jerusalem
court room, how refreshing to come
out in these suburbs botanical and
genealogical.
walk little further on in the par
terre and | come across a cluster OF
rocks, and Isee on them Remarks of
sculptor's chisel. come still closer
and lind that there is subterranean
recess, and walk down the marble
stairs, and cometo a portico, over the
doorway-an architecture of fruits
and flowers chiselled 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. 1t was a beautiful
and charming spot. Why all this?
The fact was that Joseph, the owner
OF the parterre, OF that wealthy ma
nor, had recognized the fact that he
could not always walk in those gar
dens, and he sought this as his own
last resting place. What beautiful
plot in which to wait for the resurrec-
ton.
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, Mahal Tai
OF India, nothing compared with it.
Christ has just been murdered and his
body must be thrown out to the dogs
and the ravens as was customary with
~crucltied bodies, unless there be
prompt and effective hinderence.
Joseph, the owner of the mausoleum,
begs for the body of Christ, and he
takes and washes the poor and mutt
lated frame from the blood and the
q dust, and shrouds it and perfumes it.
THE FUNERAL ADVANCES.
Present, Joseph, the owner of the
'mausoleum; Nicodemus, who brought
the flowers, and the two Marys. 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, and push the
body Of Christ into the only pleasant
resting place it had ever had. These
men coming forth closed the door of
rock against the recess The govern
ment, afraid that the disciples would
speal the body Of Christ and play re-
,surrection, put upon the door the seal
OF the Sanhedrim, the violation of
that seal, like the violation of the seal
OF the United States government, or
OF the British government, always
followed with severe penalties.
A regiment of soldiers from the tow
'er OF Antonio is detailed to guard that
mausoleum. At the door of that
tomb, fight took place which decided
the question for all graveyards and
cemeteries. Sword OF lightning against
sword OF steel. Angel OF God against
the military. The body in the crypt
begins to move in it's shroud Of fine
linen and slides down upon the pave
ment, moves through the portico, ap
pears in the doorway, comes up the
marble steps. Christ having left his
mortuary attire behind him, comes
forth in the garb Of 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
All the trowels Of earthly masonry can
not mend it. Forever and forever il
is a broken tomb. Death that da,
taking the side of the military received
a horrible cut under the angels speal
of flame, and must himself 20 down al