Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1892-04-23

CT escape comGtn. Il our lives were go
ing to end when our heart ceased to pull
safe and our lungs to breathe, I would
want to take ten million years of life
here for tho first instsllment. But, my
Christian friends, we cannot afford al
ways to 'stay down in the cellar of our
Fathers house. We cannot always be
postponing the best things. We cannot
always be tuning our violins for the
celestial orchestra. We lnust get our
wings out We must mount We can
not afford always to stand out here in
tho yestibulo of the house Of many man.
sions, while the windows are illuminated
with tho levce angelic, and we can hear
tho laughter of those forever free, and
tho ground quakes with the bounding
feet Of those who have entered upon oter-
nal play.
OPEN TIE GATES OF HEAVEN.
Ushcrs of hcavcnl Opon the gates!
Swing them clear beck on their poarly
hinges! Lot tho celestial music rain on
Is in its cadcncesi Let the hanging gar
dens Of tho king breathe on Us their aro-
mates! Let our redeemed ones just look
out and give us che glance of their glo-
riicd fIcesl Yes, there they arc no%:!
SEQ them. But l canDoott stand the
vision. Close the gate, or our eyes VIII
be quenched with tho oyerpowering
hi hness.s.,H ID back the:sonGT or. ollr
Years never again. care for earthly
anthem. Withdraw the perfume, or VIC
shall swoon in the fragrance that human
nostra was never made to breathe.
All these thoughts are suggested as we
stand this Easter morn amid the broken
rocks of the Saviour's tomb. Indeed, l
know that tomb has not been rebuilt,
for stood in December Of 1889 amid
the ruins Of that tao most famous sepnl
cher Of all time. There arc thousands
of tombs IN our Greenwood and Laurel
FILL and Mount Auburn with more poi,
iGhcd stone and more elaborate masonry
aad r1ooe foliaged surroundings, bat as
I went down the steps Of the supposed
tomb Of Christ on my return from Mount
Calvary l s;.id to myself: This is the
tomb OF ill tombs. Around this stand
more stupem1ons incidents than around
any grave Of all the world since death
entered it
TIE sEpULcIER OF CHRIST.
l could not breathe easily for over
mastering emotion as I walled down
tho four cru1nbling steps till we casno
abreast OF tho niche il which l think
Christ wus buried. measured the
sepulcber and found It fourteen and
half feet long. eight feet high, nine feet
wide. 1t is family tomb and seems to
have been built to bold five bodies But
I rejoico 30 say tina. the tomb was empty
and tho door Of tho rock was gone and
tho sunlight streamea In. The day that
Christ rose and came forth the sepulchcr
WIS demolished forever and no trowol Of
earthly masonry can ever rebuild it
And tho rupture Of those rocks, and the
snap Of that governmental seal. and the
crash OF those walls Of limestone, and
tho stop of the lacerated but triumphant
foot CT the rison Jesus we today cello
brate with accl:si1n Of :worahiping thou
sends, while with all tho nations Of
Cnristerdo1n end al the shining hosts Ct
heaven wo chant, Now is Christ risen
from tho dead and become the first
fruits of thc1a that slept"
Oh. weep no moro .r5,,r conSorts stain,
Tie Lord Is risen; ho lives again.
"And now may the God Of peace, who
brouShs again from tho doad our Lord
Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through tho blood Of tho everlasting COW
enant mako you perfect in every good
void and work" Halleluiahl Amenl