People's voice. [volume] (Wellington, Sumner County, Kansas) 1890-1917, 1892-04-15
RASTER.
BY GEO. L. REED.

II mas Uetn custom among lGen,
from the earliest times of which we
have any account, to observe anniver-
sary days in honor of great events.
Among the children of Israel these
days were very common, and they
were strictly observed, as matter of
duty, rather than pleasure. While
they celebrated the Passover, and
many other days kept in remem-
brance of noted events in their his
tory, they looked forward to the
events we now celebrate. For cen
fury after century they looked for
the 'rst great act in the plan of Sal
walton, which We celebrate at Christ
mas time.
On Easter, We celebrate the reSur-
rection of the Savior, the third act
in the great plan of Salvation. And
now, when we look back over the
intervening centuries to Bethlehem,
where the Savior was born; to Cal
vary, where he was crucifed; to the
garden, where he arose; and to the
mount, from which he assembled, we
fail to form an opinion as to which
of the four great acts, necessary to
complete the scheme of mans re-
demption, was theg greatest. Itwould
have been incomplete if any one of
them had been omitted or left out.
When his humble birth, in the vii
lage of Bethlehem, received theroyal
recognition from heaven, and the
glad-tidings of great joy were pro-
claimed, "Unto you, this day, is
born a Prince and Savior" Heaven
smiled onman; the angels, who know
no sadness nor sorrow, rejoiced in
our behalf; mans hope, so long de-
ferred, revived, and JOY filled the
hearts of those who had watched and
waited so long for the fulillment of
the most precious promise God ever
gave to man. But when the wicked
ness of man appeared to triumph,
and the Babe of Bethlehem was
nailed to the Cross, and willingly
surrendered his life, while the dark
est frown of heaven overshadowed
all the land, hope fled away; the
vast throng, who had witnessed his
cruCifxion, CROPPED in darkness and
trembled from fear as they sought
the seclusion of their homes. The
timid disciples, dispirited and dis
heartened, because they did not fully
comprehend the mission of their
Master, hid themselves from the
public gaze in their humble rooms in
the suburbs of the great city. But
when the two Marys entered the gar
den, at the dawn of the third day, !
ere yet the sun had risen above the
eastern hills, while the populace, re-
centlyin such turmoil, was slumber-
ing as if in expectation of some more
startling announcement, while the
flowers around the tomb were offer
ing their morning incense of sweet
perfume, when the angels in the
brightest livery of heaven, made the
most startling announcement, "He
is not here" hope came again and
filled the hearts of those humble wo-
men, while joy lighted up their faces,
as they returned on the
FIRST EASTER MORN,
to tell the glad news to their COM
rades. That was day Of Joy fol;
lowing a season of sadness. And
now, Easter should bring JOY and re-
joicing to everybody, and especially |
to all christian people.
When the two Marys came to the
sepulcher that morning, their hands
were filled with spices which they
had prepared to anoint the body of
the Savior, whom they looked upon
as dead, and their hearts were filled
with sadness, because they did not
comprehend what he had told them
that he would rise again on the
third day. They feared, also, that
they could not find anyone to roll
away the great stone from the door
of the sepulcher. Thus they came
in sadness, bringing the best offering
they could. Their first greeting was