Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-04-18

they lifted ~ wings '-tareIy the bit-
terners cf death 10 rxst
Further. Z what 1 hare bsen saying Is
true. We saosla trust tke Lcra sna he
thrilled vita iAe fact thai our own aAy
Of escape cometh- II cur lives were 20
ing 20 end when eur heart ceased To pal-
sste and cur lungs 20 breathe. would
want to take ten mtilioa years OF lite
here for the first ins,sllneas. But, my
Christian friends, We cannot afford al
ways TO stay down in the cellar Of cur
Fathers house. We cannot always be
pasrpeEing tie best things. We cannot
ALWAYS b. tanning oar yioliRs for the
celestial orchestra We must get vr
wings cat. We nnst moant. We can
not afford always 10 stAnd cas- here in
the vestibule Of the hoase Of many man
sions. while the windows are illuminated
with the levee angelic, and we can hear
the laughter Of those forever free. and
the ground quakss with the bounding
feet Of those who have entered upon eter-
nal play.
oPES TIE GATES OF HEAVEN.
Ushers Of heaven. Open the gates.
Swing them clear back IN their pearly
hinges, lie; the celestial music rain on
us in its ea6ences, Let the hanging gar
dens of the king breathe On Is thcir arc
mates. Let our redeemed ones just look
out snd give us one glance OF their glo-
ritied faces. Yes. there they are now.
] see tha,n. But / cannot stand the
vision. Close the gate, or our eyes will
be quenched with the overpowerfng
brightness. Hold back the song, or our
ears viii never again care for earthly
anthem. Withdraw the perfume. or we
shall swoon in the fragrance that human
rosrril was never made to breathe.
All these thoughts are suggested Us VIE
stand this Easter morn amid the broken
rocks OF the Sav;ours tomb. Indeed.
know that tomb has not been rebuilt,
the ruiEs of that the mos. famous sepul-
casr of all time. There arc thousands
Of tombs in our Greenwood ana laurel
Hill and Mount Aabnrn with moro po,
ished stone and more elaborate masonry
and more foiiaged surroundings, but as
/ went down the steps Of the supposed
tomb Of Christ ON my return from Gount
Calvary I said 70 myself: This is the
tomb Of all tombs. Around this stand
more stcpendons incidents than around
any grave OF all the world since death
entered it."
rBE sEPrLcffFR OF clIRfsr.
I could not breathe easily for over
mastering emotion as l walked down
the four crurnbling steps till we came
abreast Of the niche in which think
Christ was buried. l measured the
sepulcher and fond it fourteen and n
, half feet long. eight feet high, nine feet
wide. 1t is n family tomb and seems 20
have been built to hold FIVE bodies. But
, / rejoice 70 cay that the tomb was empty
aud the door Of the rock WIS gone and
tho sunlight streaned in. The day that
Christ rose and came forth the sepulchcr
was demolishcd forever and no trowel Of
earthly masonry can ever rebuild it.
| And the rupture Of those rocks, and the
I snap Of that governmental seal, and the
crash of those walls Of limestone, and
the step of the lacerAted hat triumphant
foot Of the risen Jesus we today cele-
brate with acclaisa OF worshiping thou
sands, while with all the nations of
.Christendom and al the shining hosts Of
heaven we chant. New is Christ risen
from the dead and become the first
fruits Of them That slept"
Oh. weep no moro yorr comforts slain.
Tho Lord Is riseD. Lie lives again.
"ARd now may the God Of peace, who
brought again from the doad cur Lord
( Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep,
through tho blood Of the everlasting COW
ensnt make you perfect in every good
word aud work" Hallelujah. Ameni