Semi-weekly interior journal. [volume] (Stanford, Ky.) 1881-1905, 1892-04-29
Sermon by Rev. W. L. Williams, at Huston
vile. April II. 1892.


The first Christians were Jews OF the
Kingdom OF Israel; Abraham was their
father, Moses their law-giver. They
had a religious history filed With sacred
memories and holy associations reach
ing back 70 Gods covenant with Abra-
ham. Now that their religion had been
fulfilled in the personal life. death and
resurrection 81 Jesus the Son OF God, 1t
was but natural these christian Child
rem OF Israel" should carry very much
of the ceremonial OF Israel and the law
OF Moses, over into the Church OF
Christ.
They had never dreamed that the
death OF Christ on the cross fulfilled the
passover, nor that his resurrection ter
minated their Sabbath aud introduced a
new one, Nor that circumcision was
fulfilled and terminated, when they
were made new creatures in Christ by
the Spirit of God which is the true
circumcision. Hence, the first Chris
tians very naturally continued tn observe
the rites and ceremonies OF the Old Tes.
lament d'spensation, until the Holy
Spirit gradually led them into the
knowledge OF the whole truth.
We, ourselves, repeat their mistakes
when we believe aud practice the relie-
ious opinions in which We have been
raised without any reference to their
cred;bili;y or the evidence OF their veri-
",
The large majority OF Christians to-
day have accepted very much OF their
religious belief, not from reading or
hearing the word OF God, but from fam
ily and social relationships, while Oft
times claiming such beliefsio be held as
q matter of conscience.
OF all the Jewish festivals or feasts,
the passover was the most important
and most conspicuous. When having
learned the truth concerning Christ,
that He became their true passover
when slain upon the cross, the first jew
ish Christians very naturally sought to
remodel the passover into festival that
would celebrate the triumph oi the
work of Christ in his resurrection from
the dead. As then the passover was an
annual feast and not hebdomadal, the
first Christians naturally introduced q
feast, corresponding TO their passover. in
memory of the resurrection OF Christ,
that would, like the passover, be obsery'
ed annually. But as there could be
pleaded no divine Law for the observ-
ance of such feast, ii became ques'
ton involving much strife ne TO the par.
ticular day Of the year upon which the
feast should he observed. The question
OF time was finally fixed by vote of the
Council OF Nice in A ID. 325, that Easter
SUNDAY should be that sunday immedi
ately following thu l4th OF the pascha
moon, which happens on or first aitel
the vernal equinox the iith day OF the
moon first after the vernal equinox
This decision OF the council was accept
ed AS final and authoritative and has st
remained until the present. But since
the day was intended TO commemorate
the resurrection OF Christ, what circum
stance suggested the name Easter
Sunday?
The English speaking nations were
originally Saxons and like all other Gen
this were idolaters. The name OF one o
their gods WAS "Eastra," the goddess o.
spring and of flowers. This idolatrou'
belief had so thoroughly permeated Tho
religious nature and habits as to asscr
itself in appropriating name to the ne"
Christian feast, intended to commemo-
rate the anniversary OF the resurrection
of Christ. Nor has Christian intelli
gence and freedom eyer beer sufficient
20 eject this relic OF idolatry from the
mage Of our Holy Bible, until the trans
lators of our latest revised version trans
lated the word "paska"-passover, as d
always ought to have been done before
The sin of the translators OF our com
mon version, consists in translating the
Greek ''paska," Easter" when they
knew il meant "passCver" and nothing
else. Our prejudices may often inhu
ence us to pervert the sword OF Goo
knowingly!
Since then there is no divine law TO
,bs observance OF Easter" Sunday
NAV Christians, with propriety' observe
40 No, as AN ordinance OF the church
Itstands on level with Christmas The
church in the dark ages past, has agreed
TO observe certain days annually IN com
memora,ion OF the birth and OF the res
direction of Christ their decision ha'
-, v-oyan into the very warp and