The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1892-04-20

the richest What wealth, what graft
fed ambition. can fifty compensate for
the loss of any one of these common
universal blessings?
Our life itself is shared with the low
est of Gods creatures. When tits
threatened, what price do we count
sufficient ransom? Is ''all that man
hath" too much?
But these precious common things
hold something else. Once a Divine
life took our human nature upon Him.
He lived with men, slept and ate and
talked among them. He shared with
them the common things of life. SO,
after that, the daily walking and
sleeping, eating and talking oil
| which He partoolS, became no
more common. The Divine touch
TRANSPORTED them. Henceforth the be-
lieving soul, working humbly at each
days task, performing faithfully the
simple duty appointed, so elevates
these common things that through
every action may shine forth confess
sion of the truth which is in 1t. 1t
does not matter that its place be low,
its circle restricted, the life an ordi-
nary one. The plainest conditions are
great enough to illustrate a story to
which the world has listened with In
creasing interest for nineteen hundred
years.
And this Divinity not only vivified
human nature, and put new significance
and beauty into daily human needs,
but it ennobled suffering. Because
Christ suffered in human form, there,
fore sorrow borne patiently, pain en-
dured heroically, sacrifice and priva'
ton accepted cheerfully, lifted the hui
man heart that sorrowed and endured
to be partaker of His spiritual nature,
and to taste the tenderness of Heaven
ly love.
He did far more than this. He drew
life from death itself, and brought t.
all mankind an everlasting hope from
the depths of the grave. This was the
crown and finish of His work. The
Easter which we are keeping is it;
token, and gives the promise of the full
fillment of its hope.
OF the marvel of life from death ant
joy springing out of sorrow, all nature
is symbol. The flowers which fill oul
affairs proclaim in fragrant language
the wonder of their rising from the
bla .kest earth. The food which nour
ishes our bodies dies as a seed in the
ground before it can live as plant il
the sunshine. The mother, who through
her pain rejoices over her newborn
child, feels the throb of this great mys
terry. The heart that, accepting ODE
diently trial and disappointment, a
last sees with eager eyes it's far hop
realized, surely testifies that they
who sow in tears shall reap in JOY.
And Easter brings the promise of it
blessed hope to every heart open to re
ceive it. TO the grief-stricken it comes
speaking of reunion which no dealt
shall touch, and of land from whicl
fears shall be banished. To the wear,
and anxious it comes, whispering tina
cares shall have an end, and every bur
den shall be lifted. In the qrestionin,
tempest-tossed soul its voice is heard
telling time-beyond all time-whel
the conflict shall cease, when eacl
doubt shall be answered, and when
waking in His likeness, we shall be sat
istied. And to those bravely fighting
yet hardly pressed by adversely, i
speaks of an hour when the battle shall
be won; when rest shall be earned. an,
when the life laid down shall be foun,
again, more perfect than our flares
dreams.
SO, with the comfort of its meaning
and the promise of it's glorious hope
comes Easter Day. -IIarper's Bazaar.