The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1893-04-05
e1SUNDAY THOUGHTSDo
AOHk
MORALS& MANNERS
TY A CLERGYMAN.


scendent event which the angels declared,
which the disciples saw, which ten dis
tinct and separate appearances OF the
risen Christ, in widely divided places,
set the unmistakable seal of truth upon
that is today memorialized throughout
Christendom by peeling organs and
jubilant choirs and exultant pulpiteers.
and throngs of sdoring worshipers. and
heaped up flowers, beginning in Jerusa-
lem, In the church of the Holy Sepulcher,
and travelling with the sun from shore to
shore. until it shall compass the land and
tbs sea and return 10 melt finally away
upon the sides of Mt Zion.
Christians. of course. recognize the vital
Importance OF the resurrection and rest
everything upon it as the article of q
standing or of falling church. See what
St. Paul says in Corinthians XIV, 1919.
Skepticism, too. has been keen and
quick to discern this fact, and accordingly
it has directed its fiercest attacks at the
resurrection. Four notable theories have
been advanced 10 account for it and eX-
plain it away:
l. There is the hypothesis of myth.
But in order to the growth OF myth there
must be time and remoteness from the
scene and the witnesses. In this case
there is neither lis now conceded that
the sacred narratives 20 back nearly If not
quite to the event, and that the accounts
were written right there on the scene and
in the presence OF eye-witnssses and by
eye-witnesse5 Stransss mythical theory
has long been discredited at Tubingen,
where it was first triumphantly pro-
claimed.
2. There is the suppositiOn of fraud.
This mad never made Roadway. Its prog
ress is barred by the character of Jesus
and Of the disciples. He whom Richter
calls The puTest of the mighty and the
mightiest of the pure" it is instinctiYely
felt could not have stopped to practice q
vulgar imposition. And band of men
noted for plainness, simplicity aud sin
cerity, and who actually sealed their evil
dence with their martyr blood. wou not
have gone 10 willing death IN defense of
conscious lie.
5. There Is the theory that Jesus did
not have an actual resurrection, but that
the disciples We're deceived by visionary
appearances. BY whom7 Could there
have been ten distinct and separate Wis
ions in ten distinct and separate places,
before different spectators of various
moods, but all we'll acQuain ed with the
Christ who had been crucified2 Jesus
ate, talked, held long conversations with
the men and women who loved Him most
and knew Him best. during the forty days
that interviewed between His resurrection
and ascension. Do visions do such things
Who ever heard OF 2 spscters counting in
vestgation and suffering his form to be
hand ed as the Galilean did?
4. We have the superstition that
Jesus did not really die on the cross that
His apparent death was really a swOon,
from which he eventually recovered. so
that he and his friends really supposed
there had been resurrection.
The answer here was short and sharp.
Grouped around the cross stood those
who hated the Nazarene, and who had
comprised his death Is it supposahle
that their hatred could be hoodwinked?
That they did not satisfy themselves that
lie was ilieless? Then, too. it
was the business of TIE Roman guard to
execute the sentence. They were xperts
they examined the body. To make as
surance doubiy sure they thrust into
his left side probably rupturing the heart
the cruel spear points inliictIng a wound
sufficient in itself 10 insure death. Then
they tod Plate he was dead, and to
crown all. the body was lifted from the
cross. wrapped up in spices AMI laid in
sepuc cher which was closed and sealed
made air tight. In such a place had any
Rlmmering spark of vitality remained in
the poor. mangled body, it would have
been extinguished. In view of these facts
what becomes OF The absurd supposition
of suspended animation?
IS Napoleon at Waterloo saw the ne
cessity o! breaking the Eng ish squares, 90
unbellef sees the necessity of carving this
strategic position. Like the French COM
mander. it necessitstes forces and hurts
squadron after squadron against il. But
also like Bonsparte the fierce yoleys and
repeated charges avail nothing. This
pivotal truth stands as the British stood
at Waterloo, solid and mistaken Charge
after charge is repeiled-huTled back into
tine lines Of the assaliants, carrying cODfu-
sion thIther and sending the enemy
horse. foot and artillery, in headlong rout
far over the wide battle plain.
In 50 far as historical testimony goes
no fact IN human annals is better estab-
hshed than ths resurrection OF Jesus
Christ To begin with he pre-announced
1t Mark viii, 81. In exact fulfIlment OF
this prophecy. In the gray dawn of the
fret Easter Sunday. as a company OF
women were returning from the aepul-
cher, after finding that their Lord was
not there, but, as two angels had informed
them. had risen from the dead, Jesus
met them. saying, All hail % This was
his first appearance. The second was to
Mary Magdslene who had remained weep
ing near the tomb. The third was to
Peter. The fourth was TO two disciples on
the way TO Emmaus in the afternoon. The
fifth WAS TO ten of the apostles rs they sat
at supper in Jerusalem in the evening.
These several appearances occurred Oh the
very day after resurrection.
Seven days later Christ appeared again
20 the apostles and gave Thomas. who had
not seen Him before, and who dou bted, 9
convincing proof of the resurrection.
This was His sixth appearance. The sew
enth was In GalIlee, whittier seven of the
apostles had gone by appointment with
Him. The eighth was to the eleven, and
probably to 500 others OF the brotherhood
Il Cor. XIV. 81 on some Gslilean mountain
side. The ninth was to James. The
tenth was to the disciples at Jerusalem
Just before the ascension. We have spoken
of ten appearances. In reality there were
eleven; for. exclaims 81. Paul: Last oil
all lie was seen of me also"
Nor is this all. The resurrection oil