The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-04-25
FASTER SERMON,
Delivered in the Methodist E. Church
at AbbevilIe. by Rev. III. w. Rays,

and in earth. Go We therefore, and teach all
nations, baptizing them in the name OF the
Father and of the Son, and OF the Holy
Ghost Teaching them to observe all things
whatsoever have commanded YOU: ana, TO-
| am with you alway, even unto the END OF
the world. Amen.-Matt, xiii: Is, ~, ~.
The events OF a single hour sometimes
shape the destinies OF the world. The dis.
covery, by Martin Luther, of the Convent
Bible laid the foundation for the reformatlon
The signing Of Magma Charta by Englands
Lords gave freedom 10 all Anglo-Saxon speak
ing people. Single events like these nave
turned the whole course OF history. Inc 10
cipient forces that lead to revolutions are ST.
The prophet on Carmel found that God was
not in the storm, not In the tlre, nor IN the
whirlwind. but in the "still small VOICE.
So OF the events narrated in the lesson pe-
fore US. No one was looking for such strange
and ever memorable transactions.
The friends OF the lonely NaZarlne were
scattered abroad by the crucifXlon, ana were
Iisconsolats by reason Of the death Of their
Master.
the week q few friendS-mostly women-re-
pair to the sepulchre with spices to do honor
10 the body Of their friend.
There is nothing remarkable in the place.
A quiet garden, lonely grove, the stiffness
OF the early dawn--a few disconsolate men
and women gather there ut that quiet hour
TO anolnt the body OF him whom they
loved
And yet in that silent hour the greatest OF
all events and the sublimest Of all transac-
lions was in progress.
The cruciflxion of two days before, with It's
reeling rocking earth-and dark kness black as
midnight hung over the cross; even this was
not SO wonderlul-for its practical value de-
pends upon the issue OF this SILL hour IN the
garden-at the grave.
For II Christ be not risen then is your
preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.
The atonement on the cross must forever
remain heartless and hopeless negation
without the resurrection of Jesus "for our
It is not my purpose at this hour TO take up
your time in an attempt 10 prove the reSur-
fection Of Jesus to be a fact But do wish TO
say that all intelligent people are agreed on
two facts
FirstCThat, about, or nearly nineteen hdn.
dred years ago there lived man whose
names was Jesus. This fact is not now. and
never has been called in question.
Josephus speaks Of him as ne SPEAKS OF
fact. He speaks OF him as man, but then
adds, "If ii be lawful to call him man."
SO far then we are agreed.
Second-That this man Jesus met Win
mournful and tragic death. The crucih ction
ofJesus has never been denied as fact: but
1t has been ridiculed.
Now then we are agreed on two facts OF vital
Importance: That Jesus Christ lived aAd
that he died by crucifixion.
Now we advance one step further, but IN
doing so we are met by the unbeliever at the
very threshho of the grase,-who denies the
resurrection OF Jesus. For to admit his re-
surrection and then deny his divinity Is alb
surd Because IN the denial b, OF ms & aivlnlLy as
rection. "For he was raised again Tor our
Qualification"
Cur Justification, therefore, comes from the
resurrection of Jesus as the foundation stone
Of our faith.
The divine claim of the Redeemer is estab-
lished, therefore, not only in the TACT OF hls
resurrection, but also in the purpose, and de-
sign Of his resurrection-even our justif1ca'
tion-which must be the work OF divine
prerogative.
The first great lesson 10 be learned from the
resurrection OF our Lord then Is his divine
character and prerogative as such.
And 60 cautiously at this point, but losi,
the achievements of a merely human media,
tor must end in hopeless disappointment and
utter despair.
when we remember that all human achieve
ment must end at the grave.
And in the face Of this fact to assert that
Jesus Christ was only human Is to virtually
admit that the Christian religion and church
are to perish as all other merely human in
stitutions have done or are doing
But wish 10 emphasize one fact especially
as the result of the resurrection OF Jesus,
the rapid growth OF the new faith.
Daring public ministry OF three consecu-
tive years, while great multitudes OF people
followed Jesus wherever he went.only few
score OF people became his immediate follow
faith.
To recognize the divine scharacter In Jesus
is the point where most hopes are wrecked.
Peters detection and Thomas's infidelity
were fostered at this point.
They knew that the world would not follow
dead Savior, nor render obedience to dead
To conquer the grave was q task, at whose
accomplishment their credulity staggered.
The grave lay between Jesus and final re.
demptlon.
With the grave as champion death gloat-
ed In triumph oyer the race, and redemption
ON the cross was only half done.
The difference between Peter and Thomas
was, ,thaHPeter saw Jesus in the hands Of mob
tameIy submitting to the insults of the rab-
BILE, and he was slow to believe that divine
being would submit to such insult.
Thomas on the other hand, denied the res
direction OF Jesus, and therefore concluded
that he was only man,
But when Peter met the Lord in the way 10
in the Masters hands the whole scene was
changed. They then knew that he had the
keys Of death and the grave"
Another lesson to be learned from the res.
direction Of Jesus was the sudden change in
the department OF his disciples.
The cowardly Peter became the bold chief
Of his brethren, and almost courted martyr
dom.
Thomas was paid for his fidelity to Jesus in
a lonely pilgrimage to the east, where; II issup-
posed he died from crucifxion.
And this change was not confined to the
The resurrection of Jesus inspired conf
dence In his friends-while it spread alarm
among his foes.
was alarmed! The curse Of God as an
nounced by Jesus, was shaping its course TO
isll upon that devoted city.
The pentecost came on fifty days after the
passover.
Jesus had gone up to Heaven from Mount
Oliyet.
every quarter. The Holy Ghost came upon
the people. Peter arraigned Judaism for
the murder of Jesus and pronounced the
curse Of his blood upon them, Awful ar
Since that time the scattered sons of the
Hebrew race are dwellers in all lands.
But after his resurrection and ascension
the numbers rapidly increased. Pentecost
gave the church three thousand souls in one
The assurance given to the followers OF Je-
sps BY his resurrection, was not merely the
proof Of his divinity. and an inspiration. to
parted the divine life OF the resurrection
powerto every believer; thing which could
not be done before the resurrection became
conscious verify.
Itfolows therefare that the grave and not
the cross Is the centre Of glory and honor in
the final work Of redemption.
This explains Peters boldness on the day OF
the guilt OF Decide, and trlumphantly ex-
claimed-"whom God raised from the dead,
because II was not possible for him to be
Here you see the resurrection of Jesus was
the certain sequence of the divine life which
was inherited In the final and last analysis
Of redemption. Not the outcome OF state
development OF borrowed or delegated au-
thority-but the development Of a divine
life and divine representation, whose eS-
sential and inherited divinity alone could
wrench the sceptre from death, and tare the
draperies Of despair from the grave.
"Oh death where is thy sting