The Washington times., 1894-03-25
THE WASHINGTON TIMES, SUNDAY, MARCH 25, 1894.

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thoughts to-day death is swallowed up IN
victory" How inspiring the thought that,
on this glad Easter day, not the sound Of the
war drums but the voices Of countless Chris
tian congregations, Of all peoples and tribes
and tongues, have followed the march Of the
light round the globe, from shore to shore,
from island TO island, from mountain top to
mountain top. in splendid cathedral and In
lowly chapel, singing "alleluias" for the
victory Of the Prince of Peace, and proclaim
ing to mortal men everywhere the "hope full
Of Immortality"
Rev. E. 8. Todd, Hamline Methodist church
The sudden change among the disciples
from complete hopelessness and even despair
to confidence and even ecstatic joy cannot be
experienced save on the supposition that some
striking event took place to produce this revo-
luton of thought 1t was unquestionably the
resurrection OF our Lord, which, as concep-
ton, was not growth, as Renan says, but
sudden and stupendous fact
Rev. Rush R. Shippen, pastor OF All Souls
church, Unitarian.-Easter. as the resurrec-
tion festival, proclaims the immortal hope
through death unto life. Assigned to the
first Sunday after the first full moon after the
vernal equinox, it celebrates natures resur-
rection in the northern hemisphere. In its
annual orbit as our earth turns more hospit-
ably toward the sun TO welcome its gracious
light and heat new life is all abroad. Day
conquers night. Winter turns to Summer.
Buds swell with blossoming promise. For
ests put on tender green. Fields and gar
dens are beautiful and glad. Myriads of BAN
ners are flying to the breeze. Countless
flower chalcies OF gold and pearl offer per-
fumed incense to heavc Newly mating
birds sing love songs in chorus Of praise.
Earth clothes herself with resurrection robes
of glory and chants the refrain, "Out OF
Death into Life" As the sun destroys the
night and ushers in the new day, so Jesus
Christ aboishes all fear OF death and brings
to light, life and Immortality. His followers
count death nothing but passing up and on,
The dark gulf between this world and
the next is bridged. and on the celes-
tial ladder friends are seen as angels
ascending. The new faith brings new
vocabulary, and the grave becomes but
resting place of sleep. In the old catacombs
of Rome, or upon the sepulchral slabs now
seen as relics in the Vatican, one reads these
testimonies of the new faith The early Chris
tians use no gloomy symbols of despair, but
upon their tombs inscrIbe epitaphs full of
courageous faith and hope: Here sleeps my
dear wife Portia:' "Rest in peace, brother
Caius;" "She reposes here in hope" With
such words of cheerful confidence the early
Christians tighten up the gloom Of the cata-
combs, and through the centuries the gospel
brings to the human heart faith, righteous
ness and love, lifts man to higher plane OF
living. brings resurrection from sin and spirit
ual death, proclaims the immortal hope, and
forever sings the triumphant refrain of our
Easter anthems, Through death unto life"
Resurrection is a spiritual process. II con-
Germs the man, not his body. The death from
which it raises is spiritual also-the antithesis
of life, not of existence. Resurrection is
effected, wherever experienced, by the quick
ening and renewing influences of truth and
goodness The resurrection state is a state OF
spiritual oneness with all holy intelligences,
and over this, whether in this world or any
other. death has no power The world re-
fuses to believe in the death of its saviors. 1t
persistently sees them risen and triumphant.
The lesson of Easter is not any dogma about
the body. 1t affirms the persistence OF life
and the Immortality of goodness.
ALEX. KENT.
Life would be robbed of much of its bright
ness and hope were it not for the fact OF the
OF Christ. Instead of happy an
thems swelling from thousands OF lips upon
this Easter morning would be heard only
dirges OF despair. You know what death is.
You have stood sometime at newly-made
grave. You have heard the solemn words OF
the preacher and watched the coffin lowered
forever from your sight. You have turned
sadly to go home, to miss one who was the |
Joy and light of your life Somewhere there |
is green mound sacred to your memory. |
Though your eyes are wet with tears, you are |
not sad. You do not think of that one as
alone in the quiet graveyard. The words Of |
the angel to Mary come to you to-day: He |
is not here. He is risen" Now is Christ |
risen from the dead and become the first |
fruits of them that slept"