The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-05-25
TEACHING POINTS.

INTRoDUcTIoN-Christsr res erection is to the
Christian the supreme proof Of mans Immortality.
1t is not, by any means, the exclusive proof of
continued life. The evidence existing in nature
and in the soul is strong. But Christ rising from
the dead is historical demonstration of mans i'm
mortality.-The moral power of Christ's resurrec-
ton is immeasurabe. 1t gives breadth and value
to our present experience. If we were fated to die
as the animals die, why should not live as the
animals liver To believe in Christ as for us, the
Columbus of the unseen world, the forerunner of
all men in the march heavenward, is to give virtue
good scope it is to exat and sanctity all the nobler
human affections.
a. VIA. There were at least five In the COM
pany of Galilean women, there may have been more.
Of this company we have the names CT four, Mary
the mother of James and john Mary Magdalene,
Salome, and Joanna.-The devotion of these pious
women was intensified rather than dssipated by
the enforced suspense of the Sabbath.-Woman
was, among the disciples last at the cross the most
watchful of the burial, the first at the sepulchre
the morning of the resurrection.--Some angel or
messenger Of God had already rolled the stone
from the sepulchre, at the time when the women
were anxiousy asking themselves how the difficult
thing was to be done ALI provdential problems
about which we are worrying ourselves, are, if
not in visible accomplishment, at least in the fore
knowledge of the Father, already solved-The
expensive embalming-gums and spicery which the
women had procured for the dead body of Jesus,
testify to their unselisb and sacrhcial love. But
not by devotion to the dead body of Christ
they suffered to express their love.
t29 VS.. When the women looked into the
sepulchre, which they expected to find dark, they
saw it filled with divine radiance At their right
hand, as they entered, they saw young man in
robe of shining white-They were amazed; yet
in their amazement they experienced an unearthly
Thavx nv turn w poa
Joy and oppressed with strange fear.-That the
women were bewildered. and that they afterwards
told stories of their experience the tomb in which
minor disagreements may be found,- there is
absolute agreement in their testimony to the central
fact that they vision of angels and heard the
heavenly witnesses declare that Christ had risen,-
all this is faithful to human nature it is accordant
with the extraordinary circumstances. What hui
man beings could have remained calm and logical
under such circumstances
(30 V. 6-8 Christs tomb was empty. All
tombs and graves are essentially empty. While
many mysteries concerning the emergence OF the
soul into the spiritual realm remain unexplained OF
this we may be assured, that no immortal soul can
be long imprisoned in a tomb when the death of
the body is completed, the free life of the spirit be-
gins. Seek not the living among the dead.-What
must have been Peters grateful establishment after
his denial of his Lord, to receive from him primal
and special message on the morning OF the resur-
rection I'm Galilee their old home, the scattered
Twelve were to reorganize and receive new COM
mis.io Where, save in Galilee could they revive
their loving memories of Jesus, and have all things
he had said to them brought to vivid realization
The Evangelist regards it worthy of record that
the women having been charged to tell the news of
Chrsts rising the disciples, went quickly on their
errand, with no lettering the way. Loiterers are
ever yery uncertain messengers.