The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1895-04-11
THE JOY OF EASTER.

THE JOY OF EASTER.
The Christians Joy at Easter, is the
iov of triumph unmiXed with vanity or
self-laudation. We are sharers OF
victory to which we made no contrl-
button. The last enemy-the greatest
enemy, before whom every warrior
bows as surely as the helpless child, is
conquered. and we, who could not
share the struggle, have our full part IN
the fruits of triumph. So, in the ruder
days of old, two champions fought out
the battle in single combat while their
conrad watched them and accepted
the result. Our triumph is the triumph
of our representative. Christ is risen.
death hath no more dominion over
Him.
That Easter joy is incomplete which
fails to think first of the risen Jesus.
When the world adopted the customs
of the church it turns them to its own
uses and puts upon them its own mean
ing. too often in forgetfulnesS OF their
essential thought. 1t has revived IN
Easter the old pagan festival OF the re-
turn of spring. 1t makes the day
turning point in its round of social
life: it lavishes flowers it renews gay
ETY.. it gives expression to the natural
ioy in a most delightful season, but
fails to grasp that thought of fellow
ship with Christ which makes His
victory our joy.
Nor is the meaning of the Easter JOY
l exhaustive when we think OF the
r triumph of our Lord as gift which
e we share without deserving. Christ is
f risen. He still lives and reigns. His
l. victory is pledge and prophecy OF
d our own overcoming in the conflict OF
# our lives. To the gladness of deliver
y ance he adds the assurance of faltf
n and the delight of hope. He will no
t. separate His lot from ours, but shar'
n our conflicts and our victories as tn
t. ever-present helper of our souls. Thl
is the higher meaning OF the fellow
4 ship with Christ, in which the unbe
ct lieving world can have no part. Hi
IF strength is the reserve in which w
le call when evil threatens. We have on
or victory to win, but know that in Hi
lr strength we cannot fail. We are nc
g. allowed to miss the warriors part, tn
re conquerers joy, in which we learn tn
a fellowship alike of His sutferings an
OF His victory. "To him that overcomet
on will I give" is added to the messae
u which He sends to every church al
every man, and part of the East
to Joy is the JOY of our own overcomir
ur by His aid.
in There is an element Of anticipate
be also, in our present joy like that whl'
nd makes the final element of delight
in the return of spring, when the beau
,ht of the world contains the prophecy
harvest. AS we read the posslbllltl
m of manhood in the weakest child,
ne think of the attainments Of the rls
d life at Easter time. Christ is rlst
ere He lives forevermOre, and we shall Ii
ere in him. This joy grows brighter
,nt, ward life's evening time. TO lit
the children, death seems far away, to m
ces of merely earthly hopes, he is W
ose near and terrible, but to the CHI
tian of long experience in fellows
nce with Christ, he is foe subdued
+ is harmless keeper of our true life's dc
nre If our Easter JOY looks back, it lo'
do forward also to the greater trlun
nds, which is yet 10 COME anu mus iO'0
Of sharer in the glory of that day.
- The EXIL]