The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1895-04-25
EASTER SERVICES
At St. Marks Evangelical Lutheran
Church. Oakland, Md.

4
large congregation assembled
Fourteen were received into the
church-three by letter and eleven
by baptism and confirmation; eigh.
| ty-one communed
The Easter program was bright,
and the different parts were very
acceptably rendered, in music and
recitation. The floral decorations
were simple and neat. The Easter
Altering for the church debt amour
ted to $62. 90.
We give below in full the sermon
by the pastor, Rey. j. W. Butler:
MARK XVI; "a.
This is the Lords day, the Sab
bath of the Christian church, com
memorating not alone the work of
the first and natural creation,
"when the stars sang together, and
all the sons OF God shouted for
JOY" but the "bursting forth from
Joseph's tomb Of . gem Of creation
transcending the first" the bring
Ing of life and immortality to light.
1t is the Sabbath of our transport
from everlasting death to endless
life. The first day of the week, and
the best in our calendar. 1t is the
day in which Christ trampled upon
the throne of the arch fiend in I'M
mortal triumph; when he robbed
death of its sting and dominion,
and the grave of its treasure and
victory. They had possessed the
Son of God-the worlds redeemer
and the Christians hope, but were
left poor indeed, and empty, when,
by the arm of Omnipotence, the
bands Of death were broken asunder
and the prison door was thrown
open. Oh, what an Easter day
that was when God commanded
death and the grave and they
yielded up Jesus.
The text presents picture that
has its dark and It's bright side. In
the suggestion of the question "who
shall roll us away the stone from
the door of the sepulchre," is to be
found alone the dark side of the
picture.
The question is that asked by the
Marys among themselves. as, in the
early dawn and the soft twilight of
the first Lords Day, in that gor-
geous Asiatic spring time, they
were vending their way with costly
spices to pay a last tribute of love
to the body of their departed Lord.
They had followed Him in his
journeys, they had watched Him
as they fingered about the scenes of
his crucifixion and death, and now
they would be early at his grave
'''Last at the cross and first at the
sepulchre." The precious body of
the Lord had been hurriedly en-
balmed by Joseph and Nicodemus,
and those faithful women came, If
not to give that body more DELHI
crate and careful embalming, at
least to shed the fragrance of their
sweet spices about the body and
tomb of the Master, as we adorn
the graves Of our departed loved
ones With beautiful flowers that
give forth their sweet odors.
Through the impulse of their
love, and the eagerness to perform
this kindness, they had fastened
away in forgetfulness of the stone
that lay at the door of the sepul-
chre. What will their early visit
and sweet spices avail? In their
momentary suspense they ask one
another, ''who shall roll us away
the stone?" In the midst of this
discouragement their devotion
would not allow them to turn back
from this errand of love.
How truly this incident Illus
trates Christian life and especially
the experiences Of the young con-
vert. The heart has been given to
Chris and connection made with
the church, and the young disciple
has started for the heavenly king
dom. With Il heart full of fervor
and love he says:
Now resolve. with all my heart,
with ali my power to serve the Lord"
But as he presses on, he is sud
denly met by some hindrance, and
in his Encouragement, he thinks he
sees IN the path of his future
pilgrimage. trials and burdens like
great mountains, which will inter-
cept his progress to the heavenly
city. Beset with fears, he wonders
if he will be able to overcome, and
reach the salvation of his soul, and
like the Marys be cries, "Who will
roll away the stone?'' This Incl
dent also represents the practical
duties in the experience of Christian
life. ~ he duties we owe TO orr