The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-04-16

1
research mas not thought Of answering
maj question Until we have TINS Iact
| cicsred m 10 our complete belief we snaii
eav God removed Il; He Is risen.
! b., Reside the revelation that the Loro
- rissn. the women at the tomb Wers
interested with another message an en-.
hassagc-s.tell His disciples aui Peter
10. u.s. the h,eh and rightful reward
/ ~ feminine affection. COURAGE am ie'
| srential devotion, this, the first recon-
| ,-.,ao FOR being the first at the sepui-
| rbre the first OF all human beings 20
! orrcunce 10 all mankind the message
thst has been ringing In the cars OF the
ages. that shall ring with more sonorous
and soul energIsing tones as long as INC
earth endurClh. - ..,.orod
hearers of this angelic message OF com
Tor, 'Be not affrghteo." How sweet
a. 10 Think of Il: the first OF all TO near
/ tho glorious intelligence, the first OF All
10 sec that intelligence sealed by the seal
| Of fact: a woman, and woman VINO
was a sinner. Think OF 1t; realize what
II meant: she is for us ST. Mary Magda'
| i.ne. But when that message came 10
| tcr. she was Mary Magdalene; Mary,
with all her imperfections on her mead,
| N,rv. who according TO the poe;ical IAN
pt age II her nation. had been possessed
OF seven devils, for "A bad woman Is as
! much worse than a fallen m1n: the ten
drills of the ivy kill the tree yet Mary is
| The first to hear the message a ioNllls
| forgiveness. Ard in the light OF all TINS
we can think harshly OF the Lord ana
limit His love. O sinner plunged In SIN
| y,bo delaveth. because thou doubtest the
| <orcfycncss Of God in Christ. hear TINS
| glorious Easter message: AND ne sdiu
unto them. MARY Magdalene hrsU' be
not affrighted." Who can be afraid IN the
light Of such a welcome to the chiei OF
sinners2
But Mary with all her sin, had never
BETRAYED Him man had. man on
whom His master had lavishec love. and
given greatest confidence. All the disci-
niles had forsaken Him and fled, but one
had done more: one had forsaken ana de-
MED Him Peter must have felt when all
was over that he could not shelter his
guilt behind that of his fellows, between
him and them In betrayal there was "A
great gulf fixed. and ne was OIL the wrong
side of that gulf
But the angel and he was only mes
senger Of God, a mere reporter of one
who sent the message: the angel has such
a sweet piece of news for faithless Pc
ter: Go and tell Peter" Think of 1t;
the man who denied the strongest. is
chosen for prominence; named by MS
very name. Once had the Master said.
again; for him is this special message;
he the greatest of sinners. has the priv
ilege Of the greatest forgiveness. l have
never forgotten those bitter tears that
fell @. no: / know Peter, that glorious
sinner: that impulsive, inconsistent Peter
but O. with such true spiritual power IN
him in spite of all his faults; my Peter,
my rock: my church's human foundation.
Tell Peter that he may wash out In my
love those tears Of traitordom that he
may know that the risen Lord forgives as
the Son of Man could not forgive: that
what is impossible with man, is possible
with God.
Yes. poor emotional Peter; with that
strange benedicton which the Old and
New Testament seem TO pronounce Oh
the emotional man with a conscience.
Peter. with all his faults. was loved by
these around him; that is a divine pow
Ell / tell you that the so-calcd religious
man. who is not loved by the right sort
G, people. is not religious man. Christ.
il is true. was hated, but who was ever
loved as He was. witnesses this Resurrec-
ton morning. Peter, some disliked him,
but most people loved him. If you and 1
| hac been budding Christians I'm those
| DAYS. we would have liked Peter a great
| deal more than Paul ! am sure | would,
| though. now. centuries after. l neNt-door
| to worship st. Paul But how glorious IS
| this Easter message. Come Peter; come
with your Depart from me- for | am a
| sinful man." come with your going out
| and weeoing bitterly; you shall be the
| first TO hear Of my resurrection: you
shall be the first to be given heart there
by Indeed. ST. Paul tells us. that 10
Peter was manifested one Of the earliest
appearances Of the risen Lord. 'He was
| seen Of CeThas."
| And yet there are those TO whom these
| things of which we speak. whose records
are found IN the Evangelists. there are
| those TO whom they are but idle dreams.
| For them, angel voices can break through
| the mpenetrable. adamantino wall which
| changeless custom and the hands of rea-
| son have 50 up. They meet the message,
| "He IS risen" with the sad rejoinder.
ALAS. alas. it is impossible" Yet the
testimony Of these sanity women has de-
| fed the opposition of Jewish and Gentle
| scoln: has established itself in the heart
and conscience of the most civilized
| countries OF the world has moulded their
| manners. TRANSPORTED their thoughts
! elevated their art, and for US the
| great ChristondOm. OF which We are a
| part. not, though without the angelic
| voices that must have brought home 10
| tho souls of men, that man WAS risen as
he never had been before. He has risen
| IN the spring Uint OF inc year, IN the
81 ring time Of the world. giving TO Us
the assurance that we. too. may rise
with Him into newness Of life; rise from
the death Of sin. unto the life Of right
eousness. We need not be dishcartened
nor dismayed, because our hope of the
triumph of the Lord I'm all the glory OF
His strength is dimmed by the shadow
Of sin that hover round. for let us not
forget that the new spring life is enter
ing into her wrestles with the harsh wind.
and cold frOsts of winter. Fierce and BIT
ter though the last struggles of winter
be. yet spring must conquer; ne fount OF
life Is in II. and the life must break forth
the sun must rise to the meridian; the
flowers must chothe the earth. for 10 Tho
winter is past, the rain is Oycr and gone
the flowers appear on the earth, the
time of the singing of birds is come. and
the voice Of the turtle dove is heard IN
the land"
MONUMENTAL.
Overlooking congregations attended both
morning and afternoon service at Monu-
| mental Rev Fenner $. Stickney rector
took as the theme for this triumphal dal
IN the Church year the Resurrection
and preached upon 1t two able and very
eloquent sermons.
The musical programme was fine one
and admiralty rendered under the dirCc
ton of Mr. Philip Powers.
The professional at both services was
Welcome. Happy Morning. the recess
sional. Christ, The Lord. Is Risen To
day"
At the morning ,ervice Bakers exquis