The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-04-06

=
Rome They then set themselves to it
day and night in the name and by the
authority OF great Caesar. Friday, pro-
longed though it was by the extremes of
suiIerlngs and sorrows finally came to an
end, and SO also Saturday; yet nothing
unusual occurred. The body was still
lying dead and motionless on the cold
Earu moor OF the sepulchre. The door was
sun fastened and the stone unmoved. In
a word everything seemed to tend to the
Ialsincation of the prophesy that he would
raise himself from the dead and conse-
quently to the great satisfaction and tri
umph of mis- enemies But early on Sun
Gay morning the third day. just as his
friends and disciples were on the verge of
despair aad his enemies were about to
rejoice and celebrate their victory. be-
hold the stone is moved away and the
door of the sepulchre is flung open. The
soldiers are COMPOUNDED, terrified, and
dispersed and Christ's dead body in spite
of all the care, caution and vigilance of
his eXecutoners and in defiance of all
the power of Caesar, springs up from
the frigid embrace of death and walks
forth clothed with all the attributes of a
glorious and immortal life in complete
realization of his prophesy: "Destroy' this
BODY OF mine and in three days | will
Dulid 1t up again." Oh death where now
Is your phantom victory of Fridayi
The resurrection is evidently the most
important fact that ever occurred on this
earth. 1t logically proves the divinity of
christ, otherwise the diety himself con-
1rmed lie and thereby ceased to be the
20 jou 90 el III, run God at all. 1t gives
Iae nature and veracity of God as a
most solid and rational ground or basis
Tor our faith, for reason clearly tells us
that in the light of the resurrection we
n .,st peneVe either that Christ is God or
S5 nat there is no God. 1t establishes the
ulVlne character and authority of that
Chufch winch he instituted for the en-
i its H n, ana salvation of all men, for
~ ,i,o S1Ilss Is God then his words and
p.oiiilses must be true, infallibly true
aiid an his works divine and i'm
~ - I'd PIE. Inc resurrection also is
aH assurance of our inrnor
, tbli' Sh ana a pledge that We, too, after
ne iIe short sorrowful Good Friday of our
ilNes modelled on that of Christ shall
as ne mas promised rise like him glorious
e1 - lLilIhortai on the Easter morning
% our eternity. All these important
ne resurrection, while at the Same time
IL serves as key to unlock the inner
ne OF Christ and thus to reveal and ex
pam 10 US the mysterious character of
MS outer lie which has so COMPOUNDED
and puzzled the world
II al the philosophers, moralists and
wise men Of the world were to assemble
t e me purpose of determining on a plan
tor the regeneration and salvation of
the human race and its peace and ham
piness, The very last plan they would
nave thought or even dreamed of was
tlal ADOPTED by Jesus Christ. The very
necessary for their purpose would have
shocked and dispersed them to their
homes and countries. And indeed that
terrible tragedy with all its refined cruel
Ties and horrifying circumstances would
nave ever remained a secret in the breast
OF Christ and would have ever appeared
10 the world not only a profound mys-
iery, put a profound nonsense, stumb-
Ing block and a scandal if Christ had
not revealed its deep meaning and pur-
pose in the dazzling light of his resurrec-
ZION. Who without the resurrection could
believe that in order to live we must
first die: that true love of self means
hatred of self; that real joy and happi-
ness can come to us only through sorrow
and suffering; that standardization means
eXaltation: poverty riches, weakness,
strength and death itself victory? In
word as the apostle tells us, that only
through many fluctuations, prosecutions
and Sufferlngs we can enter the kingdom
CT heaven and secure for ourselves an
eternal life of happiness. What series
of enigmas of paradoxes; but yet how
clearly are they all unraveled, verified
and confirmed by the mysterious, f1uor
escent y rays of the resurrection.
We have thus the whole mystery-the
sacrament so to speak. of Christ the
goldman emphasized ard revealed in the
crucihxion and resurrection. Here we
have two great eXtremes-almost infinite
weakness and infinite strength-repre-
senring respectively the twofold nature
of Christ human and divine. Who but
God could have devised such an ingen-
lous plan, such a powerful object lesson
to show the infinite distance between the
creature and the creator. and thus to
teach man to know himself and to hum
BILE his inordinate pride
The speaker then unfolded the life of
Christ from the cradle of Bethlehem
and wildly portrayed the scenes of his
passion which eliminated in the cru
cffiXion, meanwhile giving a word picture
of the institution of his church on earth.
Who were the little army of twelve that |
he gathered around him to be the princes |
of his kingdom that was yet to be? Most |
of them poor, ignorant fishermen, picked |
up while mending nets on the shores of
Galilee. One was a tax gatherer, whose /
office was held in special adherence and (
contempt by the Jews. These We're the I
sole instruments chosen by him for the |
accomplishment Of his wide world scheme.
The speaker then drew vivid picture |
of the power of mighty Rome which was /
exercised to stihe the work of these poor /
fishermen in the establishment of the /
Christian church, and said:
The empire of Christ had not yet sup
planted the old pagan empire of Rome. |
Nevertheless the prophesy of Christ was /
Fastening on to fulfllment ST. Peter |
and Paul had already laid the founda-
tions of the new kingdom in the great
metropolis of the world and that king
dom soon gathered a multitude of ev- +
cry age, sex and condition of life and
AFTER q little while. found its way into
the imperial palace on the Palatine In
snort time 1t began to be whispered
ABOUT IN court circles that such and such
a one had Joined the new Christian sect
III at length old pagan Rome took the
alarm and challenged the church of
Christ TO a mortal duel. How unequal
seems the contest. The last earthly en-
pire is armed to the teeth.It brings to
bear against the Christians the greatest
power which perhaps ever assembled
me Church of Christ, poor despised.
calumniated and utterly destitute of
worldly power and revenue. comes forth
from rs hiding places in the earth to
meet this terrible all-conquering giant.
How could human wisdom even once
doubt of the issue9 Here was immense
strength arrayed against utter weakness.
however, the struggle began. Persecu-
uon, torture, Wholesale massacre were
the order of the day. The coliseum
drank deep Of Christian blood, and
mighty Rome puts forth all the strength
10 strangle the infant church of Christ
in its very cradle. The terrible struggle
lasted Tor nearly three centuries and
ended only when the sword of perse-
cution fell blunted from the hands of
Rome's merciless eXecutioners.
But how did it end and what was the
issue2 The old pagan giant came out of
the arena beaten. PROSTATE and half
dead, while the young Christian church
thus crucified, arose with full celestial
life and vigor from her crucifxion,
the capitol and planted the
cross on its summit
How true are the words of st. Paul
the weakness Of God is stronger than
men. What crucifxion and yet what
a resurrection
St Paups Church.
st. Paul's church was beautifully dec
GRATED yesterday morning and the Easter
music was very fine. The sermon was