The herald., 1896-04-06
At St. Join's Episcopal

Very tasteful and elaborate floral deco
rasions beautitied St. Johns Episcopal
church, at which there were no less than
five services yesterday. Some 10000 roses
were used in the decorations. The music
was also of an especially attractive and
appropriate character. and additional in
terest was vested in this, in that much Of
it at the morning service was the compost
ton of the organist and choirmaster, Fred
erick Stevenson. The Right Reverend, the
bishop of Los Angeles, paid his first visit
to the church and preached at the morn
ing service. also giving an address to the
children at the service in the afternoon.
In tn morning DR.. johnson took for his
subjec the resurrection, life of Christ,
dwelling mainly on his appearance to
Mary Magdalene. Ihe bishop has calm
yet most forcible manner of address, and
his sermon was full of both interest and
instruction. He pointed out the constant
surprises to the earnest student of divine
things. The bible is inexhaustible, and
fresh truths are always to be discovered
and deduced even from the familiar events
recorded. The vision of the risen Lord is
only for those who are prepared for it,
The resurrection may be imperfect in his
tory, but it is perfect in revelation. After
his resurrection our Lord had essentially
the same body in which He had suffered.
This body, however. was not limited by
the old conditions. There was the familiar
tone in His voice, and His identity when
he chose to disclose it was umistaka able.
He is revealed to those that love Him
much; Mary loved Him much; to
her, therefore. He first made him
self known. But there was to be the
revelation of that which was before undis.
covered in him; he was transfigured; he
was no longer hampered by physical and
material restraints; the old acquaintance
could only be renewed by those who were
prepared for the change. Why did not
Mary recognize him? Our Lord found her
mourning for him as dead. She was intent
upon her grief. She was looking for q
dead body. Mary's misconception blinds
many an eye, and many are still ''building
the tomb of Christ" We are often too in
tent thinking of the past to rise to the op-
portunities and privileges of the present.
Her second mistake was that when she saw
that Jesus stood before her she Immediately
assumed that he had come back to her In
the old relationship. She therefore calls
merely human relationship. So men
often speak of Christ in the present day
they cling TOO tenaciOusly to human meth.
ods and traditional usages. They have q
high regard for his work and civilization
they hold him in high estimation as q mas.
ter. But Christ wanted Mary and all who
think of him as Raboni to think of him az
a savior who has to ascend as mediator
to the right hand of the Father. Christ's
life is ever q fresh life, and the spirit oi
God is leading us into new things every
day. The mistake WAS that of accepting
the partial for the complete. Christ ten
derly goes out to willing souls with q de
sire to lead them step by step. into the
highest truth. The risen Lord gently guild
ing the devoted Mary is the aspect of Christ
that will prove very helpful to every earn
est soul ON Easter day.