The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-08-18

They were 'earthly, sensual, devilsh." Surely no COM
mon or ordinary power was required to renew and regene-
rate such a world as this. Nothing short OF a divine pow
or and revelation could do it. And that was furnished by
the resurrection of Christ. He is rlsen-that broke
through sin-hardened souls gave new thoughts, new hopes.
That message made a new world, a new society, a Purltled
and heightened moraity-a regenerated humanity. mat
began the great task of giving us a new earth IN winch
should dwell righteousness. Chrlsts resurrection, then, at
its first proclamation, had power to change lie, to mold 1t
and to perfect it. Has it lost that power: has II no
longer a message for men? Or do we not needit? DO
we no longer need anything to lift us up to God? to
make real and close to us the unseen? to enable us to
see Him Who is invisible? Is not the resurrection OF
Christ, for all time, and in all ages, the great manifestation
and revelation of God-His power, His'existence !? And
nothing so strong has God ever given mankind to enable 1t
to look beyond the things that are seen to the things that are
not seen, but are eternal. The great power and inspiration
for faith in God, for a devout and spiritual lfe-that the
resurrection ought to be to us.
But again, has Christ's resurrection still power to tree
men from sin, and to guard and protect them against temp
tation 1t has, as being the issuance OF our immortality.
That which our race had guessed at, had some times hoped
for, and often ~despaired OF, personal immortality beyond the
grave-this is made certain to us in Chrsts rising. Man
IS mortal and in the light and hope of Christs rising we
learn that he is immortal too. What a call this to make our
lives what they should be Shall | I'M ure or impair this
unending existence ; make it a curse to itself now, and
hereafter? Should not that life which never ends be very
true, and very pure? Has Christ, the Son OF man, the
great type and representative OF OW dCe-ldo 1
brought life and Immortality to light, and shall l lie down
in sin Shall | take that gift and blessing OF amending
life and turn it into a curse, makingit an unendlng woe, be-
cause l give way to sin? Has Christ is~en-trlumphant
lv, gloriously, and yet you are shining poisoning this gilt
of immortal life? making IT. bitter ana terrible thlhS luis
blessing and gift of God?
But again, not only does Christs rising make us sure
of Immortality, but much more than this, 1t makes GER
tain to US the resurrection Of our bodies. Now If the
thought of personal Immortality should shield us from SIN,
much more that of the resurrection of the body. The
world had often dreamed of immortality, the soul sur
viving, it had never dared hope for the resurrection OF the
BODY. It is Christ alone Who has proven to US the res
direction of the body. Our bodies destlnedto survive and
live on forever!-how that should save us from sin! These
bodies of ours, how often the tool and instrument OF our
sinful thoughts-how often stained and impaired by lust
and indulgence!-and yet they are to live forever. we
will not exist in the future as disembodied spirits, but we
will have a body, and that which we will have Will be the
outcome and product, and growth and result OF our bodies
here on this earth. How terrible then is sin against the
BODY. An ancient philosopher thanked God that ne was
not tied to an immortal body. In the light of Christs res
direction, we face the fact that we are tied to an lmmorta
body; one which we should keep pure and good, and like
unto Christ's glorious Body. .
One last thought: We are told that las in Adam al
die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive -Aoam
the great type and representative of disobedience and death
Christ Of obedience and life. Adam was overcome by SIN,
disobeyed, and died Christ overcame sin, obeyed, anc
lived. And Christ accomplished this, not instead OF us
but that we after Him might also do it. He dies to SIT
that the power of His life to do this might be impaired tc
US. For that reason He became Man-that the power by
Which He conquered sin and rose again might be ours
If Christs life does not mean that to us it is an isolated
event in which we have no interest. Its power must be ours
it's power over sin its obedience, and SO its life. And sc
Easter presents to US one of our race-the Son OF man
Who was sinless; and because sinless, could not be holder
of death. That is the hope and message, then, OF this day
One has lived a sinless life. St. Paul says: THAT we
may know the power of His resurrection" That is the
power of His resurrection for us-a sinless life, that Its
power, its hope, its encouragement to US today One
a true member of our race has lived without sin. Let u:
know in ourselves the power of his resurrection.