Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1898-04-11

Religious News.
The Easter services at st. Matthews
church yesterday We're particularly elab-
crate and impressive. The church was
beautifully decorated with potted plants,
palms and flowers. A feature of the ser
vice yesterday morning at hadf-past ten
clock was the music. The rector. Rev.
\. S Thomas. preached a sermon on
Resurrection of the Body which was
distinguished for its clearness of thought
and beauty of expression The discourse
appropriate 10 Fsastertide and was
strong presentation of the doctrines of
resurrection and immortality. The ser
mon is given in full and will doubtless be
read with interest by many people. II is
follows:
l. Cor XV-95.-" But some men Will
say, how are the dead raised up, and with
what body do they Gomez?
The great theme of the earliest apollo
gists was a defense of the Resurrection
of the dead, principally, perhaps, because
it was the citadel of the Christian faith,
but largely, too, because it was the CEN
trail point against which the shafts of in
teligent skepticism We're launched.N
You remember the situation at re-
fined and cultured Athens proud of her
sages and philosophers when Paul preach
ed his famous sermon on Mars hill-hoW
the Stoics and the Epicureans were in
terested listeners to his discourse so long
az the Apostle confined himself to the
philosophical problem of the nature and
character of God but as ST. Luke tells
US, when Paul. in the development of his
theme, spoke of the resurrection of the
dead. some mocked and others said we
will hear thee again of this matter And
this was the browning obstacle all along
the line. Pagan monographs, many and
bitter. were written attacking this new
and absurd doctrine of the resurrection,
and these in turn called out replies from
the teachers. which live to this day as
examples of strong thinking and sweet
charity. remarkable in any age. particu
larly in the infant days Of the Church.
Of those which have come down to us. I
might mention the apologies Of Quadra-
tus and Arstides addressed to the En-
peror Hadrian when he was admitted to
the Eleusirian myst cries at Athens.
1T would be an interesting study to
trace an outline Of these apologies III or
der to see how the subtle logic of men
trained in all the philosophy Of the
schools. but this is not the purpose of
my MISREPRESENTATION would ] have you
turn to the words of inspiration and CLEAN
from them in so far as we are able with
our clouded visions. the answer TO the
Hypothetical question which Paul pro-
ponds.
'srhe famous 18th chapter of Paul's
first letter to the people of Corinth is
concerned with the doctrine of the Res
direction and hence d portion of it is
fttingly read in our burial Offices. The
first nineteen verses are omitted inasmuch
as they are more Apologize than explain
afory In them Paul is giving his reas-
onS for his belief in the Resurrection
which may be summed up in a word, and
that is. evidence-the evidence Of the
great 10 days between Easter and Assem-
SION During that period Paul tells US
that the Risen Lord. who was foretold in
the scriptures was seen of Cephus," then
of the twelve.
after that He was seen Of above 800
brethren at once; of whom the greater
part remains unto the present TO bear
witness to the fact. but some are fallen
asleep After that he was seen Of James
and Their of all the Apostles, and last Of
all, he was seen OF me also. as one born
out of due time On this direct and I'M
nistakable evidence which the Corin
thians could test for Themselves Paul
bases his belief and the reason - kis
preaching which preaching he tells US
would be vain if Christ were not risen.
There in the beautiful lesson of our
burial office the apostle proceeds to ex-
plain the needs and manner Of our own
resurrection closing up with an eNhorta-
ton to his brethren TO awake to right
eousness and sin not that they may arise
with Jesus and not With Satan. With
this the discussion as to whether the dead
arise is closed The apostle moves on
to consider the nature of the resurrection
bodies for as he says, some, in order TO
discredGt belief in the fact of the Resur-
rectiom will say, as many are saying,
how are the dead raised up, and with
what kind of body do they Gomez
These two questions which comprise
our text this morning. Paul can not. or at
least does not, answer, except IN general
terms. The first is beyond his ken and
Vet he relieves the antecedent improbable
ity. which attaches itself TO this miracle,
by suggesting an analogy in nature-the
analogy of vegetable growth. If it be
that death is the condition of new life
in nature that man is foolish who Will
saw the same is improbable in spirit.
ITO his second question. Paul is expIic-
it. He clearly tells us that as in nature
God has given the seed body as 1t hath
pleased Him. a body which differs from
another body and which is raised differ
emit from what it was. so is 1t with the
resurrection of the dead FOR 1t is sown
III dishonor: 1t is raised in glory; it is
s,wn a natural body: il is raised spirit
uaf body / say Paul is explicit, for he
clearly marks the distinction between
mans neutral body and his resurrection
body-which he denominates as spiritual.
And yet he by no means attempts to eX-
plain what the natural body is for to do
so he would have to solve the great
question of science-'what is hfe?-nor
does he attempt 10 show wherein the nat
uraa body differs from the spiritual. nor
even to declare whether that spiritual
body he material, for his contrast It not
between matter and spirit, as though