The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-04-12
DR.. TUDOR AT HIS BEST.
Stirring Easter Service ut Centenary
Methodist Church.

II Is agreed by the congregation Of
Centenary VI. II. church that a more in
spring service was never held In that
church that of Sunday evening The con-
gregation itself was an inspiration. for
the building was packed with mass Of
people. all OF whom seemed to have
caught the true spirit OF Easter. No man
could have stood before that magnihcence
audience without being put upon his
mettle, and DR.. Tudor was at his best.
The basis Of the discourse was the in
cident related in the last chapter Of St.
Luke's gospel, in which the two disciples
who jOurneyed TO Emmaus We're Joined on
the way by a stranger who conversed
with them relative 20 the stirring Incl
dents OF the past few days. and who
turned out to be none other than the
Lord himself risen from the dead. did
not our heart burnlwithin Us. said they.
while he talked with us by the way and
while he opened 10 US the Scriptures
The gospel IS IN soul-stirring topic.
was the opening sentence Of the sermon.
and Or. Tudor then proceeded in his
eloquent way 10 speak Of the "oratory
OF the Bible" declaring that it was sufii-
cient of itself TO stir mems souls and
make their hearts 20 burn within them.
II was not the presence Of Christ, nor
the el0quencc Of his words. but the force
ful presentation by him Of the truths OF
the Bible That had fascinated the dis
ciples on their way
Then came a burst OF oratory from the
preacher pointing all who would have
their hearts stirred TO the inspiring
themes treated i'm the Bible-peace and
love and mercy and forgiveness and
purity and holiness and everlasting life
At this point the listener naturally in
ferred that the whole sermon was 10 be
one outburst of elOQuence. for was not
the theme inspiring, and was not the
preacher with such a theme and with
such an audience equal to any Of the
demands Of OratOry2
But the Oratory was all in the intro
duction. and instead OF an Grafton the
audience was treated TO a masterful dis
course on the spirit life. a discourse
showing profound thought. wide re-
search and perfect knowledge. so far as
the human knowledge goes Of the sub
jet.
The conclusion was that there Is no
satisfactory grasp by the human intel
lect Of any definition that has ever been
given to a disembOdied spirit. IL Is. de-
clared he with all that has been said
OF IL at best, but a negation. a nothing
ness. The only satisfactory explanation
IS I'm the resurrection. the resurrection
OF life. the resurrection Of Identity
with the resurrection OF Christ from the
dead 20 Is all plain 20 the Christian. That
is the philosophy OF Easter. and the
keynote OF Easter is victory Victory
over death. Death whipped In the arena
Of his triumph
Mind you. there IS no attempt here 10
make a synopsis OF that grand sermon.
but simply 10 describe H. and in contin-
uation OF the description OF the sermon
let IL be said. that scarcely had the
word victory died upon the lips OF the
speaker, when the subject was taken up
by the choir and there was a grand
sermon In music. the theme being Now
is Christ risen from the dead" This
really dramatic composition was follow
ed by the "Halleluiah Chorus" and at
the end the congregation was so enthus-
cd that n somebody had started Il. there
would have been an old fashioned Meth
odist shouting time.