Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-10
(Por the DlspatchD

Qfor the Dispatch)
According 10 the most authentic his
| tory, in the beginning God said: Let
there be light And there was light, and
the evening and the morning were the
first day. y long time after on that first
day, which we identify as Sunday, named
from the spring and source OF light
when moral and intellectual darkness
| covered the earth and gross darkness
the people another divine order went
forth: Let God arise, ana let Ills enemies
be scattered. Let them also that hate
Him flee before Him. And an old pro-
phecy was turned into glorious pro-
clamation: Lift up your heads, O, we
gates, and be yc lifted up. We everlasting
doors, and the King OF Glory shall ccme
in. The Kingdom Of Heaven was at
hand, and the joyous call went abroad:
arise, shine, for the light is come" I'm
mortality brought 10 light. Christ came
forth from the tomb, and made real the
world beyond. The dark veil was rent
from top to bottom, and Heaven was
opened to all worshippers. Now that the
knowledge OF the Lord has covered the
earth, as the waters cover the sea, and
light has flooded it. When His word is
published TO all peoples and nations, and
in every language and tongue, i'm the
midst Of a season Of new life, that breaks
forth and glitters in earth and air and
sky, all Chnstendom celebrates the be-
ginning Of its great final triumph. Truth
is springing up out of the earth, and
righteousness is coming down from
Heaven. Life and Immortality have been
brought to light by the Gospel. The spirit
has been poured out from on high. The
Tabernacle OF God has been established
among men. All the civilized world cries
aloud Christ is risen; Christ is risen.
indeed"
What fact Of history IS so fixed and
established as the resurrection from the
dead OF Jesus Christ? ON it the civili
cation Of the world rests. From it all
modern history begins, as towards it all
ancient history tends. The birth and
death of Christ. as a lasting monument,
marks the point in the course of time
when humanity passed out of darkness
into light; when ignorance, depravity, and
the dominion Of death gave way TO the
'noYus ordo saectOrum"-the new chro-
nology. And the new order Of ages is
acknowledged on every written document
and record that now men put forth. The
dating of every document asserts a great
fact. or approves a falsehood. The COM
monest business Of daily life aclnow-
lodges Christian truth. and that truth is
that Jesus Christ. the divine ideal man,
was born; lived a pure and holy life;
was crucifed. dead, and buried; and that
lie arose from the dead. and i'm His per-
son. by His triumph over the grave es-
tablished the testimony and assurance of
life everlasting TO all who die believing
in Him.
The enightening and viyifying effects
on the earth and all that live on it; of
the sun I'm the heavens are not more
positive and irresistible facts than are
the influences on all humanity and the
life-giving inspirations that proceed from
the Sun Of Righteousness, who has risen
and scattered the healing beams of HIS
light; whose wonderful resurrection the
Christian world rejOices this day to com
memOratc.
II is lamentably true that all inteli-
gent men are not Christians; but IL is an
unquestioned fact that the entire civil
lzed world does homage 20 Jesus Christ
and avows itself Christian. and rcscuts
being called by any other name. And
while Christians differ i'm many points OF
doctrine. I'm one thing they are of one ac-
cord and one mind. This is the divine
character and life and offices of Jesus
Christ. whose resurrection onthrones Him
Lord of all.