The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-04-18
BY THE LAYING ON OF HANDS.
BISHOP NELSON CONFERRED THE
RITE OF CONFIRMATION UPON AZ.

Six mt 81. MIchaePs-The Bishop
CompIimented st. PauFs-Its Easter
Record Surpassed That OF Any
Church in the DiOcese-SermOn ON
EASTER Day" at Christ Church.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Cleland X. Nelson con-
ferred the rite of confirmation upon three
classes yesterday. One at Christ
Church, one at St. Michaels
Chapel and the third at ST.
Paurs. The confirmation at Christ
Church was held in the morning. The
class at st. Michaers was confirmed at 5
O'Clock in the afternoon, and that at st.
Paurs at 7;SO at night.
Bishop Nelson preached at the morning
service at Christ Church. and at night st
st. Paurs, and left for Atlanta immediate
~ after the service. Large congregations
heard him at both services.
At st. Pauls the congregation was de-
lighted with the comments the Bishop
made upon its record for the past year.
He said things that caused the hearts of
the members and the rector 10 glow with
pride. giving that church precedence over
all others in the state in the attendance
of it's communicates at the Easter sery-
ices. Bishop Nelson said he desired TO
express the qualification the growth of the
church had caused him, saying the num-
Der of confirmants had been large, and
there had been a spirit about the work
of the church from which the brightest
auguries may be drawn. He compliment
ed both the members and the rector, and
said the church seemed to have thrown
off some impeachment that had apparently
interfered with its progress. The excel
lent work of the church, as testified to
by the number confirmed this year and
the large number of communicates at the
Easter services, had been the best Easter
gift he had received.
The sermon followed the confirmation
rite which was conferred upon eighteen,
the same number confirmed In February
Eighteen were confirmed in the morning
at Christ Church. and St. Michaers, in
the afternoon. had six confrmants.
easter Day. was the subject of the
Bishops sermon at Christ Church 1t was
greatly enjoyed by the large congrega-
ton. The text was drawn from st. Matth-
ew, 1857 He is not here, for He Is ris-
en-, as He said. Come see the place where
the Lord lay, and go quickly and tell His
Disciples that He is risen from the dead"
The sermon began with an eloquent and
touching description of the resurrection,
the night upon which 1t occurred, the man
ner of its accomplishment and the coming
of the women 10 the sepulcher with spices
for the slain body of the Lord. THE res
direction of Jesus Christ" said Bishop
Nelson, lis, first of all, a fact which all
opposing sophistry and intricate investi-
cation of unbelief and moral obliquity has
failed to disprove. No theory of miracles,
doubt of unwonted occurrences, jibe of
skeptic explanation upon rational grounds
or contention about witnesses has ever
been able to shake the confidence Which
millions of sound and vigorous minds have
placed ip the fact
''HIe was dead; he is alive. The multi
tude of witnesses then and thereafter
numbering hundreds could never have
been deceived by a vision into believing
that He, whom they had known to have
been slain and buried and whom they had
never expected to see again, had actually
risen. Personal identity could not posi-
bly, have been erased in three days. Re-
moval by His disciples was out of the
question; but disinterment could not ex-
plain the fact that He, whom they had fol-
lowed, heard seen, touched, known by ev-
cry vehicle of information, was alive,
walking. speaking, acting, hearing seeing,
living. The insult is to the intelligence
which doubts the fact; He is risen.
The resurrection of Jesus Christ IS
the proof of redemption purchased for us.
Without it, our hope and expectation is
vain; without 1t, our sins still enclose lis
in a vain struggle to be free; without II,
Heaven is a picture in chalk, which ono
brush of a human arm can wipe out, one
tear drop can convert into a blot, childs
breath can sully. With IL, there comes to
the heart radiant assurances of bliss; sin
is a disease which can be healed: Heaven
Is a reality to be experienced in part here
in its fulness where Jesus is; peace and
Joy are conditions which no right of man
or devil can destroy, no darkest hour can
becloud, no tears can dim and the world
can never take away
The bishop said that the resurrection of
Jesus Christ is a pledge of spiritual power
in each one of us, who, by the means
offered US, gTasps and applies the might
which He manifested in His rising again
from the dead. We must humiliate self
to the point of relying upon strength
which is primarily external to us, but
which, by the acceptance of faith, then
by the gradual assimilation of His indy.
ing life, becomes personal and indivld>
ual strength; never independent, never
separated from its source. never even at
tempting TO grow without roots, our hui
man life develops after the pattern of the
Psalmists like a tree planted by the
water side, which bringeth forth fruit in
the season: it's leaves also shall not
wlther, and whatsoever he doeth, 1t shan
prosper."
1.-THE resurrection of Jesus Christ" said
the Bishop, "ls the warrant of our own
future resurrection. No human being is
beyond the reach of that life 10 quicken
and vitallze him. Except blasphemy
against the Holy Ghost, the sin has not
been committed which separates man
from God If the desire of the soul for
share in His life be expressed in peni-
tence, faith and obedience. Nay, though
Pelius be piled upon Ossa and Ossa upon
Olympus in your pride. and though your
own wilful transgressions have been adj
ded TO inherited corruption, ancestral ten
denotes and inherited sin germs: though
we may have purposely avoided every dis
position or suggestion Of truth; though In
the midst of the labyrinth of self deceit,
of cherished habits of vice of boosted SUI
premacy over our own wills and Of even