Arizona republican., 1898-04-11

faith is also vain; we are yet in our sins" I Cor. 15:14.
 The doctrine of the resurrection ;s the Gibraltar of the Christian faith IL has withstood through all the agas inc attacks of its foes. It is the miracle of miracles. It is unnecessary for Christians to reply to bubbles about the details of their faith SO long as the fact stands that Jesus rose from the dead. For this reason it was that wherever the apostles went they preached only Jesus and the resur- rection." For that conceded, every thing else must be admitted.
 We adduce the following proofs of the resurrection of our Lord: First. the fact of His death-for one must surely die before there can be a resur- rection; (a) when our Lord bowed His head on the cross and cried 'It is finished" He did not fall into a stupor swoon or trance-but "He gave up the ghost" In the text He says of Himself 'I was dead" (b) His death was made certain beyond per adventure by the desd of the Roman soldier, who pierced the side of the crucified Christ with his spear and forthwith came there cut blood and water" which showed that the spear point pierced his hear, which itself would have caused instant death. Here it was a dead Christ that was laid in the tomb of Joseph of Ari- methea.
 Testimony of his resurrection men. "He is not here: He is risen 9 -1o,,ifar4od JJs-,co1f of ferent times to credible witnesses The women who came early to His sepulcher saw Him and talked with disciples. But their words seemed to them as idle tales and they believed them not" Uuke 24:1D. Then He showed Himself to His disciples, net as spectral manifestation as in a modern spiritualist seance, but giving infallible proof of His reality Ouke 24:39): Behold My hands and My feet that it is I Myself; handle Me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones as ye see Me have" To doubt ing Thomas He showed in His hands the marks of the nails, and his side the wound made by the spear; thus giving ocular and tangible evidence that it was the very same Christ who went down into the grave that stood thereafter alive among His disciples who also declare that 'He showed Himself openly to us who did eat and drink with Him after he rose from the dead" (Acts 10:4D. In testimony to these facts of their experience mere opinions, but facts-these dis ciples died the death of martyrs seal ing their testimony to facts, mark you with their blood.
 To these things may be added the triumph of the gospel, the esta blish- msnt of His church, it's wor, divide progress-all built on the reality of the Masters resurrection. "He is alive forevermore:" CD In his word :; (2) in the hearts of His followers by personal experience, as Paul said: T live. yet not I, but Christ liveth in me-" So in the Christian faith that is today vitalizing the world.
 Easter is a prophecy to the believer of his own immortality. Because I live, ye shall live also" This spiritual Samson on his strong shoulders has carried away forever the gates of the grave, so that the tomb is no longer a barred, closed prison house, but an open passageway to that deathless land to which our risen Christ has gone and where He reigns forever as Lord of the life, which is eternal.