The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-04-11

may De mistaken aDOut q tneOreOcoI
manifestation. but not about q sensible
one. His friends did not steal his body
because none of them believed he would
live again. His enemies did not steai
II, else they would have presented IL
and thus have sealed forever the con
troversy. The institution of the Lords
day for the Sabbath day. a day to be
differently observed and for q separate
purpose. proves the resurrection. Could
there be a national holiday. a Fourth OF
July. had there not been q national
birthday. q first significant Fourth Of
July? The Lords Supper could never
rave been as 1t Is but for the resurrec-
ton. Baptism. which symbolises His
death, burial and resurrection. Ii . tes-
timony Of monumental nature OF un-
question authority. Judas. that knew
Him, said: II have betrayed innocent
blood" Friends. enemies, Christians.
infdeIs. all bear testimony to the resur-
rection, and. as we trust in II. we. too,
will be resurrected.
''Oh, glorious resurrection morn,
Blest emblem of eternity.
No longer need the race to mourn.
1t is the heir of Immortality"
81. ohm Church.
At st. Johns Episcopal church there
were special Easter services both morn
ing n evening. The decorations.
which consisted entirely Of Easter lilies
arranged in clusters inside sanctuary
and choir. were in good taste; the musi-
cal programmes were especially pre-
pared for the day. and the Rev. Mr..
Blackiston preached two strong SER
mons on the epoch the day commemor-
ates. For the morning service Mr..
Blackiston took for his subject The
Stone Rolled Away" taking his text
from st. Marx. 1873, who shall roll
us away the ton from the door of
the sepulchre?" In part he said:
1T was a natural question for the
women who were approaching the
~sepulchre of our Lord on the first East
err to have discussed among themselves.
They knew hat q stone OF large di-
mansions had been placed at the door.
too large. perhaps, for their combined
strength to move away: and 1t u
be moved. or else their visit to h tomb
would be in vain: you know they had
brought sweet spices TO 'annoint' His
body. What would they do IL they
were unable to roll away the stone?'
There could be no other subject thought
of as more likely to have engaged their
thoughts at this time. 1t was a mat
ter Of supreme concern to them. They
went on as they talked. trusting. most
likely to chance, that some man or men
might be stirring about the ~neighbor-
hood. and II so they could get assist
ance from them. However. as we know.
they did not need the help of man. for
when they looked they saw hat the
stone was rolled away 1t Is very great.
st. Matthew records who did IL. for the
angel of the Lord descended from heav-
en- and rolled back the stone from the
door, II those women had a clear APP
probation Of the person of Jesus and a
more profound understanding of His
words, they would not ave zone to the
tomb that morning in expectation of
finding His body there. but in expecta-
ton of seeing some strange event: they
would have been thinking of His words,
Destroy this temple. and in three days
I will raise it up again. While we
don't blame them for not remember
ing His words at the time, yet from u
vantage ground the words are easily
understood.
I'VE do not only refuse to attach
blame to their short memories or dark
enc minds. but we go far enough the
other way to affirm the naturalness of
their conversation and the reasonable
ness of their fear that the stone would
be too much for them to roll away.
Perhaps 1t is the strangeness of the
miracle and Christ's resurrection. the
seeming unnaturalness of the event.
that causes doubt in the minds of some
and makes them continue to ask Who
will roll away the stone?' For the
hear of mar raw knowledge on the
matter. Is there life after death? 1t
is a question hat will not down: every
body wants to know. n ears are wide
open to hear what may be said On the
subject. j repeat what / said a while
ago, man never has rolled away the
stone. but God has. He sent His angel
to roll II away from the sepulchre I'm
which Christ's body lay. and Christ
rose from the dead That is the great
est, and to Inc. al all sufficient reason
for believing in the resurrection
ITO have any doubt of the resur-
ing on all the while. 1t Is refusing to
believe what we see. Every new blade
of grass. every springtime bringing
forth a greater variety OF new life al
most certainly OF the resurrection.
No one attributes the new dress in
which earth clothes itself at or about
Easter time as being a new creation:
but all know that II In the natural rfs-
ing of life from things which were dead.
They do not know we'll the hand that
rolls away the stone from the sepul-
chre, wherein there Is life to come forth.
Death they see, and the new life is self
evident. these things being common
property. Why. then. should 1t be
thought incredible that God should
raise the DEAD.
when the reference is to man, sure
ly man is the best live thing on earth.
me of infinitely more value than other
things about him. He himself prizes
his life, and makes IL a heinous crime
for one to take the life of another: and
will even put a vicious beast to death
that harms a man. though Il knows not
what IL does. II man is the best and
most valuable of things living, by what
nu-A ~ raaaOrsoI 10 uva .,sx. - 49,
conclusion that he is not the best dead
thing, or the best thing among the
dead things, which conclusion IL drawn
when we doubt His resurrection to a
new life. This resurrection was for
us. 1t was the rolling away of the
stone that shuts up the grave. 1t was
opening up a magnificent view of the
future. II was showing a marvellous
place of honor. open to all who rise with
Christ and seek those things which are
above where Christ sits on the right
hand of God. Set your affections on
thfnHs o1ovo aud rat In thto., - +lz