The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1900-04-20
EASTER SERVICES.
The First Methodist Church and
the Episcopal Church. Beauti-
fully Decorated With Lovely
Flowers and EverGrecnS.

ist Church was literally covered with
beautiful flowers, geraniums, ferns. lilies
and evergreens, artiStically arranged, in
a manner most pleasing to the eye. The
organ also received liberal attention
from the decorators aud number Of
flowers, evergreens, ETC., were arranged
along it's top in an attractive style.
Morning services, appropriate TO the
occasion were conducted by Rev. Mr..
Mas,ab3a who took for hi, text the 2O;h
verse of the 10Th chapter oc 1St Corin-
thians. ''BIt now is Christ risen from
the dead and become the first fruits of
them that slept" Mr.. Massabcau's ser
mon was mastery effort, and was
favorably commented upon by number
of those present. lie said that Paul ha
received information that there had been
contention among the members Of the
church Of Corinth, some Claiming that
the resurrection of Jesus Christ had no
significance OF the resurrection OF all mcu.
Ard recognizing that the evil OF such
contention would likely cause much
trouble and discorl in the church, Paul
wrote this letter, one of the most conv n =
ing and powerful from the Pen of this
inspired writer, in which he sets forth
the fact that resurrection after delsh-
"a illustrated in the resurrection of Christ
is the plan Of God, the Creator, in
such an ineligible and unmistaka6.s
manner, as to convince the mo. skepti1-
al. In proof of the fact that Christ Lin.
self had risen, after being crucitied and
buried, he showed from scripture that
Christ was seen fist by Muy M,gd dine,
afterwards by Cephas, then of the twelve,
Afterwards by over five hundred brethren
at once, of whom the greater number
were still alive after that he was seen of
james then by all thr Apostles, and ,st
by m" (Paul) who claimed 10 b. the least
of all the Apostles because he had pGrSe-
cutcd the church of God. Paul said that
If Christ bc not risen then their preach
ing was vain and our faith vain also, AID
the preachers were false witnesses Of
God, and all that have fallen asleep in
Christ are perishCd, that il in this life
only we have hope in Christ we are of
all men the most miserable.
Mr.. MaSSabeau said that when we lly
our loved ones to rest in the city OF the
dead, we should not allow our glief to
overcome us, but we should rather look
forward to the harVest-tha resurrection
when they will be surely raised up
again, illustrating, he said: Should we gD
60 farmel'S s home just after he hi
planted his Seel for the next crop, we
should find him in Grape and mourning
with all Of his household, and should
ask him what was the meaning OF This
mourning and sadness, and he replied that
he had selected his best grain from his
last crop, and carefully cared for it all
through the winter months, and had
just planted it in the ground and was
mOurning over its loss. We would natur-
ally think he was not familiar with the
laws of nature, that requires that esch
Iced shall die unto Itself to bring forth
ike seed for the harvest. The grave
yards and cemeteries, said he, was Gods
farms, from which lie would bling forth
His harvest of bodies incorruptiOie, sown
natural bodies, raised Up spiritual bodies
lie said writer had aptly expressed it
when he called the cemetery Gods acre.
With true Christian faith said he in the
final resurrection and reunion, we could
feel that our dead loved ones were ever
with us in the spiritual body, and We be-
ieve they are. Have you, dear reader,
who have lost a dear loved one, never
felt sudden claim, pleasant, or happy
feeling come over you, in some hour
when your thoughts were centered upon
the dear face and form that used to be,
and you picture in your mind the Incl
dents in the life of that loved one gone
out of your home, mayhap many years,
out in these moments of meditation how
vivid the picture, how well you remem-
Der the voice, forever huShed to you now.
how familiar the footsteps. Maybe il
was dear little child. whom you could
hardly give up, then you hear the pratt
ling little feet, you feel it3 little arms
around your neck once more, but it is
not there, and the little shoes are stil
treasured, and the tall chair that used
To sit ut the table is Eow put away, and
your heart almost breaks anew when YOU
again remember that you have planted
this loved one in Gods Acre, then may
be a sudden calm comes over you, the
tears cease to flow, the choakiny sensa-
ton is gone, the burden of grief seems
To have been mvste;iouS,y lifted from
yOu. Have you ever experienced this ?
Tben you have, We think, had yoar loved
one again with you in the spiritual body,
mlniSteriGg unto you iii your hour of
grief.
Mr.. Massabeau used another iliustra-
tion in the rapid maturing of one among
many seed sOwn, as an indication of
What the other seed of the same kind
would bring forth, to show that Christ
resurrection from the dead was an illus
tration of the fact that all other bodies
would also be raised up. In conclusion
he repeated touching poem, looking to
the meeting over there, of the father
with the son who had gone before. This
father felt the spiritual boly of the sou
lowering around him, hut when he would
look he was not there"
AT THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH.
The usual Easter afternoon service
was held in the church Of the Nativity