The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-16


Dr. Hathaway & Co,
25A Bryan street. Savannah Ga
softenng power they exert over all
hearts, We enter the quiet cemetery and
approach the spot where rest the remains
Of a cherished friend, a beloved mother,
a venerated father. Silence reigns. Pen
sive we bend over the cold marble and
trace the moss grown annals of the
dead Our tears water the flowers which
bloom above the precious dust Still
silence reigns. A soft enchantment is
upon us. We inger; we look; we weep.
Men make long journeys TO the tombs
of the great, the noble and the good
The patriot loves to visit the tomb of
Washington, and there rekindles as on a
holy altar the flame of devotion to his
country. / wen remember the first time
that it was my privilege to stand before
that sacred shrine. And there is a touch
ing and beautiful incident connected with
the Visit which | may appropria tely men
ton here. Within the plain brick vault
that encloses the stone sarcophagi of
George and Martha Washington, against
the rear wall, is a simple white marble
slab upon which are inscribed those thrill
ing words of the Savior: I am the resur-
rection and the life; he that beleveth in
Me, though he We're dead, yet shall he
live Upon that tablet, within the vault
and Immediately beneath the word life
built it's nest, and was setting on it,
There in the very abode of death, she
would rear her young, and on some bright
summer morning would lead them forth
to soar and sing in the free air l
could not but think what a striking i'm
age it was of the Divine spirit that was
lowering over che place. until on the res
direction morning the sacred dust, reani-
mated should come forth and mount to
heaven!
1T is not, however, to the grave of
Father of his country that you are in
vted, but to that of the Savior of the
world. Come see the place where he had
lay You shall find the sepulchre open
and empty. Jesus has been there, but is
not there now. A shining angel occupies
the place and tells us: He is not here,
for He is risen as He said We will not
doubt the celestial witness. You will not
require me to rehearse the proofs of our
Lords resurrection l should as soon
think of undertaking to prove to you that
the sun arose this morning, as that Christ
arose from the dead Assuming his ris-
ing as an indisputable and glorious fact,
let us, with glad hearts, ponder some of
the lessons which it teaches The empty
sepulchre proves our Lords divinity
According to the cogent reasoning of
st. Paul, If Christ had not risen, the in
evitabe conclusion would have been that
He was not the Messiah and that His re-
failed TO notice the prominence which the
apostles gave to the resurrection of their
Master. The emphatic and distinctive
burden of their preaching was Jesus and
the Resurrec ton A denied doctrine, yet
emblazoned on the banner beneath which
they marched and they triumphed! Their
thoughts glowed like lightning, and their
words burned like fire. Rome fell before
them The eagle bowed to the cross! The
tomb of Jesus instead of burying The hopes
of men, had scarcely covered the holy
seed before 1t sprang up and became
tree of life, whose branches spread over
every land.
"A second lesson taught by the empty
sepulchre is the completeness of the state
ment Without His resurrection Christ's
sacrifice for sin had not been perfected on
the cross. He proclaimed in ear of his
Father the completeness of His great
work. Tt is finished And his rising from
the dead may be regarded the authori-
tative response of the everlasting Father:
1T is fnishedr Easter is Lords amen, and
| the hallelujah of humanity
The vacant, open sepulchre of Jesus de-
| cares His victory over death. Death is
| henceforth a conquered enemy. Quietly the
| form of Jesus reposes upon it's stony
| couch. Deaths leaden scepter lies across
|. His breast. My soul hope thou in Lord
The first day of the week dawns. An angel
descends from heaven and rolls away the
| great stone from the mouth of the tomb
! Presently the body stirs. Of his own Volt
ton the dead Christ rises, and laying aside
| the garment of the grave, steps oGt upon
| the dewy ground.
He rose He rose! He burst the bonds
| of death, and triumphed Ger the gravew
| The glorious Captain OF Salvation met
! mortality, worsted the foe IN his chosen
| territory, drew the poison from his dart
! bound him in chains, dragged him from
! his stronghold. The banner of life waved
/ ,s4 81 #
! the stars angelic voices shouted Christ
| hath abolished death, and brought life
! and immortality to light!' That empty
! tomb in the rock is the Therm1pylae of
| the moral universe. How fun of meaning
/ Is it's very emptiness. What joy for us in
| those women's tears! All our dearest in
terests are involved in the truth: He is
| not here. He is risen" as lie said: THE
! Savior's empty sepuChre is token and
! pledge of the resurrection of the human
! dead" Christs resurrection was an event
not merely personal to Himself; It was an
| official associated act He became the
first fruits of them that slept" There are
! many of us who feel that we have a
/ quarrel with the grave. 1t has swallowed
| up those we loved. The Venerated are
| there. There sleep lug infancy. and
/ prattling childhood. There mouder beau
! tvs form and mar DDS promise But
| they are not lost TO US forever our Gene
| teries are Gods conserVatories! Youder
! heavens shall at length open, and earths
! atmosphere shall thrill with issuing i'm
! mortality, as conscious of the quickening
! presence If their Lord, "the jewellers in
| the dust shall awake and sing" What an
awakening that will be! Who can describe
! it's wonders?
! / saw the Confederate Veterans at their
Reunion in our city last autumn. and
| watched the sadly thinned lines as they
marched by with tattered uniforms and
] battle-staincd flags Hearts throbbed and
1 eyes flashed or wept as the heroes of
| lost, but beloved cause, went proudly by
| But what must be the sight ia heaven
when high ana low rich ana poor sweep
As In one grand column, bearing palms OF
victory-victory over sin. victory over
| death victory over hell ana the gravel
| see the glad procession coming up / see
| weight OF iunirmity, but renewed with i'm
| ra-LlaI .-l.nL-au lEan.. ~ f..LIDnoa. 49,