The times., 1901-04-08

MaGdaIen and the DiscipieS-heS-
sons for Todny-Story of the saw
iour Risen Told the World over.
AT the Metropolitan Church yesterday
the Rev. Frank NJ Bristol spoke, taking
as his text ST John x:16: She turned her
self unto him and said Rabonai, which is
Master
President Mckinley occupied his pew
and was accompanied by Mrs. Garret
Hobart. Garret Hobart. jr., and Miss Bar
Der, who is a guest at the White House.
The church was beautifully decorated,
and the pastor preached from a pulpit
almost completely hidden by Easter lilies
and by palms
DIR. Bristol said in part:
In the celebration of Easter time the
tomb of death is hidden behind the flow
ers of hope. Thousands of children Of
man are brought together to celebrate the
power that brought Jesus from the grave
and will bring from the grave ali who
believe the gospel of the resurrection.
1t is the gospel that has triumphed all
over the world, and the promise of the
hour is that all tongues are TO acknowl-
edge Jesus in the years to come and cry
with Mary Magdalen 'Rabonai. About
that poor weeping woman have gathered
over the grave. on and on the crowd ap-
pears to stretch ever the hills and valleys
Of the earth until the multitude seems
limitless Countless millions seem to
hover in the air with wingIess fight and
in every tongue is Marys salutation to
her Lord. 'Rabonai.
The greatest power in the world is
that CONQUERED tomb. 1t is the power that
kindles human hope. and fires human
faith. 1t means the power of Christ to
wrest victory even from the grasp of
death. That yanquished tomb has been
transforming man and enlightening the
world for ages. and from it radiate the
influences which are Frightening exist
ence everywhere.
"On the morning when Mary went to
the tomb. she nor the disciples, nor any
human. knew the meaning of the empty
sepulchre. II was for others. higher in
the dispcnsation of the divine spirit, to
reveal the relation of the resurrection to
every life and to every home; TO say that
Jesus lives and that death can no more
appall us. There was not a heart that
understood, that first morning, the mean
ing of the resurrection. Now it is clear.
In the resurrection of Christ. we see the
resurrection of all men, and the flowers
to the tomhs OF all men. The songs we
sing are for Jesus and they are for our
own dear departed ones. The flowers We
bring remind us of our buried loves.
Mary Ma gdalet, with Mary, the mother
Of Christ. stood by the body when it was
suffering its las death agony, despite the
rough treatment they received from the
Roman soldiery. They were so near the
cross that they heard Christ's last word.
" hen the place was all deserted by the
rabble, and even the disciples had gone,
in the dying twilight we see the bowed
figure of Mary crouchiHg in the shadow
Of the tomb The Sabbath she spent in
preparing spices and unguents, and when
she went in the morning of the next day.
she found the tomb empty-and she fear
ed that his enemies had taken Christs body
and were inhicting upon il the last indig
mites. She did not know that he had
exercised his divine power and arisen
from the dead.
The disciples came and they were mys-
titled they feared. too. for as yet they
knew not the Scriptures. Mary returned
to the tomb. She was not satisfied. She
stood weeping for she felt that she had
been robbed Of her friend, and she wished
once more to minister to Christ As she
stood she looked into the tomb, and there
she saw the angels. John and Peter had
not seen them. II was given 10 this spirit
sengers, and it was given TO her TO be
the first mortal TO tell the Wondrous story
..The angels asked Mary a significant
question Woman, why weepest thou?
and she might have answered, L weep
because of death In all the ages that
question has been coming to the human
heart We weep because of death, be-
cause death has striken down loneliness.
The very angels Of heaven ask the ques-
ton, and We point TO the tomb in an
swer.
The whole world is one great cemetery.
Men and women sit weeping in the midst
OF graves. Mary answered to the angels,
They have taken away my Lord. and
know not where to find him Oh. IT Is
the mystery of the grave that taunts US.
Oh let US have some light on This ques-
tion. The whole philosophy OF the world;
every creed dogma. and theory ever pro-
bounded as a religion by thinker has been
made simply TO answer this fearful ques-
tion that every soul is continually asking.
Yet all speculations are vain, ana we must
know something mora than human Wis
dom can teach jrs before We can answer
these questions
But Mary. wh<n the Lord put to her
the question. Woman, why weepest thou,
as she met him going out of the garden,
did not know her Saviour There We're too
many tears IN her eyes, and X was only
when he called her, Mary, why weepest
thou that she knew him. Jesus comes
TO this world asking this question Of eF-
cry man and woman and the answer IS,
We weep for death, and we know not
the mystery Of IL.
AS Mary went forth she told the good
news to all she met. She could not keep
IL TO herself. for the meaning of the res
direction had become clear to her. She
went gladly telling everyone she met
that Jesus had risen from the dead. And
those 10 whom she told the good news.
told II in turn 10 others. ana thus the doc
trine OF the resurrection passed from
mouth 10 mouth. 1t grew by the COM
peliing power contained in itself, and that
made the breasts of those who heard OF
it swell and obliged them To go forth
and share it, as had Mary.
There Is a resurrection of the nation,
the people. and the world; We have gone
forth "a a nation and as people To tell
the world that Christ has risen. There
is today girdlc OF flowers around the
world, and a girdie Of song. In every
tongue and TO every race the doctrine Of
the resurrection is being preached, and
the comforts OF that doctrine are being
received. 1t is ans wering the question
Why weepest thou2 in all countries and
il is Wiping away all tears. The mas
ter OF death and the grave Is the master
Of the human heart. He who has con-
qucred the grave has conquered humani-
II. 1t is Christ and his resurrection that
have done this.
WITH ELABORATE CEREMONY.