The Savannah morning news., 1901-04-08
INDEPENDENT PRESBYTERIAN.
Sermon by Rev. DIR. Fair Was on The
Resurrection.

Services at the Independent Presbyter-
ian Church were conducted by the pas
tor, Rev. Dr. James Y. Fair, both morn
ing and night. At the morning service
the pastor preached upon the resurrec-
ton and the death that is but eternal
life.
Easter decorations were simple, but
tasteful At the foot of the imposing pull
pit were palms and lilies, while vases
filled with cut flowers were placed within
it. Lilies too, lifting their snowy heads
above the pulpit, shone pure and beauti-
full about the pastor. Clinging flowers de-
corated the stands of lights upon the pull
pit. Save for those at the pulpit, the
church was without decorations.
The special programme of Easter music
that had been arranged by the choir was
rendered with fine effect. At the morn
ing service the collection was for The
poor fund.- The text of the pastor, Rev.
DR.. Fair, was II Timothy 1911. Our Sa-
viour, Jesus Christ, hath abolished death
and brought life and immortality to light
through the gospel" In explaining the
singular and apparently paradoxical state
ment, he said a fact may remain, but its
meaning may become so changed that the
former idea 1t expressed may be abol-
ished. To the ancients the Pillars of
Hercules marked the limit of the known
and habitable world. There the sun went
down; there the day ended and night be-
gan and darkness reigned in its ehon
throne. The Pillars of Hercules became
to them the symbol of extinction and OBJ
livion. Those great rocks still stand, but
do they stand for the same idea? Their
former meaning has been totally abol-
ished. In the growth of knowledge men
found it was only a narrow strait be-
tween two great seas, the Atlantic, when
laves the shores of this new world ana
the Mediterranean, which laves the shores
of three continents.
so, before the revelation of the Cos
pei" said DR.. Fair, death seemed the
end but Christ shows it is not the end,
but only the beginning; not the sunset,
but the dawn; the narrow strait between
the stormy Atlantic of this life and the
tideless wave of the crystal sea, the con-
Meeting link between this old world of
sin and the new world wherein dwelleth
righteousness. How has He rendered this
certain? BY His own resurrection. A few
centuries ago it was believed the range
of vision from the shore of Europe was
the circumference of the world. Beyond
that mysterious line. an Arabic tradition
said Satan reached up his hand to clutch
those who Ventured tnere. 80. on tne olu
maps you see the figure of that CHASTITY
hand. Columbus did not believe it; he
sailed on until he found new world and
returned with trophies to give occular
demonstration. So Christ gives us not
only a verbal assurance of life beyond
the grave, but He rose from the grave,
furnishing the pledge and the type Of our
resurrection. Thus to the believer the
former meaning of death is abolished, its
sting taken away and it becomes a step
ping stone to a throne With faith IN
Christ we cross this mysterious line OF
death and find upon the great ocean of
infnity not a Satanic hand to drag us
down to darkness, but a Fathers hand,
tenderly stretched out to guide and well
come us, to wipe our tears away. to rec
tify all our mistakes and wanderings, and
on the other shore to fold us to His in
finite bosom at last"