The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1902-03-31
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so lrretrievabIy lost He had been cor
demned 10 death by the chief pEests an
rulers of the Church. II was this tina
I caused His scattered disciples to lamen
and TO feel that their trust that II
should have redeemed Israel had been
vain trust. while all around the world
and the Church that was imbued Wit
the spirit OF the world. rejoiced to be ri
of One who had been its uncompromisin
enemy.
Such we may be sure was the publ.
sentiment in Jerusalem on the Sabbatl
day that followed the day of the Cru
cifixion. From the worlds point of view
the cause of Christ was crushed utterly
But the worlds view Is superficial How
came IL that in that hour two of tn
Sanhedrim had the courage to attend {,
Burial of the Crucifed. Faithful womel
too had stood beside the cross, anf
watched the entombment until tbs
stone was rolled up against the door
of the sepulcher and then went home Il
prepare spices and ointments for the EN-.
balming of the Body. But faithful though
they We're to His memory they were un
able TO realize that He had foretod al
that had happened. and so to feel and
| know that surely as He had been
slain surely would He rise on the
third day. OF this in that hour of bitter
| grief not one seems to have had any
| anticipation The only person, who seems
| 10 nave tnOuSnt IL possible was B1late.
| AT least there seems an irony in his
words TO the priests and Pharisees. I'VE
| have a watch. go your way make IL as
! sure as We can" As IL he had some
| strange foreboding that the watch and the
| seal would be in vain.
But hopeless as IL seemed to the scat
tered disciples that He should rise again
His word could not fail. The morning
of the third day has come. Rumors We're
current that the crucified Lord had been
| seen. But those who heard them dis
missed them as idle tales. The first to
believe in the Resurrection was S. John
who from contemplation of the grave
clothes left I'm order in the tomb went
home believing that the Lord was risen
In the evening when the eleven met in
the upper room, in fear and trembling for
what might happen, the two who had
been to Emmaus We're greeted on arriv-
ing with the announcement that He had
appeared TO s. Peter.
But in spite OF this His appearing
amongst them filed them at first with
terror. such Is the natural dread that
men have of apparitions from another
world. But when they had recovered
from the first impulse OF fear who can
tell the joyful amazement of that
moment, when they realized His pres
ence. that IL was their very Lord stand
ing before them in that very Body which
had been born OF Mary, and had been
nailed TO the cross. as the marks on His
Hands and Side so plainly testified. The
very same Lord whom they had forsak-
en- on Friday. the same and yet how
changed. He had passed beyond the con-
ditions of this mortal life. He who was
dead was alive forevermore. The earthly
had become spiritual. And after all
the powers OF darkness and all the world
forces that had been arrayed against
Him had not triumphed. o marvellous
wonderl When ever was a victory so
won as this had been. He had conquer
ed death by dying. He had triumphed
over the world by permitting IL to tram
pie on Him. and cruelty Him. And now
He Is ready to ascend to that Throne OF
God from which He had come down when
He united our nature to His own and.
now seated on that throne, the song IS
ever being sung: Thou vast slain and
hast redeemed us by thy Blood out of
every kindred and tongue and people and
nation"
Thus the very center and kernel of
our Easter praise Is of a passage to
life eternal through the Red Sea of Blood
of victory won through apparently
crushing defeat; of Life springing from
Death; OF the highest hopes fulfilled in
the hour of utter despair.
This is the lesson we have to lay to
heart. The Church is the Body of Christ.
We are very members incorporate in
His mystical Body. And the ultimate
otherwise than as the triumph of the
Head was obtained. If We would reign
with Christ we must first suffer with
Him. Remember how He insisted that
TO be His disciples we must take up our
cross and follow Him In proper
ton as this thought is engraved in the
heart of the Church will it win souls to i
Him. and obtain His benediction. The |
success of the Church is not to be meas
ured by the world standard of success.
AS il is ever darkest before the dawn, so
that the hour when the world
Christ was crucified. the dawn of the
Resurrection was at hand.
And so has il ever been in the history
of the Church. This is a subject on
which volume might be written. The
times of the greatest successes of thee'
Church were not when she was smiled
on by courts, and patronized, but in the
days of her persecution.
Once more let me impress upon you
what have endeavored to keep before
you for 80 years. that the Church is not
a political institution, nor is it social
club. but Divine organization sacra-
mentath united to our once crucified
mentally united to our once crucified,
now risen and assembled Lord, founded
here on earth for the salvation of every
nation and kindred and people, and
reaching on into the invisible world.
that they who have come out of the
great tribulation of earth and have
washed their robes in the Blood of the
Lamb are one body with US who are
still on our pilgrimage here below, but
united in one hope, that if we are faith
full to His banner, we shall together
share in the Resurrection of our bodies.
and in that perfect contamination and
bliss both of body and soul, which awaits
all who shall be found acceptable in His
sight in the Great Day of the general
Resurrection.
THE CONCLUDING SERVICE
Following this service was another
celebration of the Holy Communion. at
which Bishop Nichols was celebrant,
assisted by Dean Kitcat. There was a
large number of communicates An
other service in the evening brought
the festival q Easter to a close.
on Tuesday morning, it was an
nounced. there Will be morning prayer
at 10-20 followed