Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1902-03-29

=
! "a even, than Christmas. when con-
~ sidered in It's religious aspects
alone The latter tells Of the birth a the
child Jesus, who spoke as never man
spake before who founded a religion that
mas withstood the shock Of empires and
the wreckage OF nations. But it has as
sumed home feature and has lost large
~ It's religious aspect. II Is a day Of
feasting and giving and home bringing.
Easter Is day Of religious promise. an
augnry Of things 70 be. St Paul said that
If our hope and faith was limited 10 this
earth, We should be Of all men most mis-
cradle.
Easter is the keynote of the Christian
song. II is the foundation Of Christian
life. AS Christmas tells Of the advent Of
Messiah who should deliver from sin,
80 Easter proclaims God who triumphed
, over death and the grave
The Hebrew religion, the forerunner q
the Christian religion, beautiful IN It's SYM
bols, yirtuous, but austere in its teach
iDgs, offers no answer to the question:
''lf a man die, shall he live agaimf" Job
hints at it only in the words: Il know
that my Redeemer liveth," etc. But is
duties, obligations and service begin and
end with this life.
posite 70 the Hebrew in this that first.
last and all the time It promises eternal
life 20 the faithful. There remaineth.
therefore, now a rest for the people Of
God" says ST. Paul, who rises 20 the
height OF triumph when he says: Il have
fought the fight; / have finished the
faith. His argument for Immortality
I'll Cor. XVI has comforted counties mil-
lions since II was written
Christ made resurrection and immortal
ity test Of this merit. He assured HIS
followers that though the temple oi HIS
body were destroyed, He would build t
again n three days. He promised them
heaven Of reward.
At His words "Tabitha curi." tie
daughter Of Jairus awoke ont % death
and when he cried. lazarus. come
forth" he whose body stank in death wss
restored 20 life.
But, after all, Christian interest clus-
ters about the tomb Of Joseph OF Arima-
thea. The announcement o. the angel O.
the Marys, He is not, He is risen, are the
gladdest, brightest and most glorious heard
by mortal ear.
The Roman soldiers had crucifed Him
They had assured themselves that hs
was dead before he was even taken down
He had promised To return to His fol
lowers, and they wished no mistake in
the matter. For this reason a great stone
was rolled before the entrance 90 the sep
ulcher, and guard placed there that hu
friends might not be able 70 steal aaay
the body.
He left the grave, and i IL this resur
rectiOn which Easter comIemarates.
As man advances in intelligence. a. Tho
Christian man grows more inteilectnai hts
desire 10 live after death grows stronzar
As his desire for immortality increaa-s. hu
regard for this greatest festival Of tts
church increases. Il Is 70 him a yeaTl1
assurance Of its promise. The churca wiA
never, can never, love Il less.
Faster, day Of flowers, Of sunny warmth
Of lengthening days, of varied colors. whea
the grand church organs send forth ths1
loudest notes and church choirs sing tier
gladdest dongs. Easter, day prociaimang
the ever abidingness Of Christ am0nz mou.
II must be and abide forever.
Other great teachers Of religion have
come and have gone-Moses buried hy tht
angels on Nebo; Elijah caught up into The
air, but the Child Of Nazareth. the Hero
Of Calvary, passed through death only that
He might prove His triumph over e.
He arose only that He might lead the
way. Calvary and resurrection are insep
arabic. He must have died that He might
live again. The proof Of Immortality sad
20 be proved in His own demonstrahie
tangible evidence.
It Is for these reasons that Easter
stands first among the grand sacred fss
tivals Of the church and why Is must hs
80 until man no longer has place upon
the earth.
Bethlehem, Golgotha, Joseph's tomb
out Of these three the history Of CHRIS
tianity, and from the last the crownlug
hope Of all.
WILLIAM ROSsER COBBE