The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-15
DIR. TALMAGES SERMON.
SUNDAYS DISCOURSE sYTHE NOTED
DIVINE.

Subject: The Resurrection Of Christ-rhe
ssason OF Spiritual GIsdpess and Re-
freshment-victory Over Death and
tho 0rave-The Mission OF Flowers.
tcopyrtght Isoo.l
WARRINGTON, D. C.-This sermon OF DR..
Talmage rings Nil the bells OF gladness.
especially appropriate at this season. when
ali Christendom h celebrating Christ 3
resurrection; text. John XIX, Al. "In the
garden new suPulcher."
Looking around tho churches this morn
ing, seeing flowers In wreaths and flowers
In stars and flowers in crosses and nowers
in crowns. billows OF beauty, confederation
Of beauty. you feel as II you stood In q
small heaven.
You say these flowers will fade. Yes. but
perhaps you may see them again. They
may be immortal. The fragrance OF the
flower may be tho spirit OF the nower; the
body OF the 6ower dying on earth; It's
spirit may appear In better worlds. DO
not say Il will be so. I say 1t may be so.
The ancestors OF those tuberoses and
cameliias and iaponicas and jasmines and
heliotropes we're born an paradise; Tnese
apostles OF beauty came down In the regu-
lar limo OF apostolic succession. Their 40.
cestors during the food, underground,
The world started With Eden: II will end
with Eden. Heaven Is called paradise OF
God. Paradise means fowers. While theo-
logical genIuses In this day are trying to
blot out everything material from their
idex OF heaven. and. so far as can tell.
their future state Is to be . floating around
somewhere between the Great Bear and
Cassiopeiu, + should no. be surprised II at
last can pick up daisy on the evsrlast.
ing hills and hear It say; II am ono OF tho
gloriied flowers OF earth. Don't you 70.
member me-? I worshiped with you on
Easter morning Ia 1900"
LILY text introduces US into garden. II
Is q manor In the suburbs OF Jerusalem
owned by wealthy gentleman OF the name
OF Joseph. He belonged to the court OF
seventy who had condemned Christ, but
he had voted 10 the negative. or. being q
timid man, had absented himself when tho
vote was to be taken. At great expense he
laid out tho garden. It being hot climate.
I suppose there were trees broad branehed,
ard there were paths winding under these
trees, and here and there we're waters drip
ping down over the rocks into nsh ponds,
and there were vines and flowers blooming
from the wall, and all around the beauties
OF kiosk and aebortculture. After the Ia.
tigues OF tho Jerusalem courtroom. how
refreshing to como into this suburban re-
Wandering In tho garden. behold somo
rocks which have on them the mark Of tho
scuiptor's chisel. I come nearer, and
find there is 81 5terranean recess. leone
down the marble steps, and como to Q
portico, over which there Ii an architrave,
by the chlssl cut into representations Of
fruits and flowers. enter tho portico. On
either side there are rooms-two or Tour or
six rooms OF rock. the wallis OF these rooms
toho n % q n
hold dead body. Hero Ii one room TINT
Is especially wealthy OF sculpture.
Tue fact is that Joseph realizes he cannot
always walk this garden, and he has pro-
vlde,l this place for his last slumber. Oh.
what n beautiful spot In which to walt for
the coming OF tho resurrectionl Mark we'll
this tomb, for It In to be the most ceiebrat.
cd tomb in all the ages. Catacombs OF
Egypt. tomb OF Napoleon. Mahal Tai OF In
din. nothing compared with It. Christ has
juet been murdered. and His body will be
thrown to the dogs aud the raSsns, like
othor crucifed bodies, unless there be
prompt aud efficient 'hindranco. Joseph.
the owner OF this mausoleum In the rocks,
begs for the body OF Christ. He washes
the poor, mutilated frame from the dust
and blood, shrouds 1t and perfumes 1t.
/ think that regular embalmment was
omitted. When In olden time body was
to be smbalmed. the priest, With soma pre-
tension OF medical skill. would point out
the place between the Ribs where the In
cisIon must be made, and then the operator,
having made tho incision. ran lest he bs
slaln for violation OF the dead. Then the
other priests would como with salt OF inter
and cassia and wine OF palm tree and com.
plete the embalmment. But think this en-.
balmnent OF the body OF Christ was
omitted. It would have raised another
contention and another riot.
The funeral hastens on. Present,
think, Joseph, the owner Of the mauso-
leum; NIcodemus. tho wealthy man who
had brought the spices. and the two Mssys.
No organ dirHe, no plumes. no catafaique.
Heavy burden for two men as they carry
Christ's body down the marble stairs aud
into tbs portico and lift tho dead weight to
the level OF the niche In the rock and push
the body of Christ into tho only pleasant
resting place 1t ever had. Coming forth
from the portico. they close the door OF
rock against the recess.
The government, afraid that the dis
ciplss may steal tho body OF Christ and
play resurrection, order the seal OF tho
sanhedrin to be put upon the door OF the
tomb, the violation OF that seal, like tho
the United States or Great Britain. to be
followed with great punishment. A COM
pany OF soldiers from the tower OF Antonia
ts detailed to stand guard.
At tho door Of the mausoleum q fight
takes places which decides tho question
for all Rrnveyards and cemeteries. Sword
OF lightning against sword OF steel. Angel
against military. No seal Of letter was
ever more easily broken than that seal OF
the sanhedrin on the door OF the tomb.
The dead body in the niche 10 the rock
haotpa m vnooa In Ifs shpny.d ~ 0ba llpan
slides down upon tho pavement. moves out
OF the portico, appears In tho doorway, ad-
vances into the open air, comes up the
marble steps. Having left HIS mortusry
attire behind Him, He comes forth In work.
mans garb. as take Il, from tho fact thnt
the women mistook Him for tho gardener.
That day the grave received such shat.
tertng II eau never be rebuilt. All tie
troweIs OF earthly masonry can never mend
tomb. Death, taking side with the mill.
tary In that hight, received a terrible cut
from the angels spear OF flame. 30 that he
himself shall 60 down nfter awhile uuder
It. The king OF terrors retiring before the
King Of grace! Tho Lord Is risenl Let
earth and heaven keep Easter to-day!
Hosannui
Some things strike my observation while
stan ding iu this garden with new sspul.
cher. And. first, post norton honors In
contrast with ante norton ignominies. II
they could have afforded Christ such a
costly sepulcher, why could not they have
given Him m earthly residence? Will shey
give this piece OF marble to dead Christ
Instead OF a soft pillow for the living Jesus?
II they had expended half the value OF that
tomb to mako Christ comfortable. It would
not have been so sal story, He asked
bread; they gave Him stone.