The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-03-31
EASTER DAY SERMON.
Rev. c. r.. BacOn's Interesting Dis
course i'm the Morning.


Easter Day was the subject Of the
Rev. c. e. Bacon's sermon yesterday morn
ing at Roberts Park NJ. Church. DR..
Bacon said in part: This day lightens all
hearts. 1t is the greatest day c. the &c
clesiastical calendar. 1t is the greatest
day to the glad. 1t is the create Z day TO
the sad. To the first it sends a broad
CLEAN of light along their path .say. To
the second it gives a new light on their
horizon. There are the red streaks of an
eternal dawn and the gates of light swing
back to reveal a celestial city. The world
is drawn together to-day by common sor-
rows and by common joys. The risen
Christ links heaven and earth. He sent
word to His disciples: I ascend to my
Father and your Father. to my GOD and
your God He is the link between us and
the highest things of our hottest ambitions.
This is the great hope day.
Easter is the pledge of a triumphant
church. Easter truth has made Chris
tianity a worldwide religion. 1t separates
Christianity from all the false and futile.
The church realizes that she worships not
a sage. nor a supreme religionist who lived
and died and who remains only in the words
He spoke or the books He wrote or the
institutions He founded. but that she wOr-
ships a living Christ. Here she parts COM
pany with the cults and PHILOSOPHERS of the
worlds history. Christianity is not simply
a sweet fragrance from the land Of Pales-
tine from the matchless life of an incom-
parable man. Nor is it the hearts holy
incense 10 this nOblest man who ever
walked the earth. The church Of this
dawn of the twentieth century claims a liv-
ing person. holy and real. who was dead.
but is alive forever. Let us remember on
this Easter day that we are not looking
into any old record, however trustworthy;
that we are not admiring a picture or delv-
ing into a poem, or trying TO sound the
danrhC Of a Cnnn that will thrill and fill
and then float away. but that we are look
ing into the heart of that which is eternally
real. If l can impress you with the reality
l have begun TO help you to other sublime
truths.
A DAY OF HOPE.
This is the day of hope because Of vic
tory over sin. Christ is victor for us. They
killed Him. tbs true. but He arose. and
death has no power over Him. He bore the
trophies of His victory, the pledges of His
love to the throne of power and demands
a safe passage for His brethren. He Is
victor. Let the flowers bloom ii. let the
bells ring it, let the children sing ii, let
our glad hearts shout il. There was tri-
umph in His whole procession from the
grave. He rose from the couch OF death as
one arises from sleep. He made His toilet
leisurely. He left His bedroom in order.
There is no haste. There is no fear OF any
power TO stop Him. Mans power Is infinite
p~uniness compared with His almightiness.
He starts forth and there Is no power or
the flesh TO divert Him. He no longer fees
into Parea for fear OF the Jews. His dis
ciples no longer speak of Him not coming
TO Jerusalem, where the Jews lately sought
TO kill Him. Christ was busy for those
forty days. He was settling kingdoms, di-
viding dynasties. shifting crowns, preparing
riches, leaving legacies. Among the lega-
cies is the incompatible piece of cumula-
tive testimony. No human lawye ever got
His testimony in such shape that there
was no possible refutation IN His age OF
any succeeding one. He guarded every
point of rebutting argument.
1T must be a part OF the divine order
illness with, which events took shape bear
ing upon the resurrection Of Jesus Christ.
Theory after theory goes down before TINS
cumulative testimony. He appeals 10 eyes.
and hands, and head. and heart, and nav
ing made up His case he goes ASIDE 10
Olivet and is received out OF their sight.
This is a day of triumphant hope or the
church's victories. The great general Is
on the hilltop. His intellect and heart Is
in every advance column. Christ Is present
in every battle. He is rallying every bat
talon, encoursg ing and strengthening every
soldier.
He is at the right of God almighty.
He is the heart Of power. he Is
the tremendous power house. The al
turned on the battery and made connection
at PentecOst. and how the tongues or hre
leaped and set on each OF them. And how
real Christianity has always meant vital
connection with Jesus Christ.
HISTORY OF THE CHURCH.
You cannot explain the history OF the
church since the resurrection without the
great fact Of Christ at the right hand Of
power. The general trend OF the race has
been upward. This is a glorious day Of
hope TO the sad. Two worlds are bound
together. Hopes gain now spans the grave.
We are taught to-day not to seek our loved
ones In the cemetery. Why seek We the
living among the dead? The world will
never be a prison. The gates have been
carried away like the gates OF GAIA by a
stronger th>a Samson.
This day Of message. Why weepest
thouy Either tears are dried or they be-
come telescopes 10 see eternal realities. IL