Virginia citizen. (Irvington, Va.) 1891-1921, 1903-04-17
TALMAGE
SERMON
BY Rev.
FRANK DE WITT TALMACE. DID,.
Pastor OF Jefferson Park Preuby-
terrain Church, Chicago


sermon the preacher shows how the
resurrection is as much of a reality to-
day 10 all who believe rs Il was 10 the
apostles and draws some helpful spirit
ual lessons. The text is John Xxx, 10,
"She turned herself and said unto him,
'Rabboni. which is 10 say, Master"
Poor thing! Poor thing! There goes
broken hearted woman. In the early
hours of the morning she is sobbing
and wringinG her hands what is the
matter, Mary?" "Ah," she answers.
they have taken away my Lord. and
l know not where they have laid him.
The Roman body snatchers or the high
priests ghouls have rified the tomb
where we buried Jesus. l am trying TO
trace bis sacred dust and bring ii back,
II possible, TO its former resting place"
Are Mary's actions extraordinary? II
we thought the graves of our loved
ones had been opened and the bodies
carried away for dissecting purposes.
would we not at once hurry off to the
family plots and try 10 find some trace
of these most despicable of all con-
scienceless marauders and make them
surrender their stolen treasures?
In our bereavements comforters re-
mind US that it is the mind, the soul,
the spirit, of the departed that we
loved. They tell us that the physical
form that is still I'm death was not real
iy the beloved one, but only the tene-
ment that loved one temporarily occu-
pied. We know that Is true, but how
dear that tenement Is to us! That hand
which once held ours in loving clasp.
those eyes which lighted up IN Joy
when we approached, those lips which
uttered words OF affection-how dear
they still are. though death has robbed
them of all power of responsel 1t Is
hard TO part with them even now.
1 was deeply impressed with this
feeling when some years ago 1 visited
The crematory at Pittsburg I held in
my hand the urn containing the ashes
ef tie famous engineer who devised
the Ferris wheel for the Chicago
Worlds fair. Only Il few months be-
fore he had worshipcd in my church
at Pittsburg. 1 remembered well an
other exquisite form which had been
siu4Ieriy consumed. How well 1 could
eseau tAe face and form OF Emma Alb
sott a. she sang one OF her wonderful
socsS orly siY menths before her body
was carried In on stretcher and
showed through the opened furnace
door. Then L turned and said 10 the
attendant. "Do you believe in crema-
tionT 81 did" he answered. until
last May. 1 firmly believed I'm IL OIL
sanitary grounds and could argue its
benefcence from any standpoint"
Then his eyes grew moist as he said:
But last spring my little girl. my only
child. died. / could not bear then to
think OF her beautiful curls and lovely
form being shriveled up in that hot
furnace. So when her mother came TO
me and asked, Husband. shall we have
beby's body crematedT ! answered.:
No, wife. We loved that little body
too well TO let IL be burned. l think
we had better start family plot and
let our baby sleep among the spring
lowers"
Nary's Second Journey.
All, yesl Mary's second journey to
that rified tomb was the most natural
outcome of her breaking heart. She
wanted 20 find the poor, bruised. lacer-
ated form OF one whom she had loved
while be was alive and whom she still
continued TO love after he was dead.
But that Journey back TO the tomb
OF Joseph OF Arimathea ended in the
strangest OF all surprises. Mary went
10 seek the dead She found the living.
Mary went TO an empty crypt. She
found risen Lord. Let us learn TO-
day how Christ first appeared after the
crucihxion, TO whom he appeared and
for what he appeared.
7 The risen Lord revealed himself ac-
cordtng to the fulfillment OF prophecy.
II your husband should say TO you:
My dear, business compels me 10 60
TO New York. shall be gone just four
days. l shall be home next Thursday
morning on the Pennsylvania limited
express" You would expect him home
at that time. Why? Because In all
your twenty years OF married life your
husband has never broken such an ap-
pointment with you. You say: HE is
as particular about keeping an en-
Gagement as was George Washington.
One day the president stood by his
desk with his opened watch in his
band, saying TO his tardy secretary:
Mr.. Secretary. you have kept me walt |
ang now ten full minutes. \ slow
watch Is no excuse. Either YOU must |
get new watch or l will get n new |
secretary That is my husband all |
through, He never, never breaks an f!
unless he first notifies the
party that 1t will be impossible for him
60 keep It," But, my sister. you have
not as much right to expect yeur hus-
band to keep an appointment with you
as the Christian disciples had that
Jesus would rise again from the dead.
He clearly and distinctly and emphat.
ically told them that he would do so.
1s teld them this so clearly and point
edfy that the high priest and his hire
liags wsAt to PLATE and had him seal
the tomb and place thereabout a Ro-
nan guard until the third day lest
Ass disciples come by night and steal
him away and say unto the people he
10 risen from the dead" Yet when the
OF Easter morn did come
SsaD9a disciples Were surprised. They
Reen Al dumfounded. They were M
ansf 40 nonnlused that they Thought
he Roman ghouls had stolen Christ's
body and the most despised of all
thieves, the body snatchers had desc
Grated the tomb.
Chrfst's Promises FuIfued.
This leads to some suggestive infer.
ences. Our coming gospel triumphs
and successes are to be long success
sion of surprises. Though we Chris
ians may live as close to Christ as his
disciples did, yet when Christ's prom
ses are to be fulfilled we shall be
amazed with a holy and gIorified
lmazement. We shall be amazed in
ne way we shall come TO die. Many ,
eaiiy good people now look upon death .
IS haunting horror. But most of MS
Vail then be surprised to find how easy ,
is for Christian 10 die. Was not
lying William Hunter amazed when ,
lie cried: 'All is well! All is wellr
Vas not dying John Pawson amazed !
Vhen he said, Il know am dying but !