The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-13
PROVES DOCTRINE
 OF RESURRECTION The Rev. MT. Hall Breaches
 from Familiar Text PAUL'S CLEAR STATEMENT The Clergyman Points Out That No People Have as a Whole Denied
 Some Kind of Existence
 Beyond the Grave.
PAUL'S CLEAR STATEMENT

The Rev. J. J. D. Hall, rector of St. Johns Episcopal church at Ensley, was the celebrant at Holy Communion at the Church of the Advent yesterday morning at 7:3O o'clock, and at the Il o'clock ser vice in his own church delivered sermon from the text found in l. Corinthians 15:1-4: Moreover, brethren, l declare unto you the Gospel which preached unto you. which also ye have receiveda and wherein ye stand. by which also ye are saved If ye keep in memory what l preached unto you unless ye have be- lieved in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which l also received, how that Christ died for our sins. ac-f cording to the scriptures And that He was buried. and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures
 MT. Hall spoke as follows:
 The Sermon.
 In this chapter St. Paul brings before us the doctrine of the resurrection of the dead. Some converts from heathenism in Corinth fllatly denied 1t. The question of immortality, or a life after death is not herein disputed. Neither the Corinthians nor any other people have, as whole, denied some kind of existence beyond the grave. The Hindoo, with his transmigra- ton of souls, and the Indian, with his happy hunting ground, testify to the uni versal belief in a life beyond the grave. The question was; Twill these bodies be ralsed?' The Christians in Corinth said it was absurd St. Paul said they would = Of fha Gospel on the truth. This theme was in all his reported discourses from the Acropolis. He mentions the names of some who were witnesses to the fact, If his testimony was not sufficient.
 Two celebrated English skeptics, Lord Lyttleton and Lord West, decided to dis prove the truth of Christianity One took as his weapon the resurrection of Christ and the other the conversion of St. Paul. They were to show the absurdity of both. They separated to meet at given time and compare their work. When they met wonderful to tell-they were both converted without the knowledge of the result on each other.
 Were Unbelievers.
 The apostles and disciples were as un- believing as to Christ's resurrection as al- most any one in Jerusalem. They re- garded the stories of the women as idle tales. St. Paul himself did not believe that Christ had risen, and punished those who did till he was convinced. Then he preached the despised truth with fervor and power. The women doubted till they saw the empty tomb and heard the message of the angel. The value of an earthly tomb consists in the fact that the body is sleeping in 1t; but the value of the tomb of Christ consists in the words, He Is risen; He Is not here" The founders of all other religions, while they taught some things that were true and good, yet when the hand of death came they surrendered their scepter and laid down in the dust with kings and peasants.
 During the French revolution an effort was made by many in the highest ranks to found a religion that would supplant Christianity. All sorts of schemes were set on foot, but failed. One of the leaders came to Talleyrand who was at one time a bishop in the Roman church but who turned skeptc during the mighty up- heavals of those times, and said they found it hard to start new religion, even though they proposed to help the poor and improve humanity. Surely" said Talleyrand, with keen sarcasm, 1t cannot be as difficult as you imagine How so?" replied his visitor. Tt is sim pie enough" said Talleyrand. You have only to get yourself crucitied or put to death and then at your own time and word to rise from the dead and your suc- cess is assured"
 When the seed or acorn falls into the ground it Is only to be quiokened into larger lines of usefulness and develop ment. So with the body; when 1t is sown In the grave 1t Is only to come forth In a glori1ed and more beautiful form When we stand by the open grave and see the forms of those we love put out of our sight the heart aches and grieves But will not God. who is careful to bring back the best that is in the tiny seed or flower, also bring back to us the beauti- ful forms that fingered in our presence only long enough to brighten and sweet en our lives and then vanished from our sight?
 The fish feel the need of warmer waters in winter and God has prepared the place for them. The wild geese have the same need and the place is prepared for them. Shall God be more careful of fish and fowl than of man. the noblest order of creation? No! There is a place that shall satisfy the deepest longing and craving of the heart-and that place is the pres ence of the living risen Christ.
 Glorious Translation.
 How sweet this thought to the dying Christian, with the head pillowed on the bosom of Jesus. The summons comes, the angel of life hovers near, the presence of the Spirit witnesses that 1t is not death but glorious translation. It Is like the morning stars that shine in all their brightness and glory till the day is tlnged with purple and gold and in their onward march they melt away and are mevged into the perfect day. Let me ask each of you the personal question:: Have you been to this risen Christ to seek reconcil- iation with God and man? If so you can say with St. Paul, For me to live is Christ, and to die is gain"