The county record. [volume] (Kingstree, S.C.) 1885-1975, 1903-05-28

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| cause. we cannot doabt, would to-day pro-
| duce the same effect.
All his j. OF solemn. practirI moment
| to our own times. Although: the preacher
| is not among those @ho Jclieve that the
cause OF religion is waning. n. !" bound
with all thouIhttal people 10 recognize
the peculiar difficulties which besct the
| church of the twentieth century. O'li only
| hope is 10 hold fast to the ideas and deals
of .he church of the first century. The
| weakness of Christerdom to-day Is tn" re.
tirement from its conspicuous position OF
the all-prevailing truth which was 30 pow
erful H. the beginning. There IS entirely
| too much uncertainty even among lhris-
tians concerning the resurrection OF Jesus
| Christ. How many there are vino would
rather not be pressed too strongly by itS
| discussion, who would prefer to have 1t
| eliminated from distinctivcly Christian
| teaching. who would award it no further
dignity than to allow it TO be placed among
| the matters OF secondary Importance to
which little or 10 reference need ne made.
last here there has llnquestiorabiy been Il
| decline OF certitIde. and the hour arrived
| long ago when the issae should be strongly
made and honestly met. ii it is at all IN.
certain that the divine Redeemer came
| forth from the grave. ii is just as we'll for
us to know it and to fashion Cur belief and
make our calculations accordingly. II the
old faith is in peril. or even il 1t should
be he'd in abeyance. as lovers OF the truth
we should be ready and willing to accept
| the result with the utmost candor and con-
| sstency. There has been entirely too much
rrticcnce aid hedging; there has been L
disposition to dodge the real question.
though perhaps with c charitable purpose
! that thereby the conscience and hopes CT
Others might not be shocked: there has
beer sentiment that seems to advise that
| The less this matter iS emphasized the Der-
| ter for the churcE. Let the church throw
down the gauntlet: LET it haze this matter
out once Tor I'll with those who dispute it
| or who hesitate to accent l. eX an:pio. 1t
| the c2sn is not Setticd let us settle It and
| settle it rcht. Let u insist upon the facts
Whatever they are.
Christians may we'll hide their beads in
shame Il they feel constrained i'll behalf or
| their religion to ask any quarter to accept
any favors of those who do not stand by
! the faith once delivered TO the saints, or TO
| take advantage OF any technicaiities. liet-
| ter ten thousand times 4 controversy than
| to have this important part OF the gospel
| continue where it now is in the estimation
Of so many good people. we may well al
| ford to seek all the light that is arai.abte,
and We need rot be afraid to accept the
! consequences There are those. thank
| Gcd. who feel that the authority OF the
| church is sufficient warrant tor tie doc
trines of the church. but that authority is
not universally recognized. and it surely
| will be no mortal sin if people amid their
| infirmities respecting religion demand other
| considerations in support OF beilet IN the
risen Christ. Arc other considerations
| forthcoming Are there reasons which JUS
thy timdity on our part: Is there sus-
p!cion that somehow il we could fully
know OF this matter our creed would DC
| worsted? Such questions may seem to be
primary to those whose faith is sure. and
| they may appear to be hardl5 justifable at
this late day, but people will think. even
thouGh they think wrongly, ard If they
are the victims or 4 mistake Or Il miSundcr-
standing it is human kindness to lead
them to 4 knowledge of the truth. What
is the case OF the resurrection o. Jesus?
OF course the disciples believed that BE
surely died. Il conviction which is now
shared by everybody. the Hebrew people
themselves not excepted. Ii one is dis
posed to quib1ie over the story OF the Saw
iour's passion and 10 suggest that perhaps
the Son OF Man did not die. he should be
referred to medical experts. who will tell
him thai ii jesus d;cd OF heart fracture 1t
was only natural that the water and hood
flowed from His side when the soldier
spear pierced the pericardium. It Is now
Simply prepostcrous to impeach the genu-
ineres5 of the Lords death. The outcome
of the cross was not trance. Ihc Re
deemer tasted death !or ever man.
If the Lord really died. is it = :act thai
He rose again. Medical experts can pro-
nornce upon the story OF His Gecease, so
legal experts will pass upon the story o;
HIS resurrection The testimony Is all in.
Shall il be permitted to stand? Christians
need not hesitate to allow the matter,
which is so supreme.y sacred to them. to
be dealt with i'll this fashion. il trey,
preme Court that will review the testimony
Of the Easter witnesses. All taas they
ought TO ask is that the tribunal shall hc
absolutely fair and honest in The applica-
ton Of the laws of evidence. Who are the
witnesses and what is their reputation
for truth and peracity:' InaSmuch as
their narrative is extraordinary in Its char
acter trey must expect to submit TO the
most rigid examination. They will stand
the test The apostles and their followers
were people who for integrity and religion
have never been surpassed Not only were
they the incarnation of honor and piety,
but they are entirely trustworthy Oh every
account. They investigated the matter
with the utmost care. Although excellent
folk may be deceived by others and even
by themselves, it is impossible to suppose
that these men were the victims OF eithcf
form OF deception. Ii the Master mad a7-
peared 20 them all OF only single occa-
sion. there might be place for suspicion
of their absolute accuracy, but they saw
Jesus many times after the resurrection,
they talked with Him, they ale and drank
with Him, they even put their fingers INTO
the print of the nails. The list oil wit
nesses does not consist OF two or three
names, but includes at least 800 persons.
The church is still another witness. her
organization, her beliefs, her sacraments.
her unfailing testimony from the beginning
and to every generation that the Founder
of the Christian religion came forth from
the dead is worthy OF tie utmost consider
ation The results OF this Easter creed
should be reckoned with, for the doctrine
of the Lords resurrection has produced
a race of men, women and children who are
the very flower of the human race. 1t has
brought forth all that is best and worthest
in every Christian country.
What is the reasonable response to al,
this testimony? 1t cannot well be ruled
out. 1t cannot be discredited. 1t deserves
something better than the Scotch verdict
mot proven" Although we do not rely
upon the force of argument for arouSing