Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1904-04-02
Gin Easter
...Sern1on


the bells of gladncss. especially appro
pirate at this season. when all Christen.
dom is celebrating Christ's resurrection
text. John xix, IL. I'm the garden a
new sepulcher."
Looking around the churches this
morning. seeing flowers in wreaths and
flowers in stars and flowers in crowns,
pillows of beauty. confiagration of beau.
ty. you feel as if you stood in u 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- the spirit of the
flower: the body of the flower dying ON
earth; its spirit may appear in better
worlds. do not say it will be so. say
tuberoses and camcllias and japonicas
and jasmines aud heliotropes were born
in paradise. These apostles of beauty
came down i'm the regular line of apos-
tolic succession. Their ancestors during
the flood. under ground afterward ap-
pearcd.
The world started with Eden; il will
end with Eden. Heaven is called par
adise Of God. Paradise means flowers.
While theological geniuses in this day
are trying TO blot out everything mater
ial from their idea of heaven. and. so far
as I can tell, their future state is to be a
floating around somewhere between the
Great Bear and Cassiopeia. should not
be surprised if at last I can pick up a
daisy ON the everlasting hills and hear
ers of earth. Don't you remember me:
worshiped with You one Easter morn
ing"
My text introduces Us into a garden.
II is manor in the suburbs of Jerusa.
lem owned by a wealthy gentleman of
the name of Joseph. He belonged to the
court of seventy who had condemned
Christ. but he had voted in the negative.
or, being a timid man, had absented
himself when the vote was Ia be taken.
At great expense he laid ont the garden.
II being hot climate l suppose there
were trees broad branchcd and there
were paths winding under these trees,
aud here and there were waters drip
ping down over the rocks into fish ponds
and there were vines and flowers bloom
ing from the wall. and all around the
beauties of kiosk and arboriculture. AT.
ter the fatigues of the Jerusalem court
room, how refreshing to come into this
suburban retreat. botanical and pomo-
logical:
Wandering IN the garden, behold
some rocks which have ON them the
mark of the sculptor's chisel. come
nearer, and find there is subterran-
can recess. come down the marble
steps, and l come 10 portico. over
which there H. AN architrave by the
chisel cut into representations of fruits
and flowers. | enter the portico. On
either side there are rooms-two or four
Or six rooms of rock. the walls of these
rooms having inches. each niche large
enough to hold dead body. Here is
one room that is especially wealthy of
sculpture.
The fact is that Joseph realizes he can
not always walk this garden. and he has
provided this place for his last slumber.
On what a beautiful spot in which to
wait for the coming of the resurrection.
Mark well this tomb. for il is to be the
most celebrated tomb in all the ages.
Catacombs of Egypt. tomb of Napoleon.
Mahal Tai Of India. nothing compared
with it. Christ has just been murdered,
aud His body will be thrown to the dogs
aud the ravens. like other crucified bod
les. unless there be prompt and efficient
hindrance. 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 il aud perfumes it.
think that regular embalmment was
omitted. When in olden time body
was to be embalmed. the priest. with
some pretension Of medical skill. would
point out the place between the ribs
where the incision must be made, and
then the operator having made the Incl
sion. ran lest he be slain for violation
of the dead. Then the other priests
would come with salt of inter and cassia
and wine of palm tree and complete the
cmbalmment But think this embalm-
ment of the body of Christ was omitted.
Il would have raised another contention
and another riot.
The funeral hastens ON. Present.
think. Joseph, the owner of the mauso-
leum; Nicodcmus. the wealthy man who
had brought the spices. and the two
Marys. No organ dirge. no plumes, no
catafalque. Heavy burden for two men
as they carry Christ's body down the