Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1904-04-13

COs4EOItI EOR LtE1SC lsItECtlOS
~ Rev. .. Lineola Moore
He is not here, but is risen. Luke
xiv. 6.
The resurrection stands for in the
apostoli@dheology rs the epitoiae and
very label Of Christianity itself. In
chapter Ky. of Corinthians L. the great
apostle with his giant mind sets forth
10y argument ar illustration the sub
blime fact Of the resurrection In this
marvellous treatise lie. not only sweeps
away objections. but piles thought
upon tloughtin massive grandeur until
he rises ineffably above the philoso-
phies Of the day and firmly establishes
the glorioHs certainty of this mighty
truth. He is risen" Arguing with the
logic Of an Aristotle, he does not per-
nit himself to be content with more
dialccticai display, Dissenting with the
rhetoric Of pemcsthenes, he does not
allow himself to conclude with a pero-
ration of more eloqEence. He reduces
the grand doctrine to a pra zeal con-
clusion, making it the inspiration to
noble living and eodly attainment
Christianity stands or fails with the
truth of the resurrection. If Christ be
not risen then there is no Christianity
The resurrection involves the whole
story of the Incarnation. liz who has
risen must have died. LIE, who has died
must have lived and he who has lived
must have been born. Thus the empty
tomb of Jerusalem proves the holy
manger of Bethlehem. SO sure is Paul
of thi truth that he stakes OF it the
glorious fact OF the resurrection. If
Christ be not risen. then is our preach
ing vain II Christ be not risen from
the dead. then Christianity has been
propaGating Il lie. then the 500,000000
Christians on the globe who believe
that he is alive have been deceived
and their faith also is vain. Then
there is rothing t, console us in the
hour Of death. and we are of all men
the most miserable.
For ages the conflict has been cen
tered around the resurrection. Inf
deity and skepticism have wrought to
undermine it and yet the resurrection
taads--commanding- untouched, inn
prc@nable. divine.
ne resurrection is a glorious ce,
tainty. 1t is tine grandest historical
fact 1t is substantiated by infalliblc
proofs The resurrection is the most
indubltable of realities. The New Tes-
lament writer relied upon the various
appearances of Our Lord after His re-
turn from the grave. He appeared five
times on the day of resurrection; then
to the eleven: to seven; to five hun
dred: TO James; to Saul; to all the
apostles at Bethany. Paul, twenty
three years after the resurrection. ap
peals to Peter and James as living. ac-
cessible witnesses, and to many of the
five hundred.
The existence of the Christian church
attcstS the resurrection of Christ. If
He had not risen from the dead. as
He said He would. then the church
must have fallen hopelessly to pieces
on the day of crucifxion. But the
church ahides. The Christian Sabbath
Is Il mighty witness to the resurrection,
for it is not the original Sabbath. God
halloween the seventh day. We OBJ
serve the first day of the week as the
Sabbath. Why this change? Changes
do not take place without some AIDE
qUatc cause. During the Jewish Sab
bath Jesus lay pale and still in the
darkness Of Josephs tomb. But during
the early morning of the first day of
the week He arose triumphant from
the grave. leading captivity captive
and by and in the very fact OF rising
emblazoncd the first day of the week
as His own royal supernal day, even
tines first true sabbath"
Thus the sublime fact of the resur-
rection confirms the truth of the BIZ
BILE Christianity is divine and true.
Jesus Of Nazareth is what He claimed
TO be- the son of God. Salvation pur-
chased on Calvary is a glorious reality.
The ultimate triumph of Chrlst's king
dom is certain and indisputable The
resurrection makes Christ Il present.
living and communing Savior He is
now enthroned at the right hand of
Cod. He is the prime minister of di-
vine government. and He does accord
ing to His own will in the army of
heaven and among the inhabitants of
earth.
He still is about His Fathers bust
ness. looking after His chosen people
and making all things to work togeth-
or for their good. Seated OH the throne
OF His grace He is ever accessible.
He bears all our petitions. redresses
all our wrongs, supplies all our wants
and makes intercession for US with
rAanngs which cannot uttered
Bus the crowning comfort is the fact
Of our own future resurrection. The
re beyond is a glorious certainty. We
u ~ base the fact OF il on the persist
ent feeling in CIR hearts that this life
is not the whole of life. or On the
analogies of nature, or upcH the fact
that the resurrection is necessary as a
vindication of Gods character as n
perfect work. and all of these argu-
mentS are good ones.
But amid deaths overwhelming de
yastation. the argument which makes
certainty certain is the empty tomb of
our risen Lord Because Jesus was
death Master so We shall be. Be
cause sesus arose from the dead, so
shall his saints arise. The grave is
not what ii once was since he has lain
there He transformed the dark and
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