Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1905-04-27
THE EASTER MESSAGE

In this year of our Lord 1908 the world
has a new Easter illustration-fresh, sug-
gestive. compelling. No other Easter ever
dawned that had its great message so
wonderfully witnessed. For within the
past twelve-month the resurrection mir
acle has been repeated in the case of al
most an entire nation. Wales has had a
six-months' Easter. Tens of thousands of
it's people, mostly men, nave undergone IA
spiritual resurrection. Out of the dead
ness of Indifference to the spirit of life.
and even of moral debasement and obliqu-
ity. they have been suddenly called to new
life, as If by the trumpet of Gabriel. And
today the whole of Wales. from south to
north, Is alive with Easter brightness and
joy. The nation is singing a new song
of life-free. happy and effective. The
radiance of nature in her springtime awak-
ening is no more glorious than the radi-
ance that shines from the faces of these
myriads who within six months past nave
come to know the power of Christ's resur-
rection.
TIL p%ardoned are empowered.
Liberty is one of the twentieth century
big words, and like the other great words
of humanity, it is taken from the bible.
They alone are free whom the Son has
made free. The multiform bondage of sin
must be broken before the spirit can be
at liberty. OF Him who made possible
the resurrection life in his present world
it is written that His service is perfect
freedom"
Death has no terrors for those who view
1t in the light of the open tomb in Joseph's
garden.
This Easter finds the world keenly alive
to an interest In spiritual things. Even
the daily newspapers abound in articles
concerning a religious revival that is said
to be impending and imminent. From ev-
cry quarter comes word that
The sons of men are waking
To penitential tears.
In some directions there is manifest a
tendency to substitute a man-made and
we'll organized movement for the revival
that comes only from above. BY these
signs may a genuine revival be known. Ii
brings a deep consciousness of sin, a sense
of forgiveness, a peace. a joy and IA power
which were wholly foreign to the old life.
1t Is a virtual resurrection.
Christ shared nan sorrow that man
might share his victory.
Following the fashion set by nature, mer
and women garb themselves anew, in theil
brightest and best at Eastertide. And this
is well. for it but smybolizes the day
great truth of newness. They are mos
tittingly adorned for Easter, however, who
have put on the new man of which Pau,
speaks, the resurrection life. that is alive
to the powers of the spirit and dead tC
the sins of the flesh.
Newness within is natures way of Great.
ing newness without. The tree wears its
fresh foliage because of the new currents
of sap that have flown upward from its
hidden roots; and the transformation OF
a Christians life is due solely to the new.
ness of the power of Christ's resurrection
dwelling deep within His spirit.
The risen raise. Whoever goes up lifts
up.
The fear of death Is one of the old fet.
tiers that is broken by the power OF
Christ's resurrection.
The tombstones of a century ago, which
We see IN old graveyards frequently bore q
figure hat was half angel and half death.
head. but wholly funereal. This gloom,
conception of death and religion ia passing
away. We do not SO disfigure our grave.