The Irish standard., 1905-04-29
THE STORY OF EASTER.

THE STORY OF EASTER.
The great Christian festival OF Eas-
ter shone forth with greater beauty
and strength the present year than
ever before. The Catholic Church has
always looked upen Easter next to
Christmas as the greatest OF christian
festivals. The increasing liberalism,
so-called in recent years in the anti
Catholic world has looked upon Easter
with less and less approval. The high
er criticisms years ago condemned the
stories OF Easter as an imposition.
Science and human reason has been
referred to to prove the impossibility
of the stories of the four evangelists
and the Apostle Paul. 1t was impos-
sible, say the advocates OF this higher
knowledge, from scientific stand
point, and the story was improbable
and full OF error. But, even these fol-
lowers of the so-callcd higher knowl-
edge never agreed among themselves.
Some held that Christ was crucificd
and died, but denied that he arose
again Others denied that Christ died,
but that he was only half killed and
that he did in fact appear to the apos-
ties and others subsequent to the cruz
cihxion. All sorts of flaws have been
pointed out The body was stolen
away while the Roman soldiers slept,
say some. Others say that the apos-
ties bribed the soldiers. Others have
asserted that there was more than one
entrance to the tomb. There have
been almost as many suppositions in
dulgcd in as there have been so-called
independent leaders. From scientific
standpoint the evidence OF the cruci-
f;xion and the resurrection is as COM
plctc and perfect as any chain OF evil
dencc ever presented in court of law.
1t was not the friends of the Savior
who crucifed him, but his enemies, and
he had announced before hand that he
would rise again, and it is reasonable
to suppose that these enemies took
every measure to insure not only the
fact OF his death but the fact that his
tomb was securely blocked and watch
ed. The friends OF the Savior were
not men who had the physical power
to overcome the Roman soldiers.
They were not men who had the
wealth with which to bribc, but the
most conclusive evidence OF the truth
of the Catholic and Christian doctrine
OF Easter is to be found in the fact
that the Christian world has accepted
the truth OF the Easter story all down
through the centuries. For hundreds
OF years no one questioned the writ
ten evidence OF those who had seen
the Savior after his resurrection. 1t
remained for the refined teachings of
the last century to seriously question
this basic dogma OF the Christian faith.
1t seems now that this higher criti-
cism has about run its course and that
the Protestant world, or at least the
so-callcd liberal portion of it, is re-
tracing its steps and paying more at.
tcntion to Easter and the event which
it commentaries. We noted will,
some surprise that the Unitarian and
Universalist Churches of this city had
numerous and for them unusual serv
ices during Holy Week. TO be GER
tain they did not call it Holy Week. ;"
They had some new name for it. The
important point, however, is that last
Sunday with greater strength than
ever demonstrated the powerful place
which Easter Sunday occupies i'll the
Christian year. Easter Sunday cannot
be destroyed without destroying the
Christian religion, and the advocates
OF the higher criticism, the exponcnts
OF so-called scientific religion will
learn in time that the most potent evi-
dence of the truth OF the stories OF the
evangelists is to be found in the fact
| that the Christian portion OF the
human race has ever believed and does
still believe that story. To us.it is
the most convincing proof OF the truth
OF the cruciixion and the resurrection.
Error is not so lasting. Myths do not
hold within their grasp millions upon
millions of people century after cen
fury. 1t was the events OF the first
1 - ~
changed the world from one OF mater
! ialism to one that believed in a future
life: Before the crucifxion no con-
| siderable number of people believed in
a future existence. Immediately after
the resurrection a large number oI
people were brought to that belief SC
that the belief in a future life can b.
traced back to the empty tomb o.