Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1906-04-14
CHRIST RESURRECTED.

OlAnloA lNIrO
The religion OF Jesus must stand or
fail with the story OF His resurrection
from the dead. II that is true then the
Christian religion Is true; If Jesus did
not rise from the dead the gospel con-
sists OF cunningly devised fables
to which credence cannot be given.
The great philosopher of the first fol-
lowers Of Jesus so understood it. He
wrote 10 the Corinthians: III Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain; we
are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep IN Christ are
persisted" To the Apostle Paul third
alternative was not conceivable If the
resurrection was not fact, faith, hope,
sacrifice, all would be vain.
Perhaps no gospel fact is more fully
established by testimony, than this;
on the first Easter Sunday the risen
Lord appeared no less than five diff
ferent times, and first of all to Mary
Of Magdala. who fondly fingered near
the tomb even after the appearance
OF the angels We are all familiar
with the tender story and how the low
Ing Mary recognized the Master,
whom at first, she had mistaken for
the keeper of the garden. and how she
was sent az the first messenger of glad
JOY to the disciples Her testimony was;
Il have seen the Lord"
The next appearance occurred short
~ afterwards, when Jesus met the
other women" who had gone to the
grave and sent them with message
Of love to the disciples. The third
appearance was 10 Peter uu-
der circumstances not given IN detail,
undoubtedly because they were OF a
private nature, relating perhaps to the
recent denial by that disciple OF the
Master. Later in the day Jesus ap-
peared to the two disciples who, on
their way 20 Emmaus, discussed the
crucihxlon and the events connected
with It. They recognized Him when
he broke bread with them. snd In
stantly they rose and returned to Je-
rusalem with the wonderful message;
"The Lord Is risen indeed, and hath
appeared unto simon" a fact which
they had been inclined to doubt. 1t
seems.
once more Jesus appeared that day.
Ten Of the disciples had gathered in
II room secretly, fearing the Jews. Sud-
denly the Master stood among them,
greeted them as formerly, and babe
them see His hands and feet, and ham
die Him; Tor" He said, "a spirit
hath not flesh aud bones as We see me
have" It was on this memorable oc-
casion that He gave them the wonder
full commissions: whatsoever sins We
remit they are RENTED to them;
whosoevsr sins We retain, they are re-
talued."
y week later the Lord appeared Ia
Thomas who had declared that n.
would not believe, unless he himself
should see the Master and handle Ills
hands and feet Thomas saw, and
was convinced. Then Jesus appeared
TO seven Apostles by the Sea of Cali.
lee, Peter seemed to have become
impatient at the delay IN the resump.
ton OF the spiritual work. and haC
decided 60 resume his old trade, tenn,
porarly at least. Others joined him
but they tolled an NIGHT IN vain. Ther
tho Master appeared 70 them and mad,
Himself known by miracle, aftei
which he commissioned Peter especial
~ to feed my sheep" az a proof OF
love and devotion.
or other cye.witnosses to the fact
OF the resurrection we are told by III,
| Apostle Paul: THAT He was seen of
Ccphas then Of the Twelve, after that
he WAS seen Of above FIVE hundred
| brethren at once; after that
he was seen Of James, then Of an the
Apostles. And last Of all lie appeared
TO me also"
Such a cloud Of witnesses there are t,
the fact that the crucided Savior wal.
seen alive and glorineI. after His death
And the historical fact that Christian
lily became a power in the world Is II.
self sufficient proof that the cross wa,
not the terminus Of the career OF m,
Nazlrene When Jesus died, His worl
seemed ended. Despair seized His FOL
lowers. There We're only a few OF them
and these were poor, and ignorant Al
the world judges, without influence
They dld not control one single syna
gogue. But all Of sudden these met
rise IN power and testify that Jesus f
risen, ana that IN HE ntme and IN Hi
name only there Is salvation. And IN
euomies hear, ana tremble. Soon tn
name Of the Nazareue Is proclaIme,
from one end Of the world to another
and IN spite OF the raging pillows o
hatred, thrones fall, pagan temples ar
| abandoned the world Is reformed