Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1907-04-01
TIE EASTER FESTIVAL.
written for me sun.

sudden shifting OF creeds, and the
bloody scenes Of religious perseeu-
tions. The Emperor Diocletian intro.
duces the century by sweeping ex.
termination OF the Christians. In its
first decade. Diocletian and Msximian
abdicate their thrones. GaleFius aud
Constantius become Augusti. Maxi
mion and SeveFus are. made Caesars,
Emperor Constantine (successor 60
his father, Constantius) lie converted
TO Christianity. Saint Martin Of
Tours is born. The great Arian con-
troversy is opened. The first general
council OF the Church is held at Nice.
The capitol OF the empire is moved
from Rome 70 ConstAntinople. Con-
stantine dies, and the Roman Empire
Ia partitioned. What a period The
tragic civil war between the some OF
Constantine opens it's terrible history.
The Romans suffer defeat &C the hands
OF the Persians, and Constantine be-
comes sole emperor. The Synod Of
Aries convenes and the century, only
halt gone. witnesses the birth of Saint
Augustine. Julian is made Caesar
and defends his beloved Gaul, On
the death OF Constantine, Julian as.
cends the throne and pagsnism is once
more in the saddle. Julian makes an
expedition into Persia, he retreats,
and dies. Before the century was
three-fourths passed, Julian had died /,
Jovian was emperor OF all Rome, and
Christianity was again in foil sway.
What wonderful century, Won
derous in its rise and fall OF ereeds,
crowns and thrones. And yet, what is
stilI more wonderful. this century saw
the first regal acknowledgement Of the
Kindness OF the worlds Christ, Under
Julian, the empire lapsed into
heathenism They built again the
ancient groves and shTines where once
their fathers gathered After the
Persian defeat, when Julian lay dying,
he exclaimed 20 Gallilean, thou
hast conquered ~
And now, in serenest peace and Ia
the splendor OF her power, the Chris
tian world comes again TO her Easter
tide--the day that commentaries the
FesuFrection OF her Priest and King.
Out of tie varied interpretations Of
creeds aud formulas have come multi
piled scores OF organizations. However
different these may be, they all stand
by their sleeping dust and shout the
triumph otthe dead.
A great majority OF the ancient
world looked upon death as an eternal
sleep. One OF the old Greek muses.
declared; 1.-THE best thing is not TO
have been born, and the next best
thing is to pass away Rs soon 90 posi-.
BILE" Another one OF che Greek poets
said: "rhe best gift OF the gods 20
man is the power TO take ones own
life" In this utter blindness, and
apparent cHre.nothingness Of the fu-
ture, the old Grecian drank the fatal
hemloek with stoieal impunity While
many held this view, others were ter
rorized by she tomb and the thonght
OF death was TO them q thing unbear-
able.
EasteF--this now universal festival
belongs 70 the Christian world Some
one has said that ia the age Of chivalry,
when king wished 10 raise brave man
to knlehthoOd. he struck him lightly
with the sword, and then pronounced
him noble. So death is bot the soft
sWord-touch By which the Eternal
King elevates his faithfUl subjects 20
the knifht-errantry OF the skies
While ereeds have NOT always ex-
pressed the doctrine OF the resurrec-
zion. yet the universal wofld-heart
tbrobs with . hope Of life beyond the
valley and the shadow. The one In
conceivable thing 10 the splfit-Wotld
IL life independent Of body, Life
seeks he babitstiou. Just 81 easily
might We conceive Of she life-gsrm
apart from the grain Of wheat 81 20
think Of the conscious spirit apart
from iIs bodily tenement. Chrlstiani.
~ stands or falls with the Resurrection
1.-The great central fset Of alloaF Easter
festivities. True, we must
"weep awhile. n ye are faln-