The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-04-18
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A Problem of Civilization.
Terse Comments on the Topic for April
10, Sunday, our weekly Easter and
how to observe it." John 20: LILO.
1923; Rev. ITO.
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
A native from the Solomon Islands
Suddenly introduced just now into our
civilization. and told to interpret the
meaning of Easter from his own OBJ
servation. might readily venture the
suggestions that Easter is a day sacred
to eggs or chickens or possibly rabbits;
or else it is a day set aside by the
milliners, dressmakers and tailors for
stranger would need instruction before
he could know that the first and only
Significance OF the festival is spiritual
and that 1t marks the greatest event In
the history OF the Christian religion.
II this be true, then there Is reason
why all Christians should be at pains
TO lay manifest stress upon the pri-
mary import OF Easter. Let us put on
our most joyous raiment. and set forth
the radiant flowers. and sound our
sweetest music, in token Of the glad
deat festival that men or angels keep:
but let not these things overwhelm and
obscure the one supreme teaching of
Master, that this day celebrates the
rising from the grave Of Jesus Christ.
and the birth Of a resurrection hope
to the world.
Easter is q perpetual spirit as well
a. an anniversary.
Tho teaching of Easter has set how-
ers to blooming in all our cemeteries
and has made our burying grounds
gardens.
bit Of the British Legation wall at
Picking has been left standing since
Boxer days, and on it is inscribed,
significantly, Lest we forget" Mem
orials mark most Of the sites of historic
events. Sometimes the memorial is
day, as in the case of Easter. redeemed
from its ancient pagan meaning, and
caused to stand as monument to the
Resurrection Of Jesus. For the same
reason the first day of the week has
Easter. It is no longer the Sabbath
of the Hebrews: 1t is the Lords Day.
There is more to it than there was to
the day Of rest ordained for the Jews.
PA new toyousness, spirituality and COM
memorative character now attach to
this festival which comes to mankind
with the never stale reminder, The
Lord is risen indeed
Y Y y
The strength of Sunday observance
Is not in the law, but in the gospel.
1t is vain for the Church to turn aside
from creating an appetite for the
LORDS Day in the individual heart,
to legal efforts to force it's observance
in Christian fashion by legislative en-
actment The Lords Day will be kept
in the Lords way onl-- by those Who
love the Lord for himself.
The. very gladness of Easter should
be a part OF all Sabbath keeping.
Especially should this be true in the
the home where there are children.
A closer drawing together Of the fami-
ily ties, a more leisurely enjoyment OF
one another, a touch of social influences
and of the 10y of the Lord upon the
spirits of all, a measure of public wor-
ship and private meditation-all these
go to make UP well-kept LORDS lay
\ ~
There are economic aspects of Sun
day which may we'll be emphasized In
their place The sociologist and the
physician join hands with the Chris
tiau in support Of day Of rest; that
will be dark day for the workingman
wherein the Christian Sabbath ceases
to be a holy day and becomes holi-
day. for thence 1t Is but a short step
to it's becoming working day. The
man who does not want to DO seven
days work week, and for six days
wages, Is looking out for his own self
interest when he assists in defending
the Lords Day. Yet the Church's plea
is not this primarily. She is the GUS
todian of the religious teaching con-
corning this day. Less as the old legal
rest day. but rather as a new dispen-
;eation memorial day, does the First
Day Of the week concern her. Hers 1t
lis to say. with respect to Sunday OBJ
eervance, This do in remembrance or
Me- The resurrection significance OF
the event is hers to emphasize. That
a. nh
making the Lords Day a joyous festi-
val. an occasion to be looked forward
TO with eagerness and enjoyed with
gindness, is to be accounted one OF her
Natures. A statesmanlike consloera-
ton Of the part which the weekly Eas-
ter must play in the coming OF the
,uyfngdom would arouse all who feel a
Responsibility for this supreme consum-
nuation to new zeal for a sane and
Fepiritual propaganda in behalf of the
LORDS Day.
Master Is best kept by rising from
some dead past into newness OF iife'
Sunday should be something like a
pubfic park. AS this enclosure, free,
beautiful, public, secured from private
greed. open to all, stands in the murk
ers. and the clear sky. so Sunday
should be the open space secured from
the rush Of the week. in which the
worker may lift his eyes to lifes nobler
aspects, and breathe for little space a
serenor and diviner air-Congregation-
alist.
y =
We are to go to the next world soon.
Sunday is the day for learning it's geo.
graphy and its language.-Amos r.
Wells.
n
You keep the Sabbath in imitation Of
Gods rest. Do. by all manner of
means and keep also the rest Of the
week in imitation of Gods work-John