The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1911-04-18

the Divine providences. He drank the
cup" which the Father poured for Kim.
Divine Power drought From the Dead
the Great Shepherd"
This Easter Sunday celebrates the
momentous event of our Lords resur-
rection from the dead. His resurrec-
ton ia either a truth or falsehood
In our text st. Paul assures us that IL
It is untrue. our faith. our hopes. our
preaching and teachings are of no avail
useless. IL the resurrection Of the
dead Is impossible then the resurrec-
tion of Jesus was impossible. IL the
resurrection of Jesus did not take
place. then we have no proof. and no
ground for believing. that Divine pow
er could resurrect the Church. III Di-
vine Power brought again from the
dead the great Shepherd of the sheep"
1t Is Jehovah also who will bring US
from the dead by Jesus. in Gods due
time.
Let none avoid the question. Let all
decide Mt once. Either we believe In
resurrection from the dead. or we do
not believe in 1t. II the resurrection
be myth then. says the Apostle. all
those who fell asleep with faith In
Christ are perished-they are not In
heaven. Purgatory nor eternal torment.
If we believe In the resurrection OF the
dead. both of the just and the unjust,
then. logically. we must believe that
they are dead, except In the Divine
promise. purpose, arrangement. The
decision of this resurrection question
is most momentous one, as it affects
practically every doctrine of the Chris
tian Church. II we get straight the
doctrine of the Ransom effected through
the Redeemer. and the doctrine Of the
Resurrection Of the dead. oil Of our doc
trines will fall into line. and all of our
absurdlties. which have troubled us so
long. will fall out of the way. and all
of the Scriptures will be found har-
monious In teaching Divine Justice,
Wisdom. Love and Power.
Christ the First Fruits.
"But now is Christ risen from the
dead and become the frst-fruits Of
them that slept" (verse 20D. Ah. thank
God. the Apostle did not mean to In
sinuate the possibility of our Lords
not having risen. Merely, he would
put the question that we might see
how weighty is the subject-how much
depends on the answer. He exultantly
answers. "Christ is risen!' We re-
joice In this for several reasons. First,
how sad 1t would be IL He who laid
aside His glory and was made flesh
and tasted death on our behalf should
have lost by His loyal endeavor to
serve us and to do the Fathers will
How glad we are that He is risen. and
that He was not raised again in the
flesh. with the loss of His heavenly
glory. but raised as the King of all. far
above all others. and partaker of the
divine nature!
Secondly. we are glad on our own
account. and on account of all man
kind: for IL our Lord Jesus had not
been raised from the dead It would
have proven one of two things-either
that He had not been faithful-up to
the Divine standard. and therefore
that His life could not be a satisfaction
for the human life lost IN Adam. or else
1t would have proved that God. who
had promised TO raise Him from the
dead IL He would be obedient unto
death. had been unable to do so; and,
If unable to raise Him from the dead.
we, likewise, would be without hope.
even II our sins were cancelled by vir-
tue of His sacrifice
The Apostles words give further
suggestion: Our Lord In His resurrec-
tion became "the ttrst-Jruits of them
that slept" This signifies that none
was ever raised from the dead before
Him. AS another Scripture declares
"He was the first that should arise
from the dead" There were indeed
, others doakened from the tomb. by
, Jesus Himself and also previous tC
, His Advent. But they were merely
dioakened, not lifted fully up out OF
, death conditions to perfect life. The
, Redeemer was the first to have such
an experience. But the Apostles
, words mean more, If Jesus was the
, first-fruits of them that slept, there
| must of necessity be dfter-fruits. Ant
, this the Apostle proceeds to prove. de
: clarlng that "as all in Adam die, ever
SO nil In Christ shall he made alive
, Il Corinthians XIV. ~. Glorious resur
, rection hope! Precious Bible. The ont
} Book alone which teaches n resurrec
ton of the dead, or that the dead ar,
r dead.
The Apostle proceeds to tell MS tina
+ the dead will NOT all he resurrectet
! togethcr--at once-"but every man II
his own order Il Corinthians XIV. 23l
The first order or rank will be th
/ Church. Rlessed and holy are all the!
that have part in the First Resurrec
t tlon: they shall he priests o
4 God and OF Christ and shalt reign witt
/. Him thousand years dtevelation Xxx
D O.
= This work OF raising the dead will b
{ the work of the entire reign OF Mes
Y siah. ms explained In our context
h Christ must reign until He shall hav
: put all enemies under His feet-th