Valdez daily prospector., 1912-04-08
SERMON FOR
 STAY-AT-HOMES
Easter Sermon Delivered by Rev. Johnson at the congrega-
 tionaI Church

Appropriate services were con.
 ducted by the Rev. J. Bunting Johnson, pastor, yesterday, botf
 morning and evening. At tn, close of the morning service ;
 large number remained tO tn, sacrament.
 In the evening the pastor took for his text Malt. xviii :6.--" 1T, is not here, He is risen."
 The resurrection of Christ was of equal if not of greater import ancc to us than his nativity; though il is quite certain that inc one could not have taken place without the other. There was nc questioning the fact that Christ lived and that he was put tu death under the reign of Punlius PIlatc. These were established facts both by profanr as well as sacred writers. The resurrection or Christ Was aSSailrd, even de- 1 nird, by many both in ancient and modern times, hence it. Was necessary in very carefully cum- SIdrr: First. The evidences we have for believing that Christ arose. The very existence of Christianity, wnrld-widc in it's influence, numbering iiS believers by millions. pOSSrSSinT the high est moral and ethical standard. spreading civilization. righteous ness, purity. mercy and philan- ihropy wherever il is faithfully promulgated, InSOnlurh that if il were universally accepted and prarticed il would transform this w rld into workable paradise. where vice. suffering and sorrow would never be known. Surely such d religion could not be founded on a hiahnlical rabrica- iinn?
 Christianity bears the impress or truth and divinity upon the face of il. Again. we lIavr the testimony of eye witnesses, who. from a human standpoint, had nothing ln gain, but all tn lose by adopting the Christian faith. Was II likely that such persons would sacrifice every prospect. endure untold privation. cruelty and death [" cling to a faISrhnnd? Which. yielded. would assure them of protection and probably assistance of q very practical kind. For ih" council who brib- cd the hrtraycr. and the soldiers who guarded inc Srpulrhrr. would make il worth while for any pr"frsscd follower of Christ ln reveal any falsrho0d or drcru- tlnn--thrrc was none to expose. The resurrection of Christ was too real to be rrfutrd.
 Jesus arose on inc third day from tn" testimony of the holy women who were first at the srp- ulchrc on the first day of the week; not daring iO come soon cr. it being the solemn passover Sabbath. These women found the sepulchrc empty and saw a shin ing one who told them Christ was risen, and as they haslcncd away Jesus appeared to them. They fell at his feet and held on to him. Again. he appeared to Pei CT and John. who knew him: all so to the ten apostles, Thomas being absent. who avOwcd he would not believe unless he plac- cd his fingers on inc wound prints and his hand into Christ's sidc--delinitc unbclicf surely.
 Jesus again appears to the eleven and Thomas being present Jesus called him and said Reach hither thy finger and place il in the wound prints and reach hilhcr thy hand and thrust it into my side, and bc not faith less, but believing: whcrcupOn Thomas was overwhelmed and cried out, My Lord and my Godr' Again, he appeared to above 500 brethren, who proclaimed every where the fact, and later he