The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-04-06
I'LL: is RISEN"

More than nineteen centuries ago
AN event occurred on the hilltop oN-
crlookins the city of Jerusalem that
while not unusual in the annals of
the times and especially in those
countries that were under the domin-
alton Of imperial Rome. was destined
to change the religious principles of
the world in all ages. Three days
before the event which all christen-
dom will celebrate tomorrow the
Christ had been arrested in the gar
den OF Gethsemane, and after being
Knocked and ridiculed at the house
Of the high priest. had been taken
for a hearing before plate, who be-
cause of lack of jurisdiction sent him
before Herod who was soJourning in
Jerusalem. though his jurisdiction
was Galilee. IIerod returned him to
plate and the two Judges who had
been enemies became friend Both
tho Judges had found the prisoner
not guilty at the first hearings. but
on the second hearing before PLATE,
his decision was overruled by the
populace and while tho court held
him not guilty in fact. no was con-
demned to be cruclied.
He was quickly led away to the
place OF execution where the SEN
tence of the court was carried out
and he suffered h agonies that bru-
talized Rome for ages. for the meth
cd Of death was an importation from
the conquerors. The sentence OF
death may he excused. wen if the
infinite and eternal plan of mans re-
demption be omitted. because he had
taught a seeming new religion among
a people whose W was founded on
the faith of Abraham, freed by Mo-
ses, made militant by Joshua. taught
by the prophets and idealized by Da-
vid and Soloman. This question is
not germane to the central thought
of Faster. however.
From the time the great decelara-
tion of eternal redemption passed
tn" dying lips of the Son of Man. I'M
til the shadows of evening fell. the
scene Of the cross was a blending of
many thoughts. Christ himself had
taught the resurrection of the dead as
tn" fundamental principle Of the new
religion that he had builded upon
the foundations of the old. He had
declared that he himself would
prove the doctrine by his own resur-
rcrtion. He had by his power raised
the dead. but there were doubling
Thumascs other than the disciple. If
he arose from the dead. his words
would be proven and his work estab-
lishcd.
In the evening Of the day OF his
death his body had been prepared
for hasty burial and laid in the
tomb of Joseph-a tomb that was
hewn in solid stone, so that no means
of physical escape nor no means of
removing the body existed except ny
way OF the entrance door. Joseph
rolled a stone into this entrance and
departed. But those who had
brought about his c%rucifxion met and
talked over the question Of his resur-
rection. The day following the cruel
tixion they went before PLATE with
IA demand that there be no chance
for a sham, little realizing that they
were thus establishing beyond all
controversy the doctrine of the hi
vine Commoner. The sacred his.
torian tells the story in a few graphic
words. Addressing PLATE they said:
Sir, We remember that that de-
ceiver said while he was yet alive
after three days I will rise again.
Command, therefore, that the sepul-
c,re be made sure until the third
day. lest his disciples come by night
and steal him away and say unto the
people, he is risen from the dead
so the last error shall be worse thar
the first
Let the story continue in the words
of the same writer:
"Pilate said unto them 'Ye have a
watch; go your way; make it AS sure
as you cam
$50 they went and made the sopul-
chre sure. sealing the stone and set
ting a watch"
Thus did human agencies make
sure that when the Christ came from
the grave it was because of his resur-
rection and not because of human
agency.
Three days after the sun had veil
cd his facee' on the scene on Cal
vary. las it began to down toward
the first day of the week." the women
who with their ministrations OF ten
derness came with the spices they
nao prepared 10 anno1nt tho body.
found that the stone. with which
Joseph had closed the door of the
tomb, was rolled away and the body
of the Christ was gone True, the
seal had been so placed that the re-
moval would break it, and the watch
had been set to see that human
hands did not carry away the body.
But the hand of Omnipotence was
in the work. The angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came
and rolled back the stone from the
door n sat upon IL. and
for fear of him the keepers did
shake and become as dead men,"
When the women reached the
tomb and found the stone rolled
away. and the tomb empty except
for the grave clothes in which the
body had been wrapped, they beheld
also the angel who uttered the words
that make Of the Easter service one
glad anthem Of rejoicing: HE is not
here: for he is risen. as he said. Come
see the place where the Lord lay"
Thus On that first Easter morn the
message of the resurrection was pro-
claimed by angelic lips in words that
have been the foundation of the hope
and faith ri mf1IiOns and will con-