The Madisonian. (Richmond, Ky.) 1913-1914, 1913-03-11
At the OPEN TOMB
Three Faithful Women VINO
Came to Mourn Heard That
First Easter Sermon.

On the dark day OF the cruciflxion
surely Joseph of Arimathea was the
bravest, MS well as the most loyal.
man 10 be found in all Judeai De
tying not only the prejudices of the
synagog, but the suspicious of Caesars
troops, he gave Jesus of Nazareth In
death what he had so seldom known
in life-a place to lay his head. For
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary.
we may take 1t, that the Sabbath sue
ceeding the murder on Cavalry had
been one of lamentation, rather than
OF Worship, for we read that they were
weeping still when, at the rising or the
sun on the next day, they. with Sa-
lone, made the first pilgrimage TO the
HOLY Sepulcher, not to find, as do the
pilgrims of today; priest and kneeiing
choir engaged in the performance OF
funeral masses, while the air Is laden
with perfume from swinging censers,
but wlhite-robed visitants from anoth-
er weird. The spices and precious
ointment carried by the women were
not sweeter than the roses and lilies
OF Joseph's garden In that early morn
Ing stiffness. A million times or more
since 1t had been placed in the heavens
had the sun risen above the hills OF
Judea, but never before had 1t looked
upon 30 wonderful sight as q tomb
deserted by its occupant of his owa
will.
Great conqueror Conquered.
1t had shone upon uncursed Eden;
1t had seen earth drowned In the wa,
tiers OF the food; 1t had looked upon
Egypt when the creator was doing bat
tie there for the delivery OF Israel;
but never until now had 1t seen deaths
victim rise up to conquer the great
conQueror. who will roll away the
stone?" the women had asked among
themselves. knowing that the removal
of the sealed barrier was a task too
great for woman's strength. But the
stone--had the earthquake of the
night Just passed acted as the servant
OF the angels was not in its place.
and the watchers, equipped with spear
and sword, were trembling. for they
had strange story to take to their Of
ficers, and who could say how, at that
time, tale ofexN supernatural would
be received? How could they admit
that armed men, who had fought the
barbarlans In other provinces of
Caesars empire, had Fetreated before
those swordless strangers at the sep
ulcher9 1t was~not only to remove
the guarded stones that these visitants
had come, but to send by the women
message OF hope to the nine dis
ctples who had forsaken their master
and fed, and the twogwho had fol
lowed afar OF the prisoner In the
hands OF pagan troop. And we may
be assured that the rising sun gIoWed
more brightly and the shadows OF
earth's darkest day fed farther int
the distance when this message was
spoken:
60 your way; tell his disciples and
Peter that he goeth before you into
Galileer as he said unto you"
And the sun, now risen higher. sent
his beams into the place whefo the
dead had been and the living was not,
and the women, with their eyes nov
dried through terror OF the supernat-
ural, saw that II was useless to seek
any longer the living among the dead
They had listened to the first Easter
sermon, and they departed to give the
message, and then ponder upon 1t in
their hearts.