The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-09-01
Beginning of New Order


This is to assume what is without suf-
ficient evidence. True. we have no ac-
count of any but His followers seeing film
after His resurrection, but we should
scarcely look for evidence from those who
were invincibly hostils to Him. Be that
as it may, we have here the beginning of
a new order OF things. Heretofore He
was seeking and calling men He was
able to say to His disciples: 'Ye have not
chosen Me, but | have chosen YOU Now,
those who would see Him must seek Him
and choose Him. SO it may be fairly
said that He was seen by all who really
wanted to see Him To those who were
meeting together talking of Him and
longing for Him He was ready to reveal
Himself. And those who beheld Him
So accepted it is the power of His resur-
rection-they were drawn into robust
faith in Him as the Divine Savior of men.
This grand doctrine, received by faith
in the heart. lying al the very seat and
center out of which are the issues of
life, becomes the mighty power which
transforms, transfigures the whole of life.
SO accepted 1t Is the power of His recur-
rection' which lifts us out of our sell
fshness and sin, crowns the whole of
life with its inspiration and blessing and
feeds it continually from a new and never
falling source.
1T is likewise a promise. 1t is a prom
Use which the world so sorely needs If
you will but search the Old Testament
for assurances of the life beyond you
must be impressed with the fact that even
its intimations of life of everlasting
blessedness are few and hazy. In spite
of the wide range of law and prophesy
and psalm, touching almost every point
in the circle of human needs, sweeping al
most the whole gamut of human experi-
ence, there are amazingly few points of
clear vision whence the writer's seem to
look out with assurance into the future.
Again and again death Is referred
to as the great calamity, the grave as
the prison house of human hopes. Then
If you will consider that the religion
of the Hebrews lowered infinitely above
every other religion of earth, you will
begin to understand something of how
deeply the world needed such sure
promise as the resurrection of Jesus
brings. If the struggles and yearn-
ings of this people, as voiced in their
sacred writings, move us to pity for
them, what must be said of the millions
lost in the mazes of important cere-
monies and empty forms.
After the resurrection of Jesus q
change began to be wrought. Upon
the sepulchers in the rocky sides of
the hills which held their dead men be-
gan to carve cross and above the
cross a crown. The points of light
from the crown fell some downward.
toward where the dead slept, showing
that new light had fallen upoh the
grave; and some of the points We're
raised upward toward heaven showing
that a new hope was born in the hearts
of men.
Men marched with steady step to the
stake and chanted psalms until the hot
breath of the fire sealed the lips. They
went the way of the fiercest persecu-
tion with the joy of cOnquerors going
to receive crown and a Kingdom.
Unspeakably poor in earthly goods, they
rejoiced in the hope of an inheritance
that would make all the wealth of all
the world seem but an empty show.
Houseless and homeless. they gloried
In the prospect of home eternal in
the heavens Bereft of the companions
ships that had sweetened their earthly
journeyings, they looked with conf
dence to the sweeter and unbroken fell
lowship of heaven.
And this is the promise of the resur-
rection: The power to lift from a life
of sin. the promise of power to raise
all the dead. the promise of our in
heritance of all the wealth of God
the promise of a home that shall shell
ter our heads forever. the promise Of
meeting with the good and the blessed
of all the ages-where we shall be well
coined and throned and crowned, and
shall go out no more forever. Why
art thou cast down, o my soul? And
why art thou disquieted within me-?
Hope thou in God; for shall yet praise
him. who is the help OF my countenance
and my God"