The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-15
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY w. T. ELLIS

character and of future glory. IF We
then be risen together with Christ.
seek those things which are above.
Now is Christ risen frt m the dead.
and become the first-fruits of them
that slept" IF Christ ath not been
raised, then is our preaching valn'
your faith also is vain - IF we have
only hoped in Christ in this life, we
are of all men most miserable.
Every day. in every section OF the
world, there rage arguments about
religion. Men cannot be restrained
from specializing about this supreme
theme. No aspect of these discussions
strikes an observer as more significant
than the fact that so often men debate
as if there were no authority above
their own reason to which appeal
might be made. They talk as tho
historical facts were to be decided
by horse sense; and as if one mans
opinion were as good as another. In
other words, they leave the Bible en-
tirely out of their discussion, and
airily put forth their own immature
opinions as if they were the last word
on the subject. Every reader of these
lines has probably heard controver-
sizes on the resurrection, without sin
gle appeal to the Bible as historical
evidence.
The Real Evidence.
That makes only one of two courses
possible. Either the Bible must be
discarded utterly, or else it must be
accepted as the only Scientific and
valid evidence available up to the pres
ent upon the subject of the resurrec-
ton. To reject the teaching of the
resurrection is to reject the, New
| Testament; for It is full of the fact
and of the implications of the resur-
| rection of Jesus Christ. And apart
from this Book we have absolutely
no other historical evidence of the
raising of the dead to life. | take a
concordance and follow thru the words
raised" "risen' resurrection" and
separate references given to resurrec-
ton.
When the sorrow of death enters a
circle of love, it is not to the barren
philosophy of the ancients that we
turn for comfort, but to this Book OIL
the immortal hope, whose words oil
sweet assurance are repeated daiiS
over thousands of biers. imparting the
light of eternal sunrise to the darH
day of grief.
The Final Proof.
Assuming the historical validity o.
the Bible, we find that the resurrection
is established by many witnesses, ant
that it is as completely buttressed {
fact as any event in ancient history.
There remains one final proof o
the resurrection of Jesus Christ
which in the case of millions of per
! sons, makes all the other evidenc
unnecessary. That is the fact of per
sonal present relationship with tn
living Christ, to whom a long line o
martyrs and saints bear testimony
saying with st. Paul, 81 know whom
, I have believed That relationship i
for multitudes more real than an,
transaction with merchant or friend.
Nearer is He than breathing,
Nearer than hands or feet
A Canadian in the tropics nigh
be jeered at for his talk of ice an'
snow: and the black philosophe
might conclusively- prove that such
phenomenon is impossible. But tn
Canadian can confound them all will
81 know, for 1 have experienced ic
and snow" A Greek sophist nigh
have caught Peter in the market plac
; at Antioch and argued the impossible
/ ity of the resurrection: but Peter coul,
: crush him with a simple, Il saw Hin
5 dead; and then l saw Him alive"
personal experience of the risen Chris
is the final argument for the resurrec
: ton; and the one most sufficient proc
of immortality.