Hermanner Volksblatt. [volume] (Hermann, Mo.) 1875-1928, 1920-03-26
The RISEN CHRIST
Easter Always Anniversary of De-
Iiverance of Wonderful
Message of Hope.

oNbAh HANNhAHs - ~ NN1~~ "a Az
and the praise of the children in thelI
exercises are found the manifestation
of the joy of hearts overlooking with
the happiness of a renewed hope OF
life. 1t is the anniversary of the de-
liverance of the greatest message OF
hope the world has ever received
summed up in the three little words
"He Is Risen" 1t is the Christian
victory day"-Easter.
Most men everywhere at all times
have had some sort of idea of immor.
tally. 1t seems to be an inherent
quality in humankind. The doctrine
of the resurrection is not an entirely
new one. Even the pagan before us
had a glimpse Of the truth and was
moved to recognize 1t in his own way.
Nature herself proclaims the doctrine
and in every bursting bud of spring
time and the. new songs of the birds
we read a confirmation of u belief
In a future life. Nature rejoices along
with men in a realization of the glory
OF life, for that which was dead Is
alive again.
Brought Light to World.
But while we see in nature the sym
bols of the great truth of the resur-
rectiOn and delight in the pleasing
processes of the breaking forth of
new life in the natural world, the
Christian has something deeper and
more firm than nature upon which to
base his belief of Immortality. The
materialist may seek to read his flu
ture in the natural world, but the
Christian derives his chief hope from
a different source, a ire no less
than the message from God himself.
When Jesus broke the bonds Of death
and became "the first fruits Of them
that slept" He at the same time be-
came the hope of all humanity. Be
fore Him, the way was dark and
shrOuded In mystery, but on that first
Easter morning He threw a food of
light upon the gates of eternity, which
illumined the way for all and settled
the question of immortality forever.
II is but natural that the anniver-
sary of such a day should be celebrat-
ed with various manifestations of Joy,
but amid the songs and the flowers
and the pageantry Of our celebrations
the great motive of the day should
not he lost sight Of. Things that min
lister to the esthetic sense should not
he allowed TO ~overshadOw the appeal
to the spirit. If Easter brings no
heartening message to a soul wearied
with worldly cares, no new inspiration
to take hold of the things worth while
with a firmer grip. no new feeling Of
citizenship in the eternal, our songs
and flowers and pomp and pageantry.
however beautiful, are of momentary
value.
Divine Easter Message.
The message that Easter brings to
the individual has q very direct bear
Ing upon his life, for what one be-
lieves about the future life NAV
largely determine his character. and
even his eternal destiny. One may
even go further and say what a ma
ton believes about the hereafter de-
termines the character of it's govern.
ment in its practical dealing at home
and abroad, and the character of the
national life. The man or nation that
Is not restrained by the feeling that
there Is another world in which there
will be a higher justice and a con
tinued life of some sort, is dangerous.
Passing over the strictly religious
element in the resurrection of Christ,
momentarily, let us remember that
history was made on that first Easter
morning. When the devoted women
went down to the tomb of the Lord
upon their mission Of love, 1t was given
to them to hear the announcement
from an angel that was to turn the
tide of history and to give impetus to
the movement of uplifting men that
Is still gathering force today. Jesus
was a great teacher and He gave to
the world its best principles and pre-
cepts. But there have been other good
teachers of morals and religion, and
who knows but that His teachings
would not have persisted with Him II
He had not risen from the dead and
become the living inspiration for the
millions who were to come after him.
Herein lies the distinctive difference
between Christ and other teachers
and between Christianity and other
codes of morals and religion. Chris
tian worship is directed toward a per-
o and does not consist in veneration
of a dead leader and slavish adher-
ence to a rule of life or set of regu-
l%ations. Above all Christianity is not
a philosophy, but a life, drawing its
inspiration from a living Christ, and
having a universal appeal because 1t
speaks the language of love.
Religion ImperishabIe.
Such a religion can not be beaten"
It has all the qualities Of the imper-
ishable, and SO long as the church
maintains steadfast It's belief In the
resurrection 1t car not be conquered
by all the hosts of evil.
The resurrection of Christ vos fine