Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1925-04-08
Easter Fifty
Years Ago

Y 7 is a little more than so years
ago that l, as a young minister of
l. a suburban church, was invited to
preach, one Sunday morning in
April, at the Broadway Tabernacle
church, then standing at the corner
Of Broadway and Thirty-fourth street
IN New York city, Washington Glad
den, d. d., Ii. D., writes in the Won
nn's Home Companion. 1t happened
although almost no notice of the day
was taken at that time by the non
Episcopal Protestant churches, it had
been my custom to preach an Easter
sermon, and l ventured to bring one
with me for that service. There were
no Easter flowers, and there was no
Easter music. I doubt If it had oc-
Cured to the minister or to any mem
Der of the congregation that it was
Easter Sunday. | thought it prudent
therefore, to make virtual apology
for preaching sermon on the resur-
rection, saying that while we, as the
children Of the Puritans, had little to
do with sacred days, 1t might not be
uniting for us, on the day when many
Christians were celebrating the resur-
rection Of our Lord, to turn our
thoughts in that direction.
Shows Times Changes.
After the sermon my good and great
friend, then pastor Of that church, had
Just one word of commentator. and
that referred to the sentence il which
| said that we as Congregationalists
had little use for sacred days. Il am
glad" he said, 'that you emphasized
that fact" The incident will illustrate
the change which has taken place in
the attitude toward the Easter festi-
val of the Protestant churches during
the last half century. 1t is now the
day of the Christian year most gen
orally observed in all the churches.
The message of the Easter day to
you and me and to all men-what is
1t? In what words shall we phrase it?
We might get some idea of the mes
sage from the conduct Of those who
hear it.
See that man sitting solitary and de-
jected within his home. There Is a
knock at the door, and messenger
enters. Now he is delivering his mes
sage. The downcast look has gone
from the face of the listener; he is
all attention; watch him. He springs
to his feet; his hands smite each
other with a ringing blow; his face is
all ablaze with joyful emotion; his
voice is pitched in a high key; his
movements are full of energy. You
have not heard a word that the mes
senger has spoken, but you know that
he must have brought a joyful mes
sage.
Joyful News, Good Tidings."
So If you look into the face Of hui
mainly on Easter day and listen to
Its accents, and watch its movements,
wherever the message of Easter has
been spoken, you know that it is joy
ful news, good tidings The pealing
bells, the jubilant songs, the churches
and the homes bright with the flowers
of spring, the festive garments, the
WllOLe CDSlGlHc anu utter duGG VI CnAlS-
tendon show that the word that has
been spoken is a word of cheer, a word
OF hope, a summons to rejoicing. Is not
this, in itself, a great achievement? To
fill the heart of the world with a great
hQHe and an unselfish joy, is not that
a great good? That Jesus the Christ
has done all this for the world no man
can deny.
There is reason in this rejoicing. It
is the truth that Easter tells that
makes the whole earth glad What is
this truth? 1t is the truth that there
is life beyond the grave. To the per-
feet man there is spiritual principle
over which death has no power. This
has been the unquenchable hope OF
mankind in all the ages and the resur-
rection of Christ gives to this hope
a great confirmation.
Not at All incredible.
"Why," cries the great apostle
SHOULD it be thought a thing incred
ible that God should raise the dead?r
1t seems to me the most natural thing
In the world, provided that Nature Is
the outcome of loving will why
should not the gracious Providence
who watches over the world and
guides its destipies in the track o!
} righteousness, fling into the dark Of