The Pleasantville press. (Pleasantville, N.J.) 1912-1929, 1927-04-15

Ff1I1I11N OMEIHING happened on
ItEDNll the first Easter morning
/ 49, that brought joy and
lS5NNYH courage to the followers
lIIRlSsYHN of Jesus Christ, and
u III that strengthened them
for the mission which
was theirs-and is ours. In one
of His great discourses, He said
to His disciples: Therefore doth
My Father love Me, because l lay
down My life, that might take
1t up again. No man taketh 1t
from Me, but / lay it down of my
self. | have power to take II
again." He did take it again. I'M
mediately following the words just
quoted is this: There was divl-
sion therefore again among the
Jews for these sayings. And many
Of them said, He hath a devil and
is mad why hear We Him.? The
old divisions still persist. But
also there are many represented
by those who said: '..These are not
the words of him that hath devil.
Can, a devil open the eyes of the
blind" To all. to those who
would like to believe as well as to
those who believe, Easter ought to
be an inspiration. For it set in
motion forces that have for 20 cen
turtles been working for the uplift-
ing. blessing and comforting of sin
full and sorrowing men, and has
cheered them with the thought and
assurance of life that can know
only one death, and that is the
death unto sin. The empty tomb
nroyed little to those who saw
it-they thought only that the body
had been removed. What over
whelmed them with joy, and gave
TO them a courage that nothing
could daunt, was their meeting
! with their Lord and Leader, this,
together with the words that He
smoke to them They knew that
He was "alive forevermore," that
ne had won the victory, and that
He would be with them to the end
of the world So they went every
where ''preaching the kingdom Of
God. and teaching those things
which concern the Lord Jesus
Christ" They were, and still are
witnesses to what they had seen
and heard, witnesses to the great
truth that life is stronger than
death, and may be deaths conquer
or. Yet there are many Chris
tians who get little help or com
fort from the great Easter truth,
who. as the saying is, accept
If. but do not really believe it
have no conviction of it.
Promise of Resurrection.
And that is a great pity, for 1t
involves a serious loss of power,
and practically an entire loss Of
hope. st. Peter said to those to
whom he wrote. as he says to us:
81 will endeavor that We may be
able after my deeease TO have
these things always in remem-
brance. For we have not followed
cunningly devised fables, when we
made known unto you the power
and coming of our Lord Jesus
Christ, but were eyewitnesses of
His Majesty. we nave
also a more sure word of prophecy :;
whereuntO We 40 wen lndt se tdhS
heed, as unto a light that shineth
in a dark place, until the day
dawn. and the daystar arise in your
hearts" To believe in all this, 1t
must be said by way of qualifica-
tion, in order merely that one may
get comfort out of it, would be
most cowardly, for the question
still is, is 1T true?
ST. Paups Prayer.
n Moreover, there is much in Chris
tianity that is anything but COM
Portable to believe-self-saerlhce
and INSTRUMENTATION for instance.
But an event which has such a
marvellous influence on the course
of human affairs, that adds dig
nifty to humanity, that glorities the
humblest life. that strengthens the
weak, inspires the despairing, COM
forts. the bereaved, that brings 10