the bier; and they that bare him stood still. And Young man, I say unto thee, Arise. And he that was up, and began to speak. And he delivered him unto

er."

"And he that was dead came forth, bound hand with grave clothes; and his face was bound about with Jesus saith unto them, Loose him and let him go."

The certainty of the resurrection is proved by the tion of Christ. "Now if Christ be preached that he r the dead, how say some among you that there is no res of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the de is Christ not risen. And if Christ be not risen, the preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and we false witnesses of God; because we have testified of G he raised up Christ; whom he raised not up, if so be t rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are ye sins. Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ a ished. If in this life only, we have hope in Christ, we all men most miserable. But now is Christ risen from th and become the first fruits of them that slept."

In the four gospels we have a full history of the life, burial, resurrection, and ascension of the blessed Saviou whom is predicated the faith of the saints. No doctrine Bible can be proved by a greater amount of Scripture tes than that of the resurrection. The passages here broug ward are only a small portion that might be quoted; but are sufficient to prove the doctrine and satisfy any reas

person believing in the inspiration of the Scriptures. The New Testament treats upon the subject under a variety of features and circumstances. Christ himself expounded the doctrine on different occasions, before different classes of people, proving by his works, and, finally in his own person, the reality of a resurrection from the dead. The apostles and primitive Christians believed the doctrine, and Paul proclaimed it in Athens to the philosophers, and alluded to it in his defence before Agrippa. In the fifteenth chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians, he treats the subject by a power of argument not excelled.

Second, the Scriptures teach that the same body, though greatly changed, will be raised from the dead.

From the account given by the evangelists, it is certain that the body of Christ was raised. It was identified by his disciples, bearing the marks caused by the nails and the spear. In order to remove their doubts and quiet their fears, he says, "Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have. And when he had thus spoken, he shewed them his hands and his feet." As Thomas was not present on this occasion, and was unbelieving, Christ, wishing to remove every doubt, even from the most faithless, bade Thomas behold his hands and thrust his hand into his side. In the whole transaction relating to the resurrection of Christ, there is not the least indication of deception practised, either by Christ or his disciples. As the body of Christ died and rose again, so will the bodies of the dead arise, and those of the saints "be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself."

As a further proof that the body will be raised is John 5: 28. "All that are in the graves shall hear his voice, and shall come forth." God, in the creation of man, formed him of "the dust of the earth," which undoubtedly means his body. Now Solo"Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was, and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it." From this we learn that the spirit does not, as some contend, go down into the grave-it is the body. And it is the body that comes forth, as alluded to in the passage, not the spirit. Paul says, "Even

mon says,

we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adopti to wit, the redemption of our bodies." "He that raised Christ from the dead, shall also quicken your mortal bodies the spirit that dwelleth in you." "It is sown in corruption, is raised in incorruption; it is sown in dishonor, it is raised glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; it is so a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body.”

These quotations fully affirm the resurrection of the bod Still, with all the light that the Scriptures furnish on this subje which is not a little, there are doubts expressed and objectio made to the doctrine of the resurrection of the body. E these objections are generally made by those who are skepti concerning the Scriptures, to convince whom it would be qu difficult. Among the objections the most prominent is, that t body, in this life, undergoes many changes, and is, every fe years, composed of different particles of matter, and, hence, ca not be the same body at a later period in life. Besides, whe life becomes extinct, the body is decomposed, and the particl of matter enter other bodies and become subservient to oth uses and purposes, and therefore a literal resurrection of th same body is impossible. Now to the believer in revelatio this is no objection, because the resurrection is regarded in t light of a miracle, as was Christ's own resurrection. He w made the body is abundantly able to restore it to life, notwit standing the changes of the material organism previous to ar after death. The Christian confides in the power of Omnip tence. Though skeptics may deny every thing in the natur and moral world, yet the true disciple of Christ is unmovabl having built upon the rock, the sure foundation, against whic the tempest has no effect.

Still this objection is not so formidable as it at first appear Can not physical identity be preserved without identity of ma ter? Let us examine a little further. Does not a person r tain his personal identity from youth to old age? Does n the person who is emaciated almost to a skeleton, by a protrac ed illness, retain his personal identity? Yes, even admittin that identity of matter is lost. No one would pretend to sa that the man who lives to-day is not the man who lived te

certain changes, as stated in the fifteenth chapter o inthians. Here we learn that this mortal body is s ruption, is sown in dishonor, is sown in weakness, is ural body; but that it is raised in incorruption, raise raised in power, raised a spiritual body-the very ele essary to its admittance into heaven. The apostle ny its identity, and why need those with less of reaso ment and inspiration attempt to do so?

Third, the Scriptures teach that the resurrection place in the future.

On this subject there is a variety of opinions. So that the resurrection takes place immediately after this theory is not consistent with revelation, which t the resurrection will be at the the last day, or at the world. Daniel, in speaking of the resurrection, means the end of time. Christ says that "the hour meaning a future period, when all that are in their good and bad, "shall come forth," some unto the of life, and some unto the resurrection of damnation clares "that there shall be a resurrection of the de the just and unjust, agreeing with the Saviour event, to be taken in its most unlimited sense. conclusive, as an event in the future, Paul said conc meneus and Philetus, who declared that the resur past already, that concerning the truth they erred.

that i

To m

"And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but s it up at the last day. And this is the will of him th 26

was found no place for them. And I saw the dead, s great, stand before God; and the books were opened other book was opened, which is the book of life; and were judged out of those things which were written in t according to their works. And the sea gave up the de were in it; and death and hell delivered up the dea were in them; and they were judged every man acco their works." This quotation plainly shows the unive the resurrection, the end of the world, and the day of ju when the dead will be judged, "every man accordi works."

The Bible teaches that the resurrection will take place close of Christ's mediatorial reign, or second coming. cometh the end, when he shall deliver up the kingdom even the Father; when he shall have put down all ru all authority and power. For he must reign, till he hath enemies under his feet. The last enemy that shall be de is death." "For our conversation is in heaven; from also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ; wh change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like u glorious body," &c. "When Christ, who is our life, sh pear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory."" would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning that are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose even them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, th