April 23

I Corinthians xv. — 20. But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the first-fruits of them that slept.

21. For since by man come death, by man come also the resurrection of the dead.

22. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.

23. But every man in his own order: Christ the first-fruits; afterward they that are Christ's at his coming.

24. Then cometh the end, when he shall have delivered up the kingdom to God, even the Father; when he shall have put down all rule, and all authority and power.

25. For he must reign till he hath put all enemies under his feet.

26. The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death.

27. For he hath put all things under his feet; but, when he saith all things are put under him, it is manifest that he is excepted which did put all things under him.

28. And when all things shall be subdued unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subject unto him that put all things under him, that God may be all in all.

29. Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead, if the dead rise not at all? why are they, then, baptized for the dead?

30. And why stand we in jeopardy every hour?

31. I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily.

32. If after the manner of men I have fought with beasts at Ephesus, what advantageth it me if the dead rise not? Let us eat and drink; for to-morrow we die.

33. Be not deceived: evil communications corrupt good manners.

34. Awake to righteousness, and sin not; for some have not the knowledge of God. I speak this to your shame.

35. But some man will say, How are the dead raised up? and with what body do they come?

36. Thou fool! that which thou sowest is not quickened except it die:

37. And that which thou sowest, thou sowest not that body that shall be, but bare grain; it may chance of wheat or of some other grain:

38. But God giveth it a body as it hath pleased him, and to every seed his own body.

To make complete the redemption of humanity, it was needful that men should triumph on the very field where man had fallen, and over every foot to which man had been subjected. By his holy life, Christ triumphed over sin in human flesh, and over the condemnation which the law had pronounced upon our sinful race. In his atoning sacrifice, Christ triumphed over Satan through suffering, as he had before triumphed over him in the temptation; and, by his resurrection, Christ triumphed over death. But this triumph, to be made complete and final, must be renewed in every one of his followers. Christ set up a kingdom of spiritual life and power. For this, he, as Mediator, now has dominion; and unto this every enemy must be subdued: then the dominion of the Son as Redeemer shall be merged in that of God as Father. But

this shall not take place until death is conquered in the final resurrection. Of this the resurrection of Christ was the earnest and the pledge. The question of bodily identity, which perplexes some, Paul disposes of by a beautiful analogy. The sower does not expect to reap the self-same seed which he casts into the ground, but the same kind of grain, — wheat from wheat, barley from barley, maize from maize; but what he reaps grows out of the germ of the seed that he sows, which is quickened into life by the death of its own body. So physiology itself may teach us that there is within us a life-principle, or germ, of spirit potency, which is capable of being hereafter quickened and clothed with a body by Him who gives to every grain and plant its own body, answering to the seed from which it springs.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 8, 42, 45.

O God, who hast taught us in thy Word that there is still laid up a rest for thy people, and who hast given us a promise of entering into it! grant to us, we beseech thee, that we fail not of that promise through unbelief and disobedience. Teach us to look for a house that hath foundations, of which thou art the maker and builder. Lift our hearts thither in earnest desire.

O sabbath of eternal peace! O haven where the wicked cease from troubling, and the weary are at rest! When shall we see thee, O Lord! and behold the King in his beauty? When shall we meet the apostles and prophets, and the great multitude whom no man can number? When shall we see again our dear friends who sleep in Jesus?

O God the Father, who hast the times and sea-

sons in thine own power! let not that day come upon us unawares. O God the Son, who art gone to prepare a place for us! in thine own time take us to thyself, that where thou art, there we may be also. O God the Holy Ghost, the pledge of future glory in our hearts! seal us until the redemption of the purchased possession. We bless thee for the help this day received through thy holy Word and the prayers and praises of thy Church. We supplicate thy favor upon all who have heard thy Word, and upon those who have it not. We bless thee for thy mercy to this household, and commit ourselves to thy fatherly protection for the night. Keep us under the shadow of thy wings; and, O Father! bring us, we pray thee, finally to rest in thee, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.