April 24

I Corinthians xv. 39. All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds. 40. There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial; but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. 41. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differeth from another star in glory. 42. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43. It is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44. It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. There is a natural body, and there is a spiritual body. 45. And so it is written: The first man, Adam, was made a living soul; the last Adam was made a quickening spirit. 46. Howbeit, that was not first which is spiritual, but that which is natural; and afterward that which is spiritual. 47. The first man is of the earth, earthy: the second man is the Lord from heaven. 48. As is the earthy, such are they also that are earthy; and as is the heavenly, such are they also that are heavenly.

49. And as we have borne the image of the earthy, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly. 50. Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. 51. Behold, I show you a mystery: We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. 52. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump; for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. 53. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. 54. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. 55. O Death! where is thy sting? O Grave! where is thy victory? 56. The sting of death is sin, and the strength of sin is the law. 57. But thanks be to God, which, giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58. Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye steadfast, unmovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labor is not in vain in the Lord.

The "natural" or psychical body is a body in which the animal nature—which Paul terms the psychic, or "soul"—has ruled in place of the spiritual, which Paul terms the parous, or "spirit." By reason of this, the life has been "earthy,"—more nearly related to sense, appetite, and the outer, visible world, than to the world of spiritual realities. But, in the resurrection, the spiritual life, restored by Christ, and fed with his power, shall mould the outer form to its own laws, and use it at its own will. The body itself shall be spiritualized. Sown in dishonor, with death as the mark of its degradation by sin, buried out of sight to return to its dust, it shall be raised resplendent with beauty and majesty like unto Christ's glorious body. Sown in weakness, too weak to cope with disease, helpless in the presence of death, it shall be raised with a dynamic force within itself capable

of resisting all evil, and of performing all the behests of the spirit. The renovated spirit shall lift the body to its own plane as a spiritual organism for the expression of only high and sacred thoughts, of pure and blessed feelings and desires. To the Christian, death is the liberation of the life principle for an untold career of power and glory. The utmost grandeur of existence is opened to him whose "life is hid with Christ in God." Where science speaks of improvement, Christianity speaks of renovation; where science speaks of development, Christianity speaks of sanctification; where science speaks of progress, Christianity speaks of perfection. And where, in the whole vocabulary of science, are terms to match these three,—incorruption, glory, power? Gladly do we join in this hymn of thanks to God; willingly do we devote ourselves to the work of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.

APPROPRIATE HYMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 20, 34, 105.

Thou blessed and glorious Redeemer, who didst give thy life a ransom for us, grant us grace, we beseech thee, to follow in thy steps, and be baptized with the same baptism of devotion and sacrifice for the glory of the Father and the good of men. Keep us from the absorbing power of earthly things. May we live under the powers of the world to come, loving thee now with a sweet and blessed foretaste of that love with which we shall love thee forever!

We commend to thy gracious providence all thy people. Sanctify them by the indwelling of thy Holy Spirit. Give unto them both outward and inward peace. Bless our own immediate circle:

may God be their Father, and Jesus their Elder Brother, and heaven their everlasting home! [May the children of this family make thee their portion and their hope! May they early learn to do thy will; to wish for and to do only that which will please their Father in heaven!]

May thy kingdom come! May thy servants abound in the work of the Lord! Sanctify affliction to all in sorrow; and satisfy the poor with bread. Grateful for the mercies of the night, we pray thee help us to consecrate body, soul, and spirit to the glory of thy holy name. And all that we ask or hope for is for the Redeemer's sake. Amen.