APRIL

Sweet April! many a thought

Is wedded unto thee, as hearts are wed;

Nor shall they fail, till, to its autumn brought, Life's golden fruit is shed.

-H. W. LONGFELLOW.

THE EASTER HOPE

"I am the resurrection and the life.”—Jesus.

HE Christian doctrine of the resurrection is the answer to

TH

the oft-repeated question "If a man die, shall he live again?" Before his death Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life." In the fact of the resurrection we see the truth of his words and the proof of his divinity. Here Jesus points the road to immortality. He indeed did bring life and immortality to light. On the tombs of the heathen was often seen the epitaph: "Farewell— forever-my brother". The assurance Jesus gives to all his followers is "He that believeth on me, though he die, yet shall he live". The interest in this question is universal. The Stoics wavered in their attitude toward the future, proudly trying to make the best of it. When life became too hard, they tried to end it by self destruction. The motto of the Epics was "Let us eat and drink, for to-morrow we die."

The Christian Church was built upon the conviction and proclamation of a risen saviour. Jesus taught this to the disciples. St. John and St. Peter witnessed and defended the same. St. Paul accepted and defended the teaching. Wherever accepted the teaching has thrilled the human race with gladness. It brings to the world a message of victory. By death Jesus vanquished death. At the grave the angel said to the women: "He is risen.'

The teaching of Easter brings a message of Hope.. Without Jesus and the resurrection, death obscures our vision. We cannot

lift the vail. But the resurrection message causes us to say with Peter: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy begat us again unto a living hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, unto an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled, and that fadeth not away. reserved in heaven for you."

It brings also a message of Life. In Springtime nature puts on new life. The grass, the flowers and the trees are bursting with natural energy. Out of the grave of Winter all vegetation rises with a song. The resurrection of Jesus adds new power to all his words. They are truth and life. The resurrection life is our heritage. "If ye then be raised together with Christ, seek the things which are above."

EASTERTIDE

To-day "the Lord is risen, indeed,

And hath appeared; "yet we, as they,
Are slow the potent truth to heed,
Nor deem that all man's greatest need

Is met because of Easter day.

-Marianne Farningham.

CHRIST OUR MODEL

“Christ is all and in all.”—St. Paul.

'N the study of duty and destiny, which is of vastly more im

IND

portance to humanity than science, literature or art, the ques

tion naturally arises, who shall be the model in the formation of character; in the solution of the problems of duty and destiny? We are at first inclined to follow some human example. When we observe a noble trait of character in any, we find ourselves imitators. This would be well, were it not for the fact that we are as apt to imitate the defects of men as well as their virtues. Man is not a perfect being, and for this reason we are sometimes disappointed in men. At different periods in life men change their standards, and are therefore uncertain, as safe guides. No one man has ever yet exhibited the perfect life which could at all times be a true standard. The most exalted human characters are fallible and weak. Are we then to despair in our search for the true model? No.

As no man can make a real success of life without following the highest ideals, so we are to follow the Christ, recognizing in Him the true model for all men in all lands.

Christ is the true model of Obedience.

His

He was subject to his parents, honoring them as a son. meat and drink was to do the will of the Father. Obedience to the moral law is the secret of moral health.

Christ is our model for victorious conquest.

"He was tempted in all points like as we are yet without sin." He was, and forever will be, conqueror in every conquest. He is not a High Priest merely of profession, but has been "touched with the feelings of our infirmities". He bids us be brave in life's hard battles. There are no retreats on His Marches. Forward is the watchword of His Kingdom. Though born a helpless babe His dominion now stretches around the globe.

Christ is our model of patience and resignation in the midst of Life's sufferings.

While the miracle of his birth is marvelous, was not the sublime patience of the Christ a greater one? "He opened not His mouth" when cruel enemies persecuted, and even friends forsook Him in the hour of loneliness. His patient and resigned attitude should inspire us to imitate these virtues, for by this process the pure gold of character is revealed. We may not understand the suffering; the temptation; the burden or the task. But we know the Christ was patient.