TH E KING’S BUSINESS
675 something. But the Christian has not even that. He has given up something for noth ing. Christianity, without the resurrection of Christ, is the pity of a tremendous disap pointment. It is dead loss. The Christian is foolish; pitiable above all men. Give him your pity, poor soul, he has surrendered that which has some substantiality about it in this world for a bubble, for a mere hope that has no materialization in the world to come—“If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most pitiable.” THE VERY CRUX. And yet we are told, in view of all these things, that it makes no difference to Chris tianity whether we believe that Christ rose from the dead or not. Ah, my friend, the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the very crux, the very heart of Christianity. Chris tianity is the only religion that dares base the acceptance of its claims upon the resur rection of its founder from the dead. Mo hammedanism does not dare do that; Buddhism does not dare do that; Confu cianism does not dare do that; Mormonism does not dare do that; Christian Science does not dare do that; Christianity alone issues such a challenge and dares base all upon the resurrection of the Founder from the dead. We have seen the importance of believing in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Now let me consider some of the proofs of the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Let me draw your attention to the argu ment from cause and effect, for that is the only argument I shall take up with you this morning. Now what is the argument from cause and effect? There are certain things in this world that could not be unless cer tain things took place. This desk did not come into existence of itself, it assumes a carpenter. This book is an effect, what is its cause ? A compositor, a writer, a printer. This piano is an effect. What is its cause? Now there are certain great effects in this world that cannot be traceable to any other cause except the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Let us look at some of them.
spotless life, then God is either dead or mad. “It is not possible that He (Christ) should be holden of death.” BEAUTIFUL WORDS. But he goes further and he says, “Then those that have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.” Oh, those beautiful words! “Put to sleep,” “kissed to sleep” by Christ. That loved One that you laid aside in hope of a glorious resurrection; that dear father, who all through life had surrendered to the liv ing Christ; that precious mother who pil lowed her head on the promises of Jesus Christ; that beloved daughter whom you laid aside in hope of the resurrection; that sweet child whom Christ put to sleep, you will never see again if Christ be not risen. Then that mother died like a dog, that child died like a beast. Perished, perished for ever have they if Christ be not risen. Your hope concerning those that have been “put to sleep in Christ,” is a delusion, you will never see them again, if Christ be not risen. Is this credible? “If in this life we have a hope only, we are of all men most pitiable,” If we have a “hope” only; a mere bubble with no substance or reality, a hope with no sub stantiality, then what is the use of faith in the Gospel? The Christian has surrendered the pleasures of the world; he has denied himself of certain enjoyments in this life because they conflict with his relation to Christ; he has said “no” to the world, its pleasures, its sins, its emoluments, its ad vancements; he has practiced a life of self- denial. And for what? In hope of a glori ous reward. But if there be none; if there be no home to which we are to be welcomed by the Father) if there be no King to say, “Well done, exchange mortality for life” ; if there be no Christ to say, “Enter into the kingdom prepared for you,” then the Christian simply falls down dead, he has made a tremendous mistake. The pleasures of the world are more than a hope; there is a' kind of substantiality about them; they are not altogether a sham, they are worth
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