THE RESURRECTION.
The following is an extract from an Easter Sermon delivered by Dr. Walker at Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, April 7, 1901. The sermon was published in pamphlet form at the request of the church:
“‘To whom also he shewed himself alive after his passion by many infallible proofs, being seen of them forty days, and speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God.’—Acts 1:3.
“The presence of the two angels in shining white from the glory world, and the empty grave were evidences of Christ’s resurrection, but not infallible proofs. Technically speaking, they would be considered circumstantial evidence, but our text declares there were many infallible proofs of his resurrection.
“The infallible proofs of his resurrection are to be found in his appearances at different times in various places, to different people.
“First he appeared to Mary Magdalene. She recognized his voice, and said, ‘Rabboni,’ which means, ‘My Master, my Teacher.’ She recognized his loving voice and turned to grasp his hands, but he said, ‘Touch me not, for I have not yet ascended to my God, and to your God; but tell Peter and my disciples I have gone before them into Galilee; there shall they see me.’ Then he appeared to two disciples on the way to Emmaus, 7½ miles from Jerusalem, talking sadly, as they journeyed, on the crucifixion, and of their disappointment. Then Jesus, as he journeyed with them, began to speak of the fulfilment of the prophecy, and to rebuke them for their unbelief of the Scriptures; when their eyes became open, they found it was their Lord. The same evening he appeared to ten of them shut up in a room for fear of the Jews. Thomas being absent. Eight days after that time he appeared to eleven, Thomas being present. Paul states that he was seen of Peter. He met the disciples at the Sea of Tiberius. And then he was seen of the twelve, as he gave the marching order from Olivet’s brow. He was seen of five hundred of the brethren at once. He was seen of James. Then Paul says, last of all, ‘He was seen of me also, as of one born out of due time.’
“Christ’s resurrection occurred at the time of year when nature was being revived from the effects of bleak winter; spring had burst forth in greenness and beauty, the birds were singing their cheerful lays—nature was vocal with His praise; earth was putting on her spring costume, representing a resurrection of all nature from the death and grave of the winter. So our Lord chose that season of the year to come out from the tomb when all nature was teaching the lesson of the resurrection.
“Christ’s resurrection proved several things. It proved that he was the real Christ, the Holy One. They had said he was a deceiver. He had said that he would lay down his life and take it up again. Real divinity, which had never died, resurrected humanity. Here the Godhead sustained manhood and revived humanity. They killed his manhood, but divinity was untouched; and on the third day Divinity restored humanity to life.
“It settled the atonement, made it efficacious and gave power to the gospel. If Christ had remained in the grave the claims of justice would have been unsatisfied; reconciliation between God and the sinner would not have been effected; heaven and earth could not have been united. Paul says: ‘If Christ be not risen, our faith is vain; we are yet in our sins, and we are found false witnesses.’ God sealed him as the world’s Redeemer in his resurrection.
“It is a greater attestation of heaven’s approval than the voice at his baptism, transfiguration, and prayer for special glorification. He proved his right to leadership. He dignified and exalted humanity. He reinstated man to favor with God. He founded his kingdom on the impregnable rock of truth, and the kingdoms of this world must become the kingdoms of our Lord and his Christ.
“His resurrection was necessary for our justification. For if he had not risen, man could not be justified with God, for our faith must rest upon a crucified, buried and risen Redeemer.
“His resurrection was necessary for the payment of the price of our redemption. It was to be a victory over sin, for he was to put away sin in the flesh and establish the reign of righteousness. It was to be a victory over the world; he was to have power in heaven and in earth, and hence must conquer the earth and subdue it; and his resurrection proved his power over nature, over disease, over death and over the grave.
“It was also a victory over Satan, for Satan was styled the prince of this world. The earth he claimed as his territory. He said to Jesus on the Mount of Temptation, that the world with all of its glory belonged to him, and he promised it to Christ if Christ would fall down and worship him. Christ chose to win the world by entering into conflict with Satan and overcoming him by his divine power.
“Ten years ago I stood on holy ground at the sepulchre where it is believed that our Lord was laid. And it seemed on that morning that I could hear again the message of the angels, ‘He is not here, he is risen as he said; come, see the place where the Lord lay.’ I bowed down on my knees and said, ‘Thank God this is an empty tomb; the Lord is risen indeed.’
“His resurrection was not only the stupendous manifestation of his power, but it was the exceeding greatness of his power. The Scripture gives us many exhibitions of the greatness of Christ’s power. We have an exhibition of it in his first miracle, wrought at Cana of Galilee, when he turned the water into wine; there was a wonderful demonstration of power in stilling the tempest on the Sea of Galilee, when nature heard him and obeyed—the raging, surging billows calmed down at the voice of him who said, ‘Peace, be still.’ His giving sight to the blind, casting out devils, healing diseases, raising Lazarus, the widow’s son of Nain, and the ruler’s daughter, all were wonderful demonstrations of the power of the incarnate Christ. But the exceeding greatness of his power was not even seen in his causing darkness at high noon, while on Calvary, but it was the resurrecting of himself from the grave. O, thou living Christ, thou resurrected Jesus, live on to die no more! The exceeding greatness of thy power was seen in the resurrection of thyself from the dead!”
CHAPTER XVII.
EXTRACTS FROM ORATIONS AND ADDRESSES.
In this chapter will be found some extracts from orations and addresses delivered at different times and in different places by Dr. Walker. It has not been thought advisable to publish these addresses in full in this volume. For one thing, it would make the book too large for present purposes, and for another thing, it is proposed to issue later on a separate volume of his speeches and addresses, and also a volume of his sermons. These extracts will, nevertheless, serve to illustrate the lucid style of Dr. Walker and give some idea of the scope of the subjects treated by him from time to time.
Tuesday evening, Oct. 8, 1901, public memorial services were held in Mt. Olivet Baptist Church, New York City, by the Saloonmen’s Protective Union No. 1, a benevolent association, in honor of the late President McKinley. Dr. Walker accepted the invitation to deliver the principal address. More than 2,000 people were present at the exercises. He delivered the following: