THE PREACHER'S THEME
with the two men on the Emmaus road. They have not gone beyond that, nor seen this event related to the perpetual conflict of which history is the arena—the conflict between good and evil, light and darkness, God and the demons. Therefore I would urge you to preach the Resurrection as the one fact above all others which vitally concerns, not only the life of the individual Christian, but the entire human scene and the destiny of the race. It is the break-through of the eternal order into this world of suffering and confusion and sin and death. It is much more than the dramatic reanimation of One who had died: it is the vindication of eternal righteousness, the declaration that the heart of the universe is spiritual. It is the Kingdom of God made visible. No wonder Paul, meeting the risen Christ outside Damascus, suddenly fell blinded to the earth! It was no glare of Syrian sunshine that had dazzled him. The man had seen, for one tremendous, piercing moment, the unveiled purpose of God.
Can it be right, then, when our people come up to God's House on Easter morning, that we should treat them to reflections on the reawakening of the earth in springtime, or to a réchauffé of the arguments for immortality? It is a desolating corruption of the Resurrection Gospel to regard it merely as one more argument for individual survival. The human heart indeed cries out for light beyond the grave. All through your ministry you will hear that cry; and you will seek, God helping you, to answer it. Nor can you ever point to any light more clear or steady or reassur-
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