Elsie at Home | Page 8

that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that
he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the
Scriptures.'"
It was the captain's turn again and he went on with the reading: "'Now
if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among
you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no
resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: and if Christ be not
risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. Yea, and
we are found false witnesses of God; because we have testified of God
that he raised up Christ: whom he raised not up, if so be that the dead
rise not. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised, and if Christ
be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. Then they also
which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. If in this life only we
have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. But now is
Christ risen from the dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept.
For since by man came death, by man came also the resurrection of the
dead. For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive.'"
"Yes," said Grandma Elsie, "we needed a divine Saviour, and Christ's
resurrection proved his divinity; as Paul tells us here in the first chapter
of Romans, 'And declared to be the Son of God with power, according
to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.' Peter too
teaches us that the resurrection of Christ was necessary to our salvation.
It seems plainly taught in this verse of the fifth chapter of his first
Epistle. 'Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which

according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively
hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.'"
"Yes," said Violet, "Jesus said to his disciples, 'Because I live, ye shall
live also.' His resurrection is surely the pledge and assurance of that of
his people."
"Papa, does everybody have to die?" asked little Ned.
"Everybody except those who are alive when Jesus comes again, as he
will some day in the clouds of heaven. This is what the Apostle Paul
tells us about it in the letter he wrote to the Thessalonians. 'Them also
which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you
by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the
coming of the Lord, shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the
Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of
the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall
rise first; then we which are alive and remain, shall be caught up
together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air, and so
shall we ever be with the Lord.'"
"'Wherefore comfort one another with these words,'" added Evelyn
softly, finishing the quotation; "and oh, what a comfort it is!"
"There could be none greater," said Grandma Elsie. "Think of being
reunited with all the dear ones gone before, and in the immediate
presence of Jesus; never again to be parted from them or him or to
know sin or sorrow or pain. Oh, what joy to be permitted to look upon
the face of our Redeemer, to kneel at his feet, to hear his voice
speaking to each one of us. 'Whom I shall see for myself, and mine
eyes shall behold and not another.'"
CHAPTER IV.
"Oh, Rosie, you here? I'm delighted! I hope you have come to spend
the day?" exclaimed Lucilla, as on Monday she and Grace, on leaving
the schoolroom where they had been reciting to their father, passed out
upon the veranda in search of Evelyn and the older ladies and found

Rose Travilla seated with the others.
"Thank you; but suppose I have come intending to stay longer than that?
as long as mamma does, for instance?" laughed Rose, giving and
receiving an affectionate caress; for they had seen nothing of each other
for several days.
"The longer the better," was Lucilla's hearty rejoinder. "Do you not say
so too, Mamma Vi?" turning to her.
"Indeed I do," said Violet. "She will certainly make a most pleasant
addition to our party."
"I think you may as well accept the invitation, Rosie," her mother said
with a pleased smile; "and as I know you do not care to keep your
errand a secret from any of your friends here, we can call a