Salvation in Christ Alone   "Ah! friends, it is a dimunition of Christ's dignity, sufficiency, and glory, in the business of your salvation, to join anything with the Lord Jesus... [M]any there are who join Christ and their works together, Christ and their prayers together, Christ and their teachers together, Christ and their mournings together, Christ and their hearings together, Christ and their alms together... He that shall mix his righteousness with Christ's, he that shall mix his puddle with Christ's purple blood, his rags with Christ's royal robes, his copper with Christ's gold, his water with Christ's wine, is in the ready way to perish forever... There is no other name, no other nature, no other blood, no other merits, no other person to be justified and saved by, but Jesus Christ. You may run from creature to creature, and from duty to duty, and from ordinance to ordinance, and when you have wearied and tired out yourselves in seeking ease and rest, satisfaction and remission, justification and salvation, in one way and another, you will be forced after all to come to Christ, and to cry out: `Ah! none but Christ, none but Christ!... Ah! none to Christ, none to Christ; no works to Christ, no righteousness, no holiness to Christ."   -- Thomas Brooks (c. 1660) ------------------------- Three Easter Poems   Easter Morning   Tomb, thou shalt not hold Him longer: Death is strong, but life is stronger; Stronger than the dark, the light; Stronger than the wrong, the right; Faith and hope triumphant say, "Christ will rise on Easter Day!"   While the patient earth lies waking Till the morning shall be breaking, Shuddering 'neath the burden dread Of her Master, cold and dead, Hark! she hears the angels say, "Christ will rise on Easter Day!"   And when sunrise smites the mountains, Pouring light from heavenly fountains, Then the earth blooms out to greet Once again the blessed feet; And her countless voices say: "Christ has risen on Easter Day!"   -- Phillips Brooks (1835-1893) If Easter Be Not True   If Easter be not true, Then all the lilies low must lie; The Flanders poppies fade and die; The spring must lose her fairest bloom For Christ were still within the tomb-- If Easter be not true.   If Easter be not true, Then faith must mount on broken wing; Then hope no more immortal spring; Then love must lose her mighty urge; Life prove a phantom, death a dirge-- If Easter be not true.   If Easter be not true, 'Twere foolishness the cross to bear; He died in vain who suffered there; What matter though we laugh or cry, Be good or evil, live or die, If Easter be not true.   If Easter be not true-- But it is true, and Christ is risen! And mortal spirit from its prison Of sin and death with him may rise! Worthwhile the struggle, sure the prize, Since Easter, aye, is true!   -- Henry H. Barstow (1866-1944)   Resurrection   If it be all for naught, for nothingness At last, why does God make the world so fair? Why spill this golden splendor out across The western hills, and light the silver lamp Of eve? Why give me eyes to see, and soul To love so strong and deep? Then, with a pang This brightness stabs me through, and wakes within Rebellious voice to cry against all death? Why set this hunger for eternity To gnaw my heartstrings through, if death ends all? If death ends all, then evil must be good, Wrong must be right, and beauty ugliness. God is a Judas who betrays his Son, And with a kiss, damns all the world to hell,-- If Christ rose not again.   -- Unknown soldier, killed in World War I -------------------------