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 credited had  not  God's  promise  to  our  fallen  parents that their  seed  should  conquer  sin  and  death  been fulfilled in  the  person  of  the  risen  Saviour. This supreme importance  of  the  Resurrection  as  an  historic fact  was  recognized  by  Christ's  enemies  and friends alike. The Jewish  nation's  honor  was  at stake,  for  if  Christ  rose  again  they  were  forever branded as  the  murderers  of  the  Messias,  but  if  He failed  to  rise  they  could  take  credit  to  themselves  for having justly  punished  an  impostor;  and  hence  they sought by  every  means  to  prove  His  promise  unfulfilled. The Apostles,  on  the  other  hand,  seem  to  have preached at  first  as  though  the  Resurrection  was the only  dogma  of  our  faith,  styling  themselves  the witnesses thereof  and  taking  care  to  elect  as  Judas's successor  an  eye-witness  of  the  Lord's  arising. " For,"  says  St.  Paul,  "  if  Christ  be  not  risen  again, then  is  our  preaching  vain  and  our  faith  is  also  vain. Yea,  and  we  are  found  false  witnesses  of  God  and  we are  yet  in  our  sins,  and  they  who  have  died  in  the Lord  have  perished  and  we  are  of  all  men  the  most miserable." Whereas, I  repeat,  and  repeat  and  repeat again,  if  Christ  did  rise  from  the  dead  we  are bound by  inexorable  logic  to  admit  His  divinity,  to accept  all  His  teachings  and  all  the  teachings  of  His Church, and  to  conform  our  lives  thereto — we  are bound to  fall  at  the  Saviour's  feet  with  St.  Thomas, and repeat  Thomas's  all-embracing  profession  of faith:  "My  Lord  and  my  God."

Brethren, what  evidence,  therefore,  have  we  of  the truth of  Christ's  Resurrection? What evidence! In