The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1867-04-21
E AsT E r DA Y.
WA

Preparations for the Festival.
To-day In s parts Of the world, the Christian Church
celebrates with all pomp and magnncence the final
or the redemption the triumph death BY the King
Of Heaven the resurrection Of Christ by which
the plan OF salvation eted and the hope Of
nal life granted 70 all mankind For forty days and
forty nights the Church has mournsd In spirit with s
Saviour; emblsms OF and repentance have been
worn; grief and have been expressed in every
form; but to-day the habments OF mourning cast
aside and the joyous saluation "Christ 10 rsen' il
given and repeated on every hand To almost
every Christian child the scene II the tomb Of
the Saviour Ii familiar-the sepulchre hewn In
che solid rock, with Its inmmense stone cover.
ing sealed and guarded, and In which all that was
mortal Of Man God had been securely placed after his
iRnominious death The morning Of the third day
comes gray and gloomy. but nothing has been or
heard TO alarm the viglant soldiers who watching
for the promised opening Of the tomb. and who now
boastingy and tauntingy exclaim rhe third day has
come and yet the boasted Rsdsemer sleepa" But not
long do they enjoy their trumph for suddenly bright
angel appears on The scens the stone Is rolled
back and Christ breaking the bonds Of DEATH rises tr.
umphant from the grave The guards are dumbfcunded;
all power leaves them and, win eyes distended and
which, but few days before, beaten, spas upon,
percsd nailed 70 . and cast into The tomb-ds.
brutality Christ departs 70 meet his Apostles and the
sodiers hasten IN confusion TO inform their leaders Of The
wonderful event they had Just Witnessed while the angel
keeps watch u the tomb Magdaien comes. with Mary
OF James and Mary Of Saoms, bowed down with Eref,
20 smbam the CORPSE and instead Of the grun voice OF
the Roman soldier she II greeted by the angel saying
sYou seek Jesus q Nazareth who buried; he has
arisen; He Ia not hero; behold the place where tpey
laid Him. True, there 10 the tomb untsnanted Mary
would not have come thinking 70 6nd her Ssviours
promise unfunlled but deep was her grief that the
DAYS were not counted and she came only 70 render
homage 70 Him In His grave She hastens 70 inform the
Apostles and they In hasten back 70 the tomb and
mud that 'sChrst has risen indeed" THIS the grand
event which to-day COMMUNICATED, and II scarcely
70 be wondered at tina. every method Of expressing JOY
the living God should on this day IN par.
tcuiar be attended with all possible grandeur ana
magni1cence. The day upon which the festival occurs
10 earlier than the 22d Of March and mover lacr
than the 2h OF April and celebratod now on the nrss
Sunday after the full moon, occurring on or mmedaey
after the 2s Of March, This mode Of determining the
day for this festival established by The Council OF
served, and long as Christianity shall be prscsed 10
every cline and In every age, so long shall the festival
OF Easter DO soemny celebrated and the happy salu
lion "Christ In risenn be given and returned
In the various churches throughout the city prepara
tons have boon made for celebrating the day with all
possible magnncence The choicest flowers, the cost
Hest ornaments most elaborate decor atoms and most
expressive musical compositions will be employed
70 add grandeur 70 the celebrations AZ s.
Peter's church, Barclay street, the Rev Father
Quinn viii discourse a. last mass on the mystery
OF the Resurrection and Professor Pocher will
direct the musical services aud with his talented choir
perform Mozarts grand composition. Al st Stephens
East Thirty eighth street. will 70 furnished musical
No. sndW vs. GEscsiop Of W. VIM. Befgs. and ths