The Portland daily press., 1872-04-01

The glad festival of the resurrection dawned
with clouded skies and chilling atmosphere
which threatened to interfere somewhat with
the customary observance of the day. Early in
the morning the snow began to fall and soon
the earth was covered with its downy mantle
But the storm could not check or impede the
mighty current of joy which rose and swelled
in every Christian heart at the thought of the
risen Saviour, whose triumph over death and
the grave was celebrated with floral offerings
and joyous songs of praise and gratitude. With
| out winter reigned supreme, while within the
! various churches loving hands and willing
hearts had so beautifed the temples of worship
with the fairest flowers of the opening spring
time that once within their precincts the scene
seemed changed as if by some enchanted wand,
and the spectator was transported into all the
genial warmth and beauty of summer.
FIRST PARISH, (UNITARIAN.)
The floral decorations at the First Parish
were not as elaborate as in former years-a
change in our opinion for the better-but their
| arrangement exhibited excellent taste. The
arch in the rear of the pulpit was framed in
evergreen, and surmounted by small but
beautifully shaped cross, formed of white rose
buds and one tiny calla at the base. From the
centre of the arch was suspended directly over
| the head of the clergyman large basket filled
| with magnificent white roses. The gas brack-
cts on either side were gracefully entwined
with ivy, between whose glossy leaves peeped
white roses, and pendant from them were bas-
kets of roses, violets, azaleas, mgnonette and
smilax. Suspended from the pulpit cushion,
| or tha n
leas, camelias and mignonette, in memory of
| the late Mrs. Thomas Chadwick, while mag
nifcent garland of tea-rose buds was festooned
across the pulpit, lust beneath, from the centre
of which depended an elegant wreath of white
roses in memoriam of the late Madame Win
| gate. A cunning little basket of rare exotics
was suspended from either of the pulpit lamps
by white ribbons. One of which, in memory
of Mr.. John P. Boyd, was marked with a
cross of dark pansies on ground of
white flowers The communion table in
front of the pulpit, displayed two exquisite
| crosses of white azaleas camelias and mig
nonette, in memory of Mrs. w. HI. Clapp and
Mrs. j. P. Boyd a lovely little anchor, symbolic
of Hope, in memory of Capt. Ilsley, composed
of forty white rose-buds, and two beautiful
baskets of vari-colored flowers. Upon small
tables, on either side of the communion table,
were arranged for large pyramidal shaped
boquets silver dish filled with exquisite cnt
flowers, and another superb cross composed of
tea-roses. Directly in front of the communion
table stood large East Indian vase filled with
| callas, the latter in memorian of Mrs. Chad
wick. Hanging baskets and pots of ivy were
were suspended from the galleries between the
pillars. The crowning glory of the decorations
was the superb Tyre, perfectly formed, some two
feet and half in length, by foot and half in
width, and composed of roses of every hue, with
with azaleas, pnks and other flowers, charm
ing the eye with it's harmonious combination of
colors and its symmetrical proportions. Two
small but beautiful hand boquets adorned either
side of the organist's seat.
The morning services included Gunter's Veni-
te," Montgomery's hymns, Glory to
God in the Highest to music by Mozart Gs-
borne's 'Christian's Life" to music by w. A.
King, with chant by Beckwith, sung in
their usual excellent manner by the fine choir.
Rev. Mr. Bailey, the pastor, preached an
Easter sermon from John xiv:-2 SIN my
Fathers house are many mansions. If it were
not so I would have told you" The preacher
referred to the faith and inspiration contained
midst of the fever of life kihdles every heart,
| and sounds in the ear like the musicl of other
days. The homely virtues inculcated at the
household hearth, are those that make us pow
ers for good We feel that the home love will
pursue us through life and never forget us even
though we die. So it is with the fathers house
above. We apprehend in the universal trust in
the fathers house of many mansions fact
| true to time past and to come. Our happiest
thoughts are in the fact that the best state is
to be. Jesus religion comprehends the en-
| largement of our life, rather than its abnega-
| tion. Life in the future will be something
pleasant to us rather, then something to
be summed; not the being put into the
tomb, but being tcalled to better existence.
Thus looked at, the gloom of death is dispersed
and we desire to run home at the call of the
father. Many people fears arise from thoughts
of change, but is the whole of being subser-
Went to chemic al laws? No! dust to dust, the
spirit to God When man passes from the
regions of ice to those of the tropics, he lays off
his winter clothing. Why therefore when in
vited by God to the better home, should he
shudder at laying off his earthly clothing. We
are to be unclothed that we may be the better
fitted with new apparel and sent forth renewed,
our old annoyances dispelled, else it will not be
our Fathers house which we return. The back
water of our earthly sufferings will not trouble
us there, the oppressive of mortality will be
carried away, and our enjOyments increased be-
yond conceptions Disease in this world often
affects our religious feeling; devotion is check
bile. Even creed itself in individuals may
take its origin from the state of the system,
for instance, chronic dyspepsia may be produc-
tive of Romanism, gentle languor appear in
Swedenborg, and Unitarianism come from a
! cold caught from being in too torrid company.
Another great gain in the future life is the fact
that death settles animosities The animosi
mosities are mortal, the humanities live forever.
In this we feel ourselves in a row all day and
retire at night trusting that the morning will
find us ourselves Let US hope that when the
final morning comes, we shall not be found
with our manllness and wOmanliness left be-
hind us, and that we have put on the likeness
| of a snake" mol we shall put on the likeness
of the Man who came to tell us what we are
and what we ought to be. Let us hope that
certain familiar features that pertain to our
selves will remain, so that we may be strangers
to each other in the other world; that the poor
drudge will there enjoy things withheld from
him here by his fellow-men; that there is sure
reward beyond for those who have trod the
| earth with bleeding feet through the inhuman-
| ity of their fellowmen Let us not make that
mansion too remote to which our friends &C.
| Our faith whispers that it is near and that our
| loved ones are with us now. Their earthly
homes are here, their sympathies too are here;
for here they love and where they love is home.
In the afternoon the children of the Sunday
School together with those of the Preble Chapel,
sang their carols at the church, and addresses
were made by Rev. Messrs. Bailey and Phelan.
Mr.. Bailey also baptised four children.
At the vesper service the music was very
fine; the principal selections being Kotzsch-
mars new Gloria Patri, the Vesper Hymn,
Anthem, "Christ has risen," by c. C. Stearns,
and Lloyd's Te Deuna.
PARK STREET UNITARIAN.
A very handsome floral display was made at
this church also. On each corner of the desk
was vase of white rose buds and in the CEN
tire cross of transparent white azalias with a
center of white rosebuds. The communion
table bore magnificent pyramid of rare exotics
surmounted by cross of japoncas callas and
rosebuds. This central emblem was 1anked
with elegant boquets, while the remaining
space was covered with baskets and vases of
flowers, among which were several beautiful
memorial offerings The special musical exer-
cises consisted principally of Kotzschmar's STE
Deum," and the anthem, The Lord is risen
from one of Mozart's masses Mrs. Dennett's
fine voice greatly assisted the choir in the effec-
tive rendering of the music. The pastor, Rev.
Mr.. Buck, delivered discourse on observance
of days" and religious ceremonial in general
from Galatians 4: 10, II. Goodness is the main
thing, most acceptable to God and useful to
man, OF INFINITELY greater consequence to the
individual and to society than any most pune
tilious conformity to conventional usages
Whatever conflicts with this rule is to be re-
jected. And religious custom or observance re-
garded as an independent ground of merit does
conflict with this rule it eleyates to the sl-