The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-03-29
EASTER SUNDAY.
Its Observance in the Churches-Impres-
s1ve Services-Rare Floral Displays
Choice Music-Appropriate sermons,etc.

Christ from the dead is risen-dieth no more.
Sing out, glad Earth, rejoice from shore to shore.
First fruits OF them that slept! y LIE IN death!
Fair garden lilies with their odorous breath,
/ Salute with grace the world at Easter dawn.
The tomb is open, the captive loosed and gone,
| Christ from the dead is Tisen-dleth no more.
| Sing ont o Earth, rejoice from shore to shore.
Amore delightful March day rarely dawns
| uron us here in New England than was yester-
day The sun rose in a cloudless sky and as
the day advanced, every hour seemed to grow
more delightful and delicious, particularly in
the remembrance of the dreary storms and
piercipg blasts of winter. The steel blue faded
| out of the sky and it seemed that
| "No more
| The expansive atmosphere is crampd with cold;
| But full of life and vlvifying soul,
| Lifts the bright clouds sublime, and spreads them
| thin,
| Fleecy and white Ger all-surrounding heaven"
But while everything overhead was so bright
and delicious in the life giving sunlight, under
foot it was anything but pleasant. The street
crossings were filthy and the sidewalks wet
from the melting snow which runs across them,
| Early in the day crowds of people were out in
Sunday attire enjoying with keen sense of de-
| light the bright warm sun and the almost
| balmy air. All of the churches were well at
| tended, but at those where the festival of the
resurrection of our Lord was celebrated, there
| was not only an unusual attendance upon the
| services, but hundreds visited such churches as
| made displays of flowers, between the SER
| vices.
| There is variety of opinions respecting the
| origin of the term Easter. Many scholars hold
| that it and the German word ''Ostern" are de-
rived from the name of the fea asst of the Teu-
| tonic goddess Ostera (the goddess of spring.,
| which was celebrated by the Saxons in the
| spring, and from which the early missionaries
| substituted the Christian festival Others hold
| that the word is derived from the Saxon word
| oster meanig "rising," because nature arises
anew in the spring. The Jewish passover oc-
ours about this season of the year, and within
three or four days of the vernal equinox The
festival of the resurrection of the Lord, or the
Christian passover, is derived from the jewish
observance. During the early days OF the
| Christian church there was dispute as TO the
| time for celebrating Easter, but it was settied
| by the council of Nice, A. d. 325, that the
Easter day shall be the first Sunday after the
| full moon which happens upon or next after
| March q. By this arrangement Easter may
come as early as March 81, or as late as April
% This sacred festival has been termed the
queen of festivals and has been observed from
the very beginning by large part OF the
Christian world with great solemnity and de-
votion, and in many countries with popular
sports and superstitions. In England until
very recent date, games of ball were played, in
which the local authorities PARTICIPATED. In
the northern counties of the same country the
men were accustomed to lift the women in
their arms thrice, and in payment of this favor
(?) demanded kiss or sixpence. The day
following the women raised the men in the
same manner. The Jews were prosecuted
Easter until very recent'date, which was so
general that from England we have the follow
ing:
Now all the Jews must go to prison."
The day was more generally observed by the
churches than at any previous time, denomi-
nations recognizing the festival that entirely
ignored it few years since.
CONGRESS SQUARE (UNIvERsALIsT)
Immense congregations attended at this
church at both morning and evening service.
AT the forenoon service hundreds were obliged
to go away not being able to obtain even STAN
ding room. The decorations were fully as elab-
crate as those Of previous years and taken in
connection with the memorial tablets placed on
the wall few months since, the display was
more brilliant than ever. Over The top of the
arch was suspended large evergreen wreath
reaching nearly to the floor, at the foot of
which were tables covered with running ivys
In the two circles under the arch were the
words, 81 know that my Redeemer liveth.'
which were encrcled by an evergreen border.
Suspended from the center of the two small
arches, were two elegant baskets of flowers and
running vines, while from the centre point OF
the arch was suspended white dove holding
in It's mouth sprig of smilax In the recess
back of the altar was an immense white cross,
some ten feet in length, magnifcently decorat-
ed with the choicest of flowers and being III
reality our idea of an Easter cross. Ga each
side of the platform were large Wreaths OF
Gala lilies, while next to them on the right and
left were anIimmense anchor and Tyre, each
some three feet in length, properly decorated
with flowers of the rarest description, and sus-
pended from the gas fixtures were elegant
baskets of running vines and ivy, and tables
az the foot filled with pots Of the same. The
memorials were elegant and many were the
touching remembrances laid before the altar in
memory of those who had ''passed on before.
The memorial star, in front Of the altar, in
memory of one just departed-one who has
long been on the decorative committee for
Easter Sanday-was lovely.
The music on the occasion was fine and the
choir, consisting of Mrs. Merrill, Mrs. Flint,
Messrs. Davee and Greedy, were very kindly
assisted by Mr.. j. A. Arnold. Mr.. Quimby
presided at the organ. The specially was the
singing of 'Pro Peccatis" by Mr.. Arnold
which was finely rendered.
The sermon by the pastor, the Rev. VIM. e..
Gibbs, was preached from the text, St. Luke,
"a; 5. "Why seek ye the living among the
dead" and was an eloquent and convincing ar
gument in favor of Christ's literal resurrection
from the dead, as not only the foundation for
the observance of Easter day, but of the whole
structure of the Christian religion. The lead
ing idea presented was, that the lesson of the
day taught us that Christ died for all, and
that the sting Of death was removed when
Christ rose from the tomb. Well may we well
come the day with thanksgivings and floral Of
ferngs; fifty may we deck the cross with flow
ers, for it is the festival of all the year. The
preacher elaborated his thought at much length
with the future life which awaits us, that the
cross brings US nearer to the living Christ, and
that looking to it, we shall find joy in the end
loss life, the forgiveness of all sin, slowly it
may be- but surely ever Onward and upward.
Without the belief that Christ still lives, and
without faith in our own Immortality, we have
10 motive for living as good and true life as
we can, and in this way Christ becomes our
great reformer and friend. But when the joy
GUS shout was raised, ''Chrst is risen," the
world had an anchorage for its faith in immor-
tality sure aud abiding. Lean, then, upon the
facts assured to us by the risen Lord; let yonr
faith be the faith of Christ and your hope "a
hope full of Immortality"
In the evening the Sunday school concert
took place. The services were of very inter-
esting nature and the church was crowded. A
number of pleasing Rotations were delivered,
and new Easter carol by HAYES, was sung.
A piece arranged by Mrs. Bragdon. entitled
"Spring Offerings" was acted by the school in
very pleasing manner. Mrs. Flint sang
solo from Elijah, entitled "Trust in the Lord.
Mrs. Merrill sang CONSIDER the Lilies" 1t
was the most successful concert of the season.
FIRST PARISH.