The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-03-30

bratlnw Ills trlumpn over ueaLn anu Ills sio
IiouS resurrection.
In accordance with custom in the Eplsco
| pal and Catholic churches the ccremonie,
were Of a most interesting character. the
principal feature being the celebration OF the
sacrament Of holy communion, the members
being required or expected TO plrtake OF the
sacrament at that time. In the Catholc
churches it is customary to dress the alIar>
with rare and costly flowers, and tapers are
arranged in protusiou ut every available spot.
In the Episcopal churches for years the Gus
tom has been to dress the chancel, wall, and
other portions of the building in green and
white, rs we'll as flowers, in the most tasteful
manner. -.
EASTER CELEBRATION.
1t is said that in the ancient church the
celebration Of Easter lasted eight days, but
after the eleventh century it was limited to
three days, and in later times to only two
one being for religious ahd the other for
secular celebrations. Easter mas ever been
regarded Is the very queen Of all the fcasts OF
the Church. and hence the reason why il is
celebrated with such fclat. Easter was for.
merly the iavorite time for performing the
rite OF baptism; the courts OF justice were
closed, aims dispensed to the poor and needy,
slaves received their freedom and as the
auSterites of Lent were over, the people gave
themselves up 10 enjoyment to such an eX-
tent that the day was called the sunday OF
Joy"
Popular sports were INDUCED in to con-
siderable extent; but IL the liberties thus
allowed were in danger of running into
license, they were fiually prohibited by the
Church. Another custom which vas gene.
Il, -
with the SaIu'a'ion "iIr is risen: to which
the reply was He is risen indecd.'
The proper time for the celebration of
Easter occa,ioncd considerable controversy
in the early days Of the Church. \ dispute
on il arose IL early rs the second century be-
tween the eastern and western churches
| tie former celebrating it upon the l4h day
| OF the first Jewish month or moon. consider
| ng it to be equivalent to the Jewish pass
over: ard the latter on the Sunday after the
| llth day, holding that 1t was the commemo-
ration of TIE resurrection Of Jesus.
Tn" Council Of Nice (325 A. DD. without
| fixing the datc, decided that it vas to be
| held on sunday, but the proper astronomical
c,cle for calculating the occurrence OF the
| Eastcr-moOn was not determined by the
| Council. 1t is, however, said that the Me-
| tonic cycle then in Use in the West for this
purpose was the basis for the GregOriIn cal.
eudar, introduced in 1882, and still in use,
and which prc>crihcs that EaSler-day IS
always the first Sunday after the paSchal full
| moOn-lhat i, the full moon which happens
upon or next after the 10Th OF March, the
| beginning Of the ecclesiastical year; and II
| the fun moon happens upon Sunday, Easter
! day is the Sunday after. One oDJ~ct in ar
! ranging the calendar moon was that Easter
might never fall upon the same day as the
Jewish passover, They did, however, oc-
eur together April Is, 1S0j, and April ),
lS2J. aud will do 80 again April II, 1898,
April Il, 1927, and Apcl 10, 1881.
EASTER EGGS.
The most popular Of the secular obsery.
anct>, and tie one most widely dltl'u>cd, is
the Use oI Et>"r-cgg>. Whence the origin
of this universal cls ON it is hardly ncccS-
sarv 10 inquire. Il, the little ones, and biz
ones, for that matter, think mere OF the plea.
SAINT Observance OF the OCCASION than they dc
of lis origin or antiquity. The big boy.
have for SOME days been "pickin. eggs" auC
the little ones and the girls have been anX
iUusIy waiting Ton The time 70 >cc tuclr lSeC
eggs Of many coIors.
Eu the Episcopal Churches.
The services in the various EpiScopa
churches were largely attended on sunday
| owing in i great measure, no doubt, To th'
beautiful weather which, fortunately, we had
AT TIE MONUMENTAL
the number present was almost without pre-
ccucnt for EaSter-Sunday. The body OF th
church, ~ well as the galleries, were crowd
ed, and few persons were tOrced'to ayaI
themselves Of the seats on the side OF TIT
aislc> near the chancel. The pastor (Rer
DR.. Woodbrdge) read the service an(
preached. His sermon was based upon th,
22d verse o! the 10Th chapter Of the first epls
tie of ST. Paul TO the Corinthians :" For as il
Adam all die. even so in Christ shall all bt
made alive" 1t was one of Mr.. Wood
bridges most eloquent and forcble sermons
| He spoke very eIoquently Of the pleasure
| Of the law, and showed how to avoid it
| tcrrors. The subject of the discourse Wa
| The Resurrection.
| Rev. Mr.. Sans, Of the Meade Memoria
church. Manchester, assisted in the adLninis
tration of the holy communion.
| The Decorations.
In late wears it has become customary t.
decorate the chauceI and font OF this churct
with floral otirrIngs-a very beautiful Gus
tom by the wav-and on Sunday there wa:
not a dissenting voice TO The verdict that the
floral decorations OF Easter-day 1879 bad
never been eXccllcd on any previous occa
sion.
The font was perhaps the most striking
feature this wear. 1t attracted the eye a.
soon as YOU entered the church. II was
compIp,cIy surrounded With a mass Of rare
! and beautiful flowers, while floral cross o.
/ lxi- from fh,. rpa of the font
some four or five feet in height. Around
The base of the font ,here was also Il great
| variety Of 40 "ers.
\ basket containing collection Of flowers
wa, hung from each ga>.bracket on either
side. OF the chancel. Underneath each basket
was white cross, around which wreath ol
cycrsrccns was entwined, and at the foot OF
the cross were several tlower-potS containing
b,autilul lilies and other flowers. Dut this
was not ALL. Upon the centre Of each cross
was an exquisite bouquet Of llowers made IL
the shape OF star. The pulpit was covered
with 4 pure while cloth, as Is usually the
case a, this festival of the Church, and ir
front of the pulpit appeared L star made o
flowers. The lecturn Nor the old reading
desk has been removed) was also covered
with white.
The Music.
The joyous services OF F.aster.morn Wer'
ipauyuraed at the Monumental by rlc.
and thrilling organ-volr.ntary by MIR. Wheat
Never before did the old Monumental r.'
sound with such joyous straIas IS tlled IT,
walls on Easter.ray. The choir eclipse'
all its previous Efforts, and from first to las
they sang as it. they were inspired by lh
spirit of the Joyous festival. MIR. WneaP'
Easter anth. EN-, "Chris! our Passover" Is
composition ringing with Christian Joy, an