The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1877-04-03

sPlCUous AND BEAUTIFUL FLORAL DE-
CoRATIoSs-CoNFIRA SERVICES
AT st. JAMES AND MEADE MEMORIAL
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. IN THE BAPTIST
CuURClIES-A SERMON TO YOUNG MEN
BY DIR. HoGE-MlSSIoNARY AND OTHER
MEETINGS, &C, &C.
The sacred festival OF Easter, which was
celebrated with joyous services and rich
music in all OF the Episcopal and Catholic
on Sunday, has been termed the
Queen Of Festivals. 1t has been observed
from the very beginning, and is celebrated
in every part OF the Christian world with
great solemnity and devotion. Formerly
the churches were ornamentcd with large
aud the Christians saluted
each other with kiss and the words,
.s Christ is risen," to which the response
was made, "He is risen, indeed" This
custom, we are told by the authorities, Is
still retained in the Greek Church, particu-
larly in Russia. The day before Easter,
Holy Saturday, has been set apart as day
for specially solemnizing baptism. Courts
OF Justice were closed, aims were distribu-
ted, slaves were freed, and the people gave
themselves up to enjoyment and feasting..
Easter; among the best known is that OF
making presents OF colored eggs, called
pasch or peace eggs, winch are often elabo-
rately ornamented. Colored eggs were
once used by children at Easter in sort OF
game which consists in testing the strength
Of the egg-shcllS, and this practice is still
continued to some extent. In some parts
OF ireland the legend is current that the
sun dances in the sky on Easter Sunday
morning.
The game OF ball was a favorte Easter
snort, in which municipal corporations for
merry engaged with due parade and dignity !;
and at Bury st. Edmund's within few
years the game was kept up with great
spirit bv twelve old women. In the north
ern counties of England the men paraded
the streets on Faster Sunday, and claim the
privilege OF lifting every woman three
times from the ground. receiving IN pay
ment kiss Or a ilvcrsixpence. The same
is done by the women to the men OH the
next day.
The English name for Easter, the authorities
say, is probably derived from that of the Teu-
tonic goddess Of spring c-Ostera, or Eostrc-
whose festival occurred at about the same
time Of the year rs the celebration OF Easter.
st. Paul calls Christ our Pasch," and both
the Eastern and Western Churches from the
beginning distinguished two-fold event in
the Easter commemoration-the slayinp OF
"the Lamb OF God" and his resurrection
hence the terms in their liturgieS, pdSchd
crucifr,onis and paScha reSurrectioniS.
And the distinction between the day on
which Christ died and that on which he
rose again had not 4 little to do with
the Easter controversy in the early Church,
originating in difference OF custom
with regard to the day Of the week and
the day Of the month on which Easter
should he celebrated AS the Christians
held that Christ, tue true paschal lamb, had
been slain on the very day when the Jews,
in celebration Of their Passover, immolated
the tigurative lamb, so both in the West and
in the East those who believed the Christian
Passover to be commemoratien OF Christs
death adhered to the custom Of holding the
Easter festivlty on the day prescribed for
the Jewish pasch. Now, rs the Jews cele-
brated their Passover on the l4th day OF the
first month-that is to say the lunar month,
OF which the 14th day either falls on or next
follows the day OF the vernal equinoX-a!l
Christians who persisted in following this
custom in the celebration OF Easter came to
be called quarto-decimans or fourteenth.
day men," or Judaizing Christians.
The great majority of Christian Churches
attaching most importance to the day oil
Christ's resurrection. which was the first day
OF the week (hence called the Lords day, our
Sunday, held to Casters beng celebrated
on that day, and on the Sunday which tol.
lowed the fourteenth day Of the moon OF
March, the day on which Christ suffered.
The contest over Easter-day was finally
settled by adopting the rule which makes
yesterday to be always the first Sunday
after the full moon, which happens upon or
next after March 2lst; aud il the full moon
happen on Sunday, yesterday is the Sun.
day after. BY this arrangement Easter may
come as early as March 22d, or as late as
April 25th.
AT THE MONUMENTAL CHURCH.
Easter-day, as has been said. is always
celebrated with great eclat in the Catholic
and Episcopal churches, especially at the
Monumental, where vast congregations
gather at this season, many persons. to hear
the rich music and see the beautiful flowers
that are always arranged with so much taste
and care. The number present on Sunday
was unprecedentedly large in the morning
and afternoon. In the morning every avail
able seat was filed, and many persons stood
in the aisles. Rev. Mr.. Joiner, OF Georgia,
read the service, and the pastor, DIR. Wood
bridge, preached splendid sermon appro-
pirate to the day. In the afternoon there
was an immense crowd present. The body
OF the church, galleries, aisles, and even the
Suudav-school room next to the church,
were filled to overtlowlng.
The floral decorations were not as elabo-
rate as they were last year, but they were
lust as pretty. There were the same familiar
book-markers, chaste covers for the read
ing-desk and pulpit, that were noticed last
wear; and vet everybody seemed to expect
something out OF the usual order OF things.
The font, as usual, was one mass Of rich,
fragrant, lovely flowers-a perfect pyra-
mid, reaching above the heads OF the con.
eregation as they sat in the pews, and beau
tifully rounded Off at the top. Upon the
front OF this pyramid, about hallway be-
tween the floor and the top OF the font, mp
peared star made OF brilliant crimson and
pure white flowers-a beautiful piece OF
work and lovely picture to look upon.
But the flowers there are always pretty, and
in past years have been arranged by lady
dear to every member OF the congregation
one who is first and foremost in all that
commands admiration and praise, and
one whose place will not be easily
filed. On each side OF the chancel
there were clusters OF flowers growing in
Jars that added not little to the effect. The
pulpit was festooned with one wreath OF
eyergreens, and upon the front of the pulpit
there was large cross Of exquisite fresh
flowers. 1t would have been difficult indeed
to have made more tasteful or striking ar
rangement OF the flowers. =,
The music, it must be confessed, attracted
many persons to the church; but those who
went only to hear the music beard no
sweeter strains and not much more elabo-
rate * nroprarnme77 than may be heard at