Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1879-04-16

the service rendered with spirit Miss Lizzie
Wing, soprano, sang several solos, and did them
well. Her voice is clear and pleasing, and her
presence in the choir added much 10 the success
OF that part Of the service Her solo In the Jnli-
late, " For the Lord Ia gracious" was especially
fine. Miss Mary Phinney, soprano, also did her
sell credit in the singing Of her solos, and fully
sustained the good opinions gained on former
| occasions. Her solos, loves redeemng work
Is done" and "The Lord declareth his salvation"
we're excellent. Miss Lila Aer and Miss Adde
Richardson, altos, did well the parts assigned
them-both solos and chorus parts. Messrs H.
| G. Gleason and James r. Sabin bassos did their
work well Mr.. Geason's voice IL clear and runs
| low, and he displayed II 10 good advantage In the
numerous solos he was called upon to sing Is
pecally In the " Aleluia," aud trio In the even
| ing, did he handle 1t well Mr.. Sabin always
sings well on such occasions, and his solo, Like
| wise reckon ye," in the anthem, was given with
| good effect, as well as other solos sung by him
during the day. The music in the evening in
cuded some fine selections-the hymns and the
Cantato Domino " being especially noticeable
The success Of the musical features OF the service
Is due mainly to the efforts Of the organist, MIR.
H. II. Scribner, who spared no pains in the work
of preparation, and is certainly b be congratu-
lated on the result Of his efforts W. F. Baker,
tenor, sang with the choir on this occasion
Rev. DIR. Hull the rector, spoke from the text
| " But now Is Christ risen from the dead and be-
| come the first fruits Of them that slept" lie
| said Easter a second Christmas. Each called
| to mind the birth Of our L1rd-the one remind
| ing us OF his birth into humanity, and the other
Of his birth into higher world. On both oc-
| casions he was waited upon by angels lie took
our nature upon him that he might instruct M
concerning the second life, and teach holiness;
that by enduring the and the loneliness of
| the grave, he might open to us the hope Of
higher and gloriied state. lie took birth from
the grave to show his power over death; that
| he might ascend into heaven and await in royalty
| the bay Of Judgment. and come again in power 10
pronounce the condemnation Of the wicked.
Easter and Christmas are the commencements Of
new spheres Of divine manifestations; each pre-
sentng the Son of God 10 us in a different state
that of humanity, and that of glory each remind
ing us Of what are-now weak, simple and
lost, and again strong in the Lord. We must
keep Easter as we keep Christmas-with mingled
feelings OF fear and hope. All that Christ has
done for Us is worthy Of conference.-the teachings
such truths MS shall not pass away his works
such as are sufficient for our faith his precepts
such as will render our obedience acceptable to
the Father; his love such as will reject none who
take refuge in it,
Easter again reminds US that we are to be like
Christ II we are to be partakers of his glory. lie
is our pattern for such life here as he will APP
prove. We are to approach him, as much as pos
sble, in likeness Of character. Preparation for
our resurrection from the dead is our religious
duty. 1t is only possible with Christ before u.s.
the hope of glory. Faith in him renders it pos
sibe. We are to be like him in mercy, in justice
in truth, in prayer, in love. As he is to be our
judge so it were best for us to choose him as our
pattern Of life. Our encouragement is the great
truth revealed in the text-that he is the first
fruits. II he be the first, there must be other
fruits. No more did he rise for himself than he
died for himself lie needed not to die, for he
was sinless Cannot we understand that he is not
to do all for us and we do nothing for ourselves?
Rather we are to learn of him. identify ourselves
with his cause follow in his steps and lose our
selves in him. These are proper Easter thoughts,
, to which purpose may be added-that we shall
seek to aid others by our example In general,
we cannot save ourselves without helping to save
others. Such is the plan of salvation
In the afternoon the Sunday school held an
Easter service and each member received little
VI vi. 'e''o" .n i-'''o' Tvs, anu ."
Faster card the former prettily decorated by the
rectors wife.
q AT THE CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH
the floral decorations were very handsome-as
much so as in any OF the churches. large col
lection Of plants of every species were displayed
in front and each side of the pulpit arranged in
attractive form Directly in front of the desk was
beautiful cross made up OF gilliflowers, pansies
anu calI' iiies "hi'e oehinu' anu lowering aoo'e
4 all, was large cross OF evergreen encirced by
a wreath This display was much admired by
. | -. - - =, - I. ,i H. a.,
i many PeoI'e ""' ''" ~ '"s ' 10Y
$ The following presents an outline oil the sermon
at this church by Rev Mr. Wright: The New
| ro,or,on, ,nord. ooo, .io,ol ovidapca 81 srr,na,
,,.. u - D,'a
e 'hetlc cohsueratehess iof long es'aosheu haDit'
h | Of thought and action. st Paul in his missionary
= work became all things TO all men. not hypocrit.
Il tall In, ,hot h, oil ,,oo,s ba ,;oh, so,,a sor,o
n ""nS, ""' ''"' ~ on "e"N' nv .'h"' '''O 'o'''
and thus strove rather TO turn into the right chan
mel than to utterly check the misdrected flow OF
" Athenian religions sentiment So too the Mas
= -, -
ter ala not nnu II inconsistent with ptoprleS or
truth to put new thoughts into old language, at
tachinr a new meaning to the phrase. familiar to
: Ia,,isL oars "rba Vinodor, ~ Cod " and ON.
= e"" e'' ~ s'"' y. '' "1 ,'
r ploying the wel-known usage oil baptism with a
new import
|
e tianity may be dscerned Indications OF recogni-
Il ton OF the impossiblllty OF shaking OH in mo-
= ment all the power OF old customs and associa-
tions. sometimes the manifestation oil this has
= been in the spirit OF love and truthfuness: some
l. times II must be confessed, II mas sprung from
:, scheming, time serving and worldly policy Some
times the Difference pad To heathenism mas cor
: rnpted organized christianity sometimes the
a CHRISTIAN influence mas proved strong enough u
exalt ana purify what was adopted from the
heather Christianity appropriated some already
y familiar symbols, as the hsh, the palm tile
aureole even the cross Itself, and glorlhed them
. And in the case oil It's festivals II shows In
~ marked degree the effect OF outside influences.
There seems 10 be great reason Tor believing that
d the twenty-htth OF December was nnally selected
II for celebration as the day OF the Nativity largely
\. because number OF heather festivals occurred
at or near the time OF the Winter sostice, and the
IS authorities OF the church thought 1t wise to graf
'e ify the natural yearning oil converts Tor festival
a. at that season. by choosing the day already OBJ
: served with joyous rites among the Egyptians,
" the Persians, the Romans, the Celts and the Ter
r mans, and hlling 1t with nooler thoughts than
e. prevailed among these nations 80 our giving oil
presents and decorating with eNergreens at christ
y mas is traced by some 10 practices prevalent
81 among the Romans. Thus Many OF the beliefs
or and usages OF the old Germans and also OF the
Romans, relating to this matter, passed over from