Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-04-12

The sermon by the rector, Rev. Howard Y. Hill,
was from Psalms cxviii. "a, "This is the day
which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice and
be glad in IT," After a suitable introduction, the
speaker made the following to be the grand causes
forjoy on this great feast OF lfe Because the first
believers did so; because the Lords humiliation
had forever ended because Christ had triumphed
over all sin and evil because prophecy had had
complete fulfillment; because Of the great mira
Gle God had wrought; because the Son OF God had
come back TO life in his bodily aspect; because
our Lord had proved his perfect truth; because
the Gospel Is confirmed by the resurrection; be-
cause OF certain, future life through Christ; be-
cause believing man was freed from the penalty
OF sim because OF the endowment OF the Holy
Spirit because heaven was opened, obviously,
for all men; because a lifelong stimulus was
given the human species, and because perfect sat
sfaction Is promised in perfect life hereafter.
These points were carefully worked out, and the
Easter hope made clear In this jubiidte for such
is the word which might express the tenor OF the
DISCOURSE The collection amounted to s5S262,
which will be further increased In its already
handsome figures The Holy Communion was
celebrated at the conclusion OF the sermon, great
number receiving The popular Sunday-school
festival found another large congregation The
programme, suberbly gotten up in red and gold,
was genuine Easter card. The exercises EN-
braced responsive reading Scripture, prayer,
carols, missionary offering by the school, chants
by the choir, benedction, etc. The carols were,
" Christ has Risen," 1.-THE Day Of Resurrection"
and " God hath sent his Angels" The rector
addressed the Sunday -school from the words,
The first fruits Of them that slept" The whole
day was as bright in the hearts Of the people Of
Christ church as 1t was glorious in the skies
above them.
AT TRINITY CHURcH.-All the exercises Of the
day were with reference TO the celebration OF this
ancient church festival. The church WAS taste
fully decorated with potted plants and cut flowers.
The sermon by Mr. Miller was found ed upon Paul's
pnan But thanks be to God, which giveth us
the victory" First Corinthians, XIV: By He
began by showing that apparently all is defeat,
as seen in mans struggle with ignorance, vice,
disease, death. The enemy faunts his flag Of tri-
umph. But with the gospel OF risen Christ 1t is
possible for every man possessing Paul's faith to
triumph as he did and cry: "Thanks be to God
who gveth us the victory over all opposition,
new faith and hope and love and life There was
ihi pItrcuti WIN gave ROOu hJltuIlOu.
The concert in the evening was attended by over
three hundred people and the exercises were very
enjoyable. "The Broken Seal" by DR.. j. H.
Vincent, was performed by eleven voices and the
choir, the school responding and chanting at in
tervals. The exercise represents the DEATH burial
and resurrection, all carried on by appropriate
scrptural and poetcil representations and music.
The symbolic cross was made and decorated by
seven young ladies, each of its parts having a
meaning; its lighted candle on the top pointing
up to heaven in flaming love, the broken chains
about its base representing abolished death, the
sheaf OF wheat and lilies at its sides voicing the
gladness of redeemed man, the open Bible in
front OF it showing the foundation of the Christian
faith while the wreath about the post where Je-
sus hung shows the cross bereft Of its terrors. A
quartette from the seminary sang on % and one Of
the young ladies of the Sunday-school sang an
Easter piece, in addition to the regular programme
OF the exercise Each and all did the parts as
signed most creditably, and DR.. whitney's choir
did rather better than that, II possible
AT ST.. AUGUsTINEs CHURCH.-The church was
finely decorated with flowers in pots and foliage
plants and the affairs were beautifully trimmed.
The singing was of high character, the choir
rendering Hic Deus at the offertory. Father
Duglue's sermon was on the joys and sorrows Of
the church at Easter. The church, he said, was
the spouse of our Lord and rejoced at his resur-
rection, because she loves him most intensely for
his own sake and for the favors he has conferred
upon her. As a mother she rejoices at the con-
version of many of her children at this season.
She has sorrows also because Of those Of her chill
dren who neglect to fulfill their Easter duties
Others pretend to fulfill them but are not fully
converted, and many do not persevere but re-
lapse into their former sins. The collection
amounted to Sl7S.3l. Greatly to the surprise Of
the congregation, gift OF very fine statue Of
st. Joseph made to the society. Sunday
evening the statue was blest and the church was
beautifully illuminated.
CHURCH OF THE MEssIAH.-Iu the absence OF
the pastor, Rev. j. Edward Wright, Rev. W. M.
Kimmel Of Barre supplied the desk His discourse
was upon the familiar themes of the day, the old
story Of the resurrection and the Immortality of
the soul. In the evening childrens service was
held in the vestry, the platform, was the
church in the morning, being appropriately
adorned with flowers. The choir, Mr.. Wheaton
at the organ, rendered Faster music with its
usual acceptance.