The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1883-04-14

| Gtty-keminfscenSeS of the Author o
"Home, Sweet Home."
| BALTIMORE, Md, March 26, 1883.
EDITOR CHIEF: a&
Lent is over. The shadow of the Gross
has faded; the glories of the Resurrection
have passed from view and : OH bitter re
Election, the mourning pepitents, who have
prayed and tasted that they might be puri
fed and strengthened against temptations
will soon be mad again over the attractions
of the world. Sorrow ~ will be turned tt
joy and the gloom of Lent will be forgotten
in the brightness of pleasures which society
offers. Private tlleatrtals, afternoons teas
receptions, germans and marriages will soon
be the rage, and the rush Cor excitement
will be all the greater after the weariness
and the pcnt-up feeling ono has had during
the six weeks of Lent. Well, the human
family is queer!
The second snow storm of the week fell on
Good Friday to the depth, I would say, oi
eight inches 1t was Il beautiful sight and
rendered the church services all the more
solemn and impressive. The congregations
were large but, as usual, the ladies were in
the majority. They donnel over-shocs and
rubber circulars and dctied the storm. The
Roman Catholics have no mass on Good
Friday. The Psalms and prayers are said
and the people with great reverence APP
proach the altar and kiss the Crucifix, held
to their lips by the priests. ussomc of the
Episcopal churches there is little or no
change made i'll the mode of rendering the
service-thc altar is uncovered and there is
music and sermon rs on ordinary days. In
others there is the simple, spoken service,
no sermon and no music. In others, again,
where an elaborate ritual is the custom, the
rcrcdos altar, cross and euclaristic candles
are draped in black and chorsters wear the
black cassock. This was the case at Mount
Calvary. The order of services there was
morning prayers at Q o'clock, Litauy and
sermon at l, and tile seven sermons at noon.
The latter service consisted of a prayer, IL
hymn and sermon by rotation, seven in
number. 1t was solemn and impressive
Has it ever occurred to you that Easter on
March 25 is coincidence that no living per-
son has seen? The rule, according to the
Council of Nice is, that Easter shall be the
first Sunday after the full moon which hap
pens upon or next after March 81. 1t may
come as early as March %, or as late as
April IS. 1t was as far back as lGGS 1874,
1871 and l7l2 that Easter came on the 2Jth
of March. This is the first coincidence in
our century and will not occur again until
1894.
Easter in Baltimore was a perfectly lovely,
bright day-in unison with the joyous faces
that one met everywhere. The churches
were we'll filled; the music was generally
fine, and tho floral decorations exquisite. In
some of the Episcopal churches us well as
the Roman Catholic, the affairs were ablaze
with lighted candles. 1t is certainly very
beautiful in effect, particularly when the
lights form designs, such as pointed arches,
circles and pyramids. Pottc.l plants of the
rarest kinds were grouped about the chan
other artistic designs; on the affairs were
boqucts of st. Joseph and Gala lilies, while
the reredos panels were masscl with ever
greens, wlicl, gave a fine rich effect to the
whole.
The profilsion of flowers at Easter time
awakens surprise and speaks for the energy
and labor Of the florists. Every thing has
to he pushed of course, in hot houses with
constant watchfulness and care. Church
decorations, however, are but q small part
of the demand for Easter flowers. In fact
only a few of the churches spend much
money for them. Individuals and amateur
growers Of plants and flowers arc large
lenders and contributors. Most of the rare
flowers are used by gentlemen as Easter
offerings to their lady friends. 1t is quite
the style now in Baltimore. The offerings
vary from a corsage boquet, costing from
SO to S., to q PLAGUE mounted on an easel,
costing from $50 to 500; or the designs may
hampers and all kinds of fancy things. The
roses are most in delnand-Marshal Neil,
Jacqucmnot, Pearl of the Garden, Solra-
nos, Bon Sicne, Niphctos and Carnelia
Cook.
The Good Friday service of Bcauscant
Commandery No. 3, Maryland Knights Tenn
plar, was held at night in the Church of the
Ascension, the Prelate of the Commandery,
Rev. Campbell Fair, formerly Of Christ
Church. New Orleans, conducting services.
The church was handsomely decorated with
banners Of the Order and the officers wore
their jewels. About seventy-fve Knights
proceeded up the aisle while the organ
pealcd forth the Dead March from
Saul" Sir Harry Barry, Eminent Com
mander, proceeded to the chancel under the
glittering swords of four knights, held
crossed above their heads. After "a few
moments of silent prayer-the nnishts
kneeling, with heads resting on their sword
hilts-thc Eminent Commander recited his
charge to the Knights and then the usual
beautiful service. Two aIdre sses were
given-one by the assistant Rector of Ascen-
sion Church, Rev. Lewis De Lew. His ser
mon was very good. lie urged the knights
to follow the teachings of the Order. and
showed that the great principles of both
natural and revealed religion were incul-
Gated i'll its tenets. The services were con
cluded by al offertory taken up for the poor.
The remains of John Howard Payne, the
author of Home, Sweet Home" now rest
i'll the lovely Oak Hill ee metery, Washing
ton City. The expense of their removal
from Tunis, where Mr.. Payne died in 1852,
and the re-interment has heen borne by Mr..
w. W. Corcoran, the great philanthropist,
lnl