Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1883-03-30

-- III lut general OlL-OODT aspect or nature,
with TWO feet Of suow upon ia ground aud
roadUay- and streams locked iu ice, there
was little suggestive pf Easter o- tho spring
season las. SUNDAY. In Itself, however the
day was beautiful ami The bright warm sun
shine gave promise of the resurrection IN tue
natural world which. iu spite OF our long New
England winter OF death, Is sure to come
Inside the churches, amid the proflsiou of
flowers aud Towering plants which every
where prevailed, thu wintry prospect outside
was forgotten, and the celebration Of the
most joyoua festival OF the church year WAS
not less general aud heartfelt than Oh any
previous occasion.
In ST. Mchaels Episcopal church the day
was one Of unusual interest The floral doc.
orations Of the chaucel were artistic and Il.
fective and those who were fortunate enough
to be present at the early service. when the
morning sun came streaming IN through the
stained Windows the eff Get was most beautiful.
The musical programme at the three services
Of the day was carried out substantially AS
announced last week. At the 1880 service
the church vas crowded, aud tn music as
given 10y the choir and organ with full or
chestral accompaniment was notably fue.
and made the service a peculiarly attractive
and inspiring oue. At this service the
rectors sermon was from LIST Thess ". l3-1s
After referring TO the antiquity OF the Oh
servRnce Of Easter, as shown by the writings
Of 81. Gregory b shop OF Nyssa in Cappa-
docia. A D. 372. the preacher declared the
object of this, the greatest festival IN the
Christian yeur, u, COMMUNICATING the result
rectiou Of our blessed Lord from the dead,
and as giving expression to our own belief in
the resurrection Of our bodies from the dust
Of the earth. when the Lord shall come again
according to HIS promise. The purpos- Of
st. Paul IN thus addressing the Christian, at
ThessAlonlca, aud also those OF future ages,
was to comfort their hearts with the truth OF
this doctrine which the church has always
maintained. A knowedge of human nature. it,
needs and lougng-, was apparent 10 the holy
apostles teaching 1t was full Of the spirit Of
Christ, Who c8me to bring life and immor-
tally to light" This hope in the hearts Of
men was then contrssted with the belief Of
the heather world, before the advent of
Christ. and, rs showing this, certain insorip
tons copied from tombs IN Greece and Rome
were given Death Was compared by 81.
Paul in the text TO sleep. and that glorious
awakening Ia the worlds great Easter Day
was declared. The doctrine Of the resurrec-
ton OF the body was shown to be neither i'm
possible nor Incredible. The power of God
being illimitabit, He is able to re collect each
atom OF our frames, however it may bee sep
arated from Its companions. All positive ey-
idence concerning The truth Of this sublime
doctrine is TO be gathered, not from physical
science, but from the eternal word o. God.
Those in our own day. who would have men
return TO q dreamy, cherries, heather creed
have nothing TO offer for our loss Of faith,
save the doctrine OF aanihilatiou. Even tins
could not be proved The duty OF holding
fast to the promises OF God as contained N
Divine revelation was fully insisted upon.
The thought OF our own immortality and
the Joys OF the eternal world would serve TO
comfort our hearts amid the trials of life, aud
teach US the true relations existing between
the present state of probation and that Of
the world to come. Faith in our Lord Jesus
Christ is the very essence of the apostles
teaching in the text Without this, no mau
can possess a sure hope Of eternal life Re
pentance faith and obedience on the part Of
man are the requirements God has seen fit to
make and these must be shown in order to
secure the fulflment OF His gracious promises
The preacher concluded his sermon lof which
the above is a brief ABSTRACT with an earnest
address to those who were called TO celebrate
the holy sacrament of the Lords supper,
which was the GROWING act Of the days fes-
tival.
At the Roman Catholic church the affairs
were bright with ornaments and flowers and
the day was one of glad rejoicing. High
mass was celebrated at 1890 and there were
vespers in the evening
The services at the Centre church consisted
of an Easter sermon by the pastor from the
/ text II. Tim, j, 10. The main thoughts de-
/ veloped were that a belief in the resurrection
Of the body aud the future life was an old
and established fact, finding numerous illus
trations in the Old Testament that our Eas
ter is tie Christian Passover, the spiritual
passover of the soul that the definite articles
and present tense of ehrists assertion II
he Oh, -,
connection with the text, show clearly thu.
Jesus came 10 bring 10 light the only life
worth living here and the only one which
can be q sure earnest of the endless and hap
Ply one to come. The discourse ended with
4 a brief consideration of the rest and glory of
the future life of the blessed in heaven The
pulpit was bright C-d fragrant with flowers
and plants which were m6sled in profusion
/ on either side, In the evening an Easter
| Sunday school concert was held in the church.
/ A printed order of exercises was circulated
among the audience, and, with the exception
! of beautiful song from Miss Mary Howe
and short addresses by the pastor and Deacon
Thompson, the hour was filled by using the
responses end music Of the printed order.
/ At the UniteriAn church the decorations,
which were entirely Of cut flowers, were
tasteful and effective. The choir and organ
selections were admirably chosen and we're
rendered with fine effect The sermon en-
/ forced the lessons Of the Easter season, and
| the spirit of the whole service was warm,
helpful and inspiring, At the session of the
/ Sunday school the usual distribution of flow
ers and Easter cards took place,
/ At the morning service at the Uniyersalst
church the music was appropriate 10 the day,
and the pastor preached from Job xiv. II
/ IF EGp die shall he live again ?" Immor-
tality was the theme. Objections were brief
/ ly considered ana GEeption was called to
some of the strongest RrgumeLig in favor of
this important doctrine of the Christian faith.
The resurrection Of Christ gives assurance Of
the deathless life of the soul, aud therefore
Easter should be observed with heartfelt
gratitude and Joy. In conclusion the preach
e. urged the people 10 live for Immortality, to
banish sin and selhshness from their hearts,
to eonsOcrhte themselves TO the service of
God to cultivate .,heig IMMORTAL powers and
enter the kingdom Of heaven nov and here.
The Lords supper was then Administered
aud four members were received into the
church. An excellent Easter concert was
given in the evening which reflected great
credit upon all who took mart Tho floral