Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1886-04-24
EASTER IN A MORAyIAN TOWN.

The rel,ptiess spirit OF modern " improve
80, ,', n,,,.,,,ii,ou has well nigh oh.
liberated from the oultus oi 'ha' "n,''"'
Chuicb tho l'nitas ffatuh, "ost '" '''no
,,,uu,, and distinctive chaiactetisticS whioh
nuc, made It's whole worship one sfanu
I,yi,p poem. only mere ava thefe, away
from the track of ruthless progress III some
uuict country congregation, do We sun oc-
,i,.io,,IIy meet with some of those quaint
and original forms and customs that once
ware tho every. day gafb OF tho Brethrcn's
church. aud clothed her ~ with a halo OF
beauty aud truth. OF all these, however
mono can compare, ior touching simplicity,
aud vet solemn and Imposing grandeur
with the celebration ot Faster morn IN Tue
little Mofayian town oi NAZARETH, some ten
inios north of Bethlehem, Ia. The same
form OF worship. indeed, IN observed IN
Bothlehem, btitS, aud several other places Z;
but ~ none eau II reach the perfection oi
beauty that IL hero att,ins; for IN none, ~
here, does nature lend her sympathy and
aid aud help To make OF all one glorious
harmony,
The services during the whole Passion
Week before tend peculiarly To elevate and
s0omuizo the hearts oi the congregation.
Every evening tho worshipers assemble 1"
read the pathetic story of the closing scenes
W Nlt NtNlbhl y illf WI 'Ht '""'''hN'
language of the sacred Scriptures. Day Ivy
day, step by step they follow him ~ he
nears the final hour. On Maundy Thursday
evening, IN commemoration OF his last meal
with tha twelve, they too gather with melt
ing hearts IN Holy Communion round his
table On Good Friday, at the hour when
he IL supposed To have given up the ghost,
all engage in the beautiful liturgy used only
on tins occasion, 1t ~ a glorious requiem
irum first Ia last sung and chanted IN parts 10y
pastor 10y choir, toy the whole congregation,
aud then again Ivy tho male aud female por
tiuns separately, fosponsirely comforting eN-
hurtinr, cheering each other rising from
pIRntlve aud mourniul, dirge like tone, Ia
the Joyous, swelling sounds oia victorious
hopc and triumphant faith. Then all ~
silent and calmly peaceful agnn untll IN"
close OF next day. \ solemn stiffness rests
uu the entire community. No business II
transacted, no pleasure tndulged III. IL ~
the Great sabbath. The son ol tod - rust-
ing IN the tomb and arouhd II III spirit all
assemble IA thoy come together III loNe-ieast
III the afternoon, preparatory to the great
event uf the following morning. With
mlud thoroughly spiritual2ed and freed
from earthly thoughts, the wOrshIper LAYS
himself at rest, hIs soul lowering, ~ It were,
u"twcen tho -orTuwIul scenes OF the past
days, and the joyous Anticipation with
which believing hope awaits the morrow.
Very early ON SUNDAY morning, long he
to the darkness there mlngle strangely with
tue sleeperS dreams the sounds of far-Uti
SOFT aud sweetest melody. Waited from a
distance through the fresh aud Hagtant
morning air, like angels whispers from on
high they secui, 50 gently falling on the
~"uIivcUusrIUus ear. Near and more near
they approach. slowly the dreamer awakes
aud In rapture dwolls on the mellow strains.
It's the music oi tho trombone choir that
thus carly goes forth to usher In the glad
some Easter morn, and with its sweet old
UhUTals gently aruuseS the slumhering vii
lager, aud bids him prepare for tho worship
OF the day. The effect ul this ancient custom
On the mind surpasseS all powers ul dosCrlp-
tIuu. II must he experienced, aud then Will
never bo forgotten. The profound stiffness
ot the rural night, unbroken by the ClAtter
Ui machinery, the roll Of wheels, aud restless
tramp OF feet, SO absolute aud perfect the
,!raruCsS and purity of the air at this the
most delicious period Of the budding spring
tho weird and touching sounds ol the trOm-
tones, 50 peculiarly adapted To the music oi
the old ChOTdls together with the frame OF
mind induced 10y the services that have
absorbed tho attention of the entire previous
week, aud tended to make the whole soul
more exalted and impfesslble,-all these
help to make this part oi the Moravian
Easter ceremonies striking and beautiful
beyond expression.
But II Is only the introduction, the ut pie
paEitiun for the service proper that Is to
follow.
sotly away ere the venerable old bell, strong
and iull toned, poalS from the church Steeple
a warning loud aud long, that now It il tine
tor all to arise and repair To the house ut the
Lord. Simple toilets are 5000 made the in
diSpensable coffee and sugar-cako" hastily
UdTtaken of; and all assemble for the
" Easter Morning Liturgy" promptly forty
lVe minutes before sunrise. The spacious
church is tastelully decorated with the floral
offerings OF the season, artistically arranged,
not by hired UOrists, but by the loving hands
at some OF the sisters to whom the task II
an act of true devotion and worship. As the
minister cutters tho Chancei, tue congregation
reNercutly rises To its ieet. Then with 10Y
iui voice ho chants the glad announcement
"The Lord is risen :"
to which tho full response il made by all, IA
II 1t were an echo from their souls,
"rho Lord ia risen indeed"
And straightway from tho lips of choir aud
people, sung To the accompaniment of the
iull orchestra of stringed and wind instru-
ments, asceudS the grateful incense OF glad
some praise
HAL. all hiatt, victorious Lord and Saviour.
Thou hast burst the bounds of death"
The rest of the Litany is II simple confession
ul faith, couChed almost wholly in the chaste
words OF Scripture, interspeTsed now and
then with some old hymns or touching
chants, expressive of the deepest feelings OF
tho heart. This ended, the service in the
church * closed
nti lut "blSHlI'IS, Win lHt lllilsttl ~
their head, and preceded by the trombone
choir, form In orderly procession, and two
by two take up their march Ia the cemetery,
there tn continue their devOtions. Slowly
they move on through the lone aud quiet
street, up the steep hill beyond the village,
on the summit of which lies their beautiful
"God's Acre" the tranquil, soothing still
ness ot the sabbath morn unbroken, save by
the trombonists' dirge-like strains.
According tOa custom ever adhered 10 III
lnInHnil
most elevated and choicest spot in the VIcln-
Hy was always set apart for the halowed
repuse OF The dead. But in none OF their
communities IN this country can there be
found a graveyard that, for surprising beauty
III every RESPECT can compare with that
which crowns the lofty hill just west of the
centre OF fertile plain, some twenty miles
III diameter, II affords an unbroken view of
not less than ten miles in every direction.
North aud westward the eye ranges along
the mountain. bound horizon, resting now
ON the Delaware Water Gap then on the
Wind Gap, and finally, on the Lehlgh cap.
Southwark it follows the course OF tho le
high river, along the base OF the like named
range of mountains, until 1t flows into the
broader Delaware, whose rising mists vel
the Jersey hills, which bound tho Landscape
on the east ON every side, as lar "A eye Car
reach, panorama rich aud varied lures th,
gaze, from dark and shady woodland Il
bright and teening farms; from green anC
velNety meadows to countless little hamlet
aud larger villages and towns. Just st tn
foot OF the hill nestles, calm aud lovely
Nay iIGAlt .la. "A ,,