Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1886-04-30
yHE EASTER FESTIVAL

= ,oSanpaArfoys IN ALL THE BRArrLEBoBo
CHURCHES
r,,re perfect r. ,ster day than that to
.,,,ch tho world awoko last Sunday morning
conld not have been asked for or imagin,d.
The sun was bright, the air was mild, ~ The
dev wore on there was suggestion OF sum
80, baat and vet the atmosphere had Ia II a
S.,,t',,sss and inauguration which made 1t n
tcI,gbt 10 live. In this latitude 1t il not often
mai everythnR in outdoor life Is in ~ mpathy
a.,b the tpirit " the great church festival
I,,, On this occasion the springiDg erase, open
,n, leaves. abundant wild fl iwers and merry
birds combined to make the day a veritable
festival Of the sprinR.iime. Tho celebration
In the BratileborO churches has never been
more general or impressive.
ST M1oHAELs (EPIscorAL4 CHURCH.
Tina soryiees at this church we're we'll at.
tended throughout the day, the number pres
emf at the carly service q A. NJ being unusu-
ollv large. The floral decorations we're mostly
handsome potted plants disposed about the
chancsl: the font was filed with out howers,
and above the altar Was beautiful floral
.o,o.s The music Of the occasion, by the
regular choir assisted by Mr.. Shearer, cor
nsii., WAS exceptionally good AT tue com
npnion service 1O45 A. N, Rector 9 Jllins
Gave a brief address founded upon Acts l., 3 -
"To whom also he showed himself alive after
his passion 10y many inialllble proofs, behg
seen Of them forty days, and speaking OF tue
,binps pertaining to the kingdom Of God"
Att an historical preface concerning the
time Of year in which, after long ditagree-
meti between the T. lstsrn aud Western
churches. It was fually decided that the Ets
ter festival should be observed, the speaker
proced,d to consider the eight recorded ap-
,earnnccs Of Christ after his death aud the
,,infsllibIe proofs" Of his immortality which
Ilnga nTDOfa should
make all men believe not ouly ia a suffering
saviour hut in a risen Lord and it IL this
belief and this only, which gives TO Christian
faith it, foil value and significance.
Al the evening service the children OF the
Sunday school aud the choir, accompanied 10y
organ and cornet sang several carols, Even
| inc PRAYER was said and Mr.. Collins preach
! ed from the text, For God 10 loved the world
that be gave his only begotten son, that who
/ soever besveth in him ia luld not perish, but
have everlasting life
sr. M1CHAEL's (RoMAN CATHoLIc) CHURCH.
At the Roman Catholic church the festival
WAS celebrated with glad rejoicngs after the
| ploom and mourning Of passion week. AT the
/ morning service the affairs were decked with
NOTED plants aud cut flowers in profusion
! a. ye.psrs the plants aud flowers we're bank
ID from the table Of the main altar to the top
of the tabernacle, and lighted with many can
dies The decorations OF the side affairs were
similar The children sang their Easter au-
thems at the early mass, aud at 1880 the
| Reverend Fa'hcr Cunningham preached for
the gospel of the day on the lessons Of Christi
resurrection. Tue choir sang Lambilotte's
pascbai mass.
AT THE UNIvRRsALIsT CHURCH.
The Uuiversalist church was handsomely
decorated great variety OF choice flowers
] a in fiali m a. 4
in the pulpit recess and about the organ. Ap
propriate music was finely rendered by the
org mist aud choir, as follows:
organ Voluntary Wely
Anthem, Christ our Passover, Thomas
Responsive Service, TroNbridge
Hymn, Lit your glad voices, Ware
Hymn, 'Christ the Lord is risen,' zeuber
Rarely has the music been 70 excellent or
40 highly appreciated. The pastor, Rev. f.
W. Whitney, preached from John xi., 20 IL
am the resurrection and the life"
Again, said he, .'are we permitted to celebrate
Easter with glad and thankful hearts In all parts Of
the earth, among Christians Of every sect It is day
Of rejoicing Nature seems to be In harmony with
tue occasion. After the desrh OF winter new life Is
dawniug which htly suggests the victory Of Christ
over death. Well may We be JOYFUL. ChrisVs resur-
rectiou has given TO men new iaith 10 God and i'm
mortality 1t il type snd proof Of the endless HE
OF every human soul Let US seek the meaning u
, ! Christs words aud the lessons they teach.
''l. Is the resurrection Of the material body here
taught7 Lazarus, doubt, was restored to his old
Of life. His body vas again subject to acci
dent disease aud death. Careful study Of science and
scriptures has led many intelligent people IN all
churches to discard the doctrine Of material resur
recton. Flesh and blood that IL, the earthly body
| cannot Inherit the kingdom Of cod neither doih
corruption iuherit Interruption Tue spiritual body
moi be- composed Of perishabe matter viii no, be-
more beautiful than the hesbly body-better adapted
| to the Of the immortal spirit?
81 BY Christ the resurrection and immortal life
were revealed. He did not bestow immortality; that
the gift Of God the Inheritance Of every human
soul. But He brought life aud Immortality To light :;
Hill oil FtsN Fa ha tan.
b shed tue fears aud doubts Of humanity. With HIM
y there came clear vision Of the eternal.
''3. He raises men to moral and spiritual life 10 this
{ world-He came that men might have life, and have
E. it more AbundAnty. His followers commanded to
seek and to set their affections upon, things above.
As tue spring quckens the latent life Of nature, Je
sus' BY his truth and example Arouses the divinest
possibilities Of the soul The dAwning Of this higher
4 life may be sudden, but its development must be
eraduAl-'hr-t tue blade then the ear then the full
aud ripened corfu As the possibilities Of the i'm
p mortal nature are boundess, 60 believe there
J. may be eudless progress in knowledge, love and
q i, 49, o'y J1 say y. ~ ,it'ue ~ t a visa
winch opens before US Upon this bright and beAuti-
full Easter may seek the unseen aud eternal. BY
gaining the spirit OF Christ, may conquer fear aud
+ death Lie him may we live in the kingdom Of hea-
A ven now aud here
4 Al the communion which followed, six
4 members We're received iuto tho church. TIE
= Easter Offering amounted 60 about SOS.
II Guere WAS large attendance both morning
and evening
The evening concert program consisted OF
y
70 solu 10y Charles Higgins. The mauner III
which the selections were chosen and render
! ed r. fl scted great credit upon the supeTinten-
o dent and pupils, and we'll repaid those prese nj
e for their attendance.
= TIE BAPTIST CHURCH
e Somebody or a collection Of somehndie,
e must have been very busy in order to hay,
e accomplished the floral decorations in thu
r. church. At each extremity OF the sem-cr
rs cular platform we're pyramids Of poltet
y plants; on the choir railing we're beautiful
foliage plants; on the cornice half way NJ
ii the front of the organ were stands of bios
Sc somiug plants, while the centre of the plat
lie form at the rear Was enriched with upward
lie Of hundred plants arranged in pyramida
lie form. at the apex of which stood a beautiful
y cross of green and aTbutus. The Sunda
" school room WAS also appropriately decorate,
1t for the occasion The sermon Of the morn
is ing was eminently fitting for the occasion
e, and the evening service very interesting an,
III largely attended.
ii Tue text of the morning discourse WAS frou
lie Mark xvi, 6, He is risen"
lg The resurrection Of Christ assures us; ) That on
Sc ialth Is well founded He who burst the barriers d
y tue grave must be divine. The New Testament " hc
) Is hlS WORD, must be true, and the Old Testamen
which he accredited must also be from God (2) Tn,
natural science eau never overthrow Christianit!
since its facts rest only upon the testimony OF ey,
ear aud touch. the same upon which rests the fact
re he resurrection Of Christ aud the stand
q IAN together tS That Christs people will be raise,
since his resurrection is the type Of theirs aud ID
ne promise VII be fulfilled that Christ his coming wi
ay change these vile bodies that they may be fashoue
a. IKE unto his own glorious body according to IA
- working whereby he is able to subdne all thin.
r. unto himself
- AT THE CENTRE CHURCH,
al The Il Iral decorations of the Congregation
i'll Al church consisted principally of aoWerin
plants hect.y ly ma sed on the pulpit plat
on form and gallery front, handsome crots i
Mt Sh te aud green, and Tyre.
Of Y. o. Day preached from Rev. I: 10 Il
st on The Proper use of the Lord's Day."
l. Tue ohlgationt TO this day lies in the nee,
OF man. This is the binding principle in Nose
cnue, Experience In nations and men proves 1t al
tue survival Of the institution in various nation
ssoNlhslhdleates preserving Providence. The III
ol ttpu9ue especially demands the day with its L.
s"nsi anu II nlnds every man, both by enabling BIZ
Lln..L . !. ~. - .- ~