Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-04-02


Most Of the roses were white. BY the organ
were Gala lilies, ON the center of the com
munion table was large vase of hyacinths
and spirea, and to the right of this was pro-
fusion of Easter lilies and potted plants.
WINrmRor ST. CSIvEKsALlsr CHURCH.
MoRSING SERVICE.
Organ Voluntary, BaPttste
Christ is Risen From Rossis Vespers)
Joyfully Easter Bells Ring, From Parish Choir
Christ Dnr Passover, H. 4. Danks
Let the Merry Church Bells Ring
/ Know that my Redeemer Liveth Handei
Jesus Lives, He lives. 4: Z, HoUord
Sing Alleluia Forth, Dndiey Buck
Postludc, Organ, Schubert
The Sunday School, assisted by the choir,
presented the following programme
EVENING ExEEcIsEs
l. Voluntary and March, Organist
Entrance ot school.
Z. selection by Choir
,. Prayer, Pastor
4. Opening Carol. School
}. k,Hdng, Child Lrir's search for Christ
Mis- Ehth Andrews
With carol. by school. and bird recitaiions by
q. veal selection, Miss Ena Chadbourne
:. Reading, Mr.. shaw
:. collection.
9. selection by the Choir
10. BcnSdiction.
The following is an abstract of Rev. Mr.
Whitman's Easter sermon. Subject-"1he
significance of Christ's resurrection" Text ::
If Christ be not risen, then is our preaching
VAIN, and your faith is also vain Cor.
10 ;l6, our thoughts are turning in one
direction today. We are thinking of the
great resurrection with all that it signifies.
The resurrection of Christ is but the type of
the resurrection of all men. As the stone
was rolled away from his sepulchre, SO is the
stone rolled srom the sepulchre of all our
dead. He has risen,' comes the trium-
phant p@an of the bells ringing out their
clear tones On this glorious Easter day
They are risen" comes back the answering
refrain of the bells in tones of JOY. He rose
from the dead They have risen from the
dcad-yOur dear ones and mine who have
departed from these earthly scenes. This
Is what this Easter day is saying to us. The
resurrection of Christ is fact of preemi-
nent importance. 1t was clearly recognized
as such by all the New Testament writer's.
who always gave it II place of prominence.
The Apostle rlul, with his keen analytical
insight and poterfu grasp If thought, sciz-
ing upon this event as the key to the whole
position, declared: IF Christ be not
raised, your faith is vain" The resurrec-
ton of Christ involves the fundamental prin-
ciples of n revealed religion and becomes the
very citadel of the christian faith forming
the dividing line between those who accept
the christian religion with the claims of
Christ and those who reject that religion. 1t
is certain that strange and wonderful
change came over the disciples at the time
of the resurrection. They, before so tmid
SO irresolute, SO impervious and stolid and
dull of heart and spirit. became, of a sudden,
bold and strong and aggressive. A new idea
possessed them, ettectng the most remark
able transformation of thought and purpose
and feeling. and sending them forth, in the
very spirit of the Master, with unconquer-
able faith upon a scheme of conquest far
more sublime than had ever dawned on the
mind of man What was it that caused snch
"A change in these unleuered fishermen of
Galilee, that so enlarged the scope of their
thought, that made them men of power? If
we may believe what they themselves tell us,
1t was the resurrection that affected this
transformaton-the resurrection and the
IA Etl ApiiNtl'ilbu " tHtisl MS NOIk.
which this event gave them. Before that
lite had been to them an enigma. 1t had
had for them strange, my sterlous charm.
But they had not yet come to such a point
of view in regard to His person that they
could at all understand Him Their thought
of Him was so far from what He actually
was, So far below the sublime and glorious
reality, that much which He said and did
had a tendency to discourage or even to
repel them They were batfied at times and
filled with misgiyings. But now when Jesus
comes back to them from the riven tomb,
they are lifted to a comprehension of that
majestic life as the very life aud love of
God They are Dr. ught to new point of
revision whereby all that went before be
comes clear and refulgent with glorious
nearing. Their thoughts of Him are raised
UNNECESSARILY. They think of him as the
incaruate word made flesh, illuminated with
glory The glory as of the only begotten
of the Father full of grace and truth As
to those disciples of old, does the resur-
rection of Christ. when taken home in all
its wide scope and deep significance. ever
prove an Illuminating, uplifting, transform
ing power. 1t lifts our thought of Jesus TO
grsuder height. A stream of light is cast
upon all that He said and did giving unity
to the whole history and investing all with
the very life and power of God. His words
have now for us a new meaning as coined
from the heart of infinite love and bearing
the stamp o infallble truth. And when He
tells us OF the Father, We listen, not as to
the specuations of men who may be mistak-
en-, but as 10 voice from the parted skies
When He tells US of life heyone the grave
of the heavenly mansions which God is pre-
pairing for us. we listen with hushed breath,
not as to the guessings of erring man. but as
10 one who spoke with all the weight and
sanction of Almighty God This Easter
season appeals 10 that which is best within
US. Ii appeals for large thoughts and high
aspirations. IL appeals 10 ever, man. woman
and child 10 rise ont of self. to live for God
and humanity in the Consciousness of the
life that never dies This glorious Easter is
lit up with the eternal hope which from that
glad resurrection morn spans the whole
sky, that bow of promise cleaning with
light and love from the throne of Col. the
pledge of Immortality. And cover against
this fragmen,ary and broken life of ours.
Christ's resurrection breaks in and sets the
completeness and fullness of immortality.
The altar at the Universaist church was
draped in white and covered with smilax
and very choice variety of cut flowers
and hauked with many beautiful plants.
Aside from these were three large and ele-
CANT floral memorials in memory of Govern
or Morrill,. Mrs. Nellie Daniel and Mrs.
Bangs. mother of Mrs. Clara Milliken.
METHODIST CHURCH.
The Easter sermon was delivered by Rev.
G. X. Palmer, l Cor. Is IA. And if Christ
be not risen. then is our preaching vain, and
your faiths also vain" Subject IF Christ
be not risen, what them" or the logical con-
sequences of a denial. Good Friday and
Easter have announced their coming. One
represents what to a mortal's vision is the
gospels day of doom, the other the Saviour's
lay of victory. Then Christ's foes held high
carnival, now ushered in is the morning dawn
If eternity. No period of the world has wit I