The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1889-04-22
OBSERVANCES OF EASTER
GOOD MUSIC, BRIGHT FLOWERS
md ELOQUENT DIsCOURSES.
st. Matthews Supplied Choir Adds to
Its Enviable Observation-Disclosures
Floral Decorations in st. Johns
Church ON Summit Avenue.

The decorations of st. Matthews
Church, on Sussex street, were
than ordinarily beautiful. A large
cross of white roses and Easter lilies
formed the centre piece above the
altar, and was relieved on each side by
a vase filled with lilies. Tall, stately
Easter lilies, on long, slender stems,
filed in the panels of the reredos and
were Joined by bands of smila1. Smi-
lax was entwined about the chancel
rail and the rail of the pulpit, while
banks of potted plants fianked the
steps leading to the chancel.
Two massive h~ydrangeas stood at
the head of the steps on either side,
and the lectern entWined with smilax
rose up from a bed of choice potted
plants.
These beautiful and artistic decora-
tions were made by the Altar Society
of the church, which consists of Mrs.
Meise, Mrs. Henderson, Miss Barrett,
Mrs. Jones and Miss HUM.
The services throughout the entire
day were unusually elaborate and inn
pressive. The Rev. w. A. Maxwell
officiated and preached excellent SER
mons appropriate to the day both
morning and evening.
The large supplied choir rendered
b musical programme faultlessly.
This choir, under the direction of Mr..
Victor Baier, has come to be an honor
to the city, and their singing yester-
day of such music as S%ullivan's TIE
Deum in d and Br1dgewater's evening
service in A placed them in favorable
comparison with the more pretentious
choirs Of New York.
Mr.. Charles Baier presided at the or
gan, and to his skillful and artistic
playing much of the success of the
service was due.
st. Johns Episcopal Church.
The floral decorations at st. Johns
Episcopal Church, on Summit avenue.
were lavish, and yet in perfect taste.
The altar vas beautifully embellished.
Around the reredos, with palms for a
background, extended a wreath of
lilies and roses, arranged so as to
meet the base of an elevated rustic
cross, draped with Florida moss, and
having a bunch of Easter lilies as a
centre piece. The chancel windows
were banked with potted plants, and
various memorial designs, Including a
bell and anchor, adorned the pillar
caps adjacent. The two brass stand
ards inside the chancel rail were
Jwined with sinilax and trimmed with
lilies.
Surmounting the font, in the outer
choir recess, was a large cross trimmed
with passion vines, gonquils and daffo-
dis, with a white dove perched upon
one of the arms. As a foreground
were four arches, wreathed with
smilax, extending across the front, and
the chancel stalls, posts and pulpit
were banked with palms and lilies.
Three hundred and twenty imported
Bermuda lilies were used in the deco
rations so skillfully arranged by a
committee consisting of Miss Pitcher,
Miss Ready, Miss Drayton and Miss
Morton.
The services for the day were:-
Celebrations of the holy communion
at six a. III and at Tia. m, morning
prayer and celebration of the holy
communion at 10 a. H., Sunday
school choral service at 3 p. M, with
offerings of flowers and money, and
choral evening prayer, with surpliced
choir. The church was crowded at all
the services. There was excellent
music. In the absence of Mrs. Let's,
who had not sufficiently recovered to
take her position as the regular so
prano, MissVan Schoick, of New York,
sung with admirable effect.
The Sunday school offering in the
afternoon amounted to $352.35.
At the evening service q Magnificent
by John White was sung.
Bergen Reformed Church.
At the Bergen Reformed Church the
rostrum was lined with potted palms
and lilies. A cross, three feet high, of
Easter lilies and roses, with base of
evergreens, rested on a stand inside
the altar space. On both sides of the
pulpit desk, in an elevated position,
were displayed two beautiful memoir
ial designs, an anchor and harp, the
latter a memorial of the late Miss
Annie Bliss. Other floral decorations
combined to give the whole a pleasing
effect. The musical programme,
which has already been printed in
THE JERSEY CITY News, was well
given.
The Rev. Cornelius Brett preached
an eloquent Easter sermon. He began
by saying:-''That rock which angels
rolled away is the Keystone OF the
Christian arch. After His resurrection
our Lord appeared to His disciples six
times in Judea and four times in Cali
lee.n The sermon made special refer
ence to the Galilean manifestations.
A Sunday school service was held in
the evening.
AT st. Marks.
There were few decorations In st.
Marks Episcopal Church yesterday.
A few potted plants and bouquets
were placed in the chancel. The SER