Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1889-04-26
THE EASTER FESTIVAL.
Delightful Weather Rnd n Celebration
In q eeninR win The anlrli Of the nnN.

Delightful weather and Celebration
in Keeping with the spirit Of the Day.
A more perfect Easter day never dawned
in New England than that TO which our
people awoke last Sunday morning The
skies were bright, the air was like June the
birds were in full song the springing grass
covered the lawns and roadsides, the soft
naples and early shrubs were bursting into
/ leaf, and in the fields and on the mountain
side the wild flowers were in full bloom al
most a month in advance of their usual
time For once Easter songs about birds
and flowers and green things growing fitted
the day, and every influence conspired to
invite the people TO join in the observance
of the Joyous festival of the church. As a
result the churches we're all well filed, and
more than the accustomed spirit was thrown
into the various observances.
-. michaers Episcopal Church.
The dav was observed at St Michael's
| (EpscopaD church, as usual, with three
public services The first was held at Z
| 4. NJ, and consisted of morning prayer
with Easter music the second at l0:30A. NJ
when the holy communion was administer
ed to a much larger number Of communi
Giants than usual, aud the rector preached
sermon from the text, | Thess. iv., 13 10.
At 1870 =. NJ. evening prayer was said in
connection with the children's service, Eas-
ter carols were sung and an address made
upon the subject Of missions Certificates
were presented to the children who had
given their Lenten offerings for the mission
airy work Of the church in domestic and
foreign fields Each child also received an
Easter card and poted plant 10 care for
during the year. The chancel was appro-
priately decorated with white flowers and
the singing by the boy choir at all the ser
vices was unusually good.
The Roman Catholic Church.
Large audiences were present at all three
Of the services in the Roman Catholic
church, which consisted Of low mass at
o'clock, high mass at 1920. and vespers at
1870 evening The Easter decorations con
sisted of cut flowers tastefully arranged
upon the affairs The children's choir fur
nshed the music for the first service, and
at the second service Leonard's mass was
effectively rendered, especially the Ave
Maria by Daniel Martin and z. NJ. Baker.
The Rev. Mr. Cunningham was Obliged to
omit the sermon on account of a severe
hoarseness Bishop De Goesbriand's do
cesar letter was read, embodying the Pres
ident's proclamation for the observance Of
the centennial Of Washngton's Inaugural
ton, and urging upon the people of the do
cese a proper recognition of the day.
The Congregational Church.
Large audiences attended the services at
the Congregational church. The flowers
we're beautiful, the music was excellent and
a hearty and interested spirit pervaded all
the exercises The floral decorations,
which were in charge Of the flower com
mittee of the Endeavor society, were in
white and green and consisted chiefly of
Easter lilies aud profusion of marguer-
ties rich hydrangeas stood at the ends Of
the pulpit platform, and all the basal parts
were masked with fresh green laurel leaves,
and there was a lovely cross of hyacinths
roses and ferns from Mr.. Allen. The choir
rendered their music with unusual vigor
and spirit, Mr.. Maxham's tenor solo being
especially effective. The Easter sermon by
Mr. Day was on the theme, "Newness of
Life, from Romans vi, 4. The reason for
the power and blessing Of the day was
found i'll its proclamation of a gospel of
hope from the dead to the uttermost
hope best defined by the theme The text
was treated along the three lines Of the
fact of the resurrection the bearing Of the
fact ON our lives the contents of that
'newness Of life" revived thus in power
and transmitted into experience. The last
topic was illustrated by the two Gailean
interviews Of Christ with his disciples at
the lakeside and ON the mountain top, Fol
low me and 90 ye unto all nations spirit
uality and universally the deeper inward
life and the broader sympathetic life the
length and breadth. and height and depth
The sympathy Of man is commensurate
with the glory of God There is no limit
to it, and Christ's words, IAN power is
given unto me-go ye, are the priceless
gift that III itself is worth the whole divine
work. The psalmist said well of man,
Yea, thou hast made him little lower
than God, and crowned him with glory aud
honor"
After the young peoples meeting in the
evening he Sunday school and a church
| full of friends enjoyed a capital Easter
concert under the conduct of Mr. H. II
| Thompson. The choir aided very accepta-
bly, by an anthem, responsive chant and a
quintet the recitations and readings by
the young ladies upon Faster themes were
unusually well rendered exercises in re
cital and singing of the younger classes of
IA chorus Of boys and by two trios of quite
small girls were all very pleasing, aud the
service was closed with remarks by the pas-
tor, congregational hymn and the bene
dictiOn.
The UaiVersRIIsI Church.
At the Universaist church foliage and
| flower plants and cut flowers were arranged
about the pulpit and in its recess The
musical program was rendered with unusu-
al excellence 10y double quartet, Mr. viii
Schuster singing bass in place of Mr.. Leon
ard the regular member Of the choir Five
persons were received into the church and
the communion was observed.
The text of Mr.. lllman's sermon at the
morning service was st John XII, 20
"WhosOever helieveth in me shall never
die"
/ Human nature, Mr. nlman said loves pictures
aud there Is scarcely fond faith Of the heart
| that II has not somehow other succeeded in
/ placing before itself In picture form We Ike.
/ the hidddn things Of the soul made real 10 tb,
eyes and TINS desire Is the inspiration Of all high
est ART and poetry. But there is need Of caution
lest the symbol De exalted at the expense OF the
reality Probably no more satisfactory pictur,
/ uf the souls faith in Immortality will eyer In.
found than the empty tomb. It has engraved it.
self upon the Imagination Of Christrndom and
has become ineffaeeable. Easter stands for the
free, upper risen life of the soul the infinite ex.
tension of our conscious existence
Christianity has, however, associated this
Thought with the higher grades ut moral and
/ spiritual life II does not teach immortality as "A
/ hald and disconnected fact A worthy belief in
| II cannot he given TO the mind independent Of its
moral tone. Said Christ, II am the resurrection
and the life. Whosoever hyeth and b4Iieyeth in
! me shall never know death" In the higher
/ grades OF life the thought Of immortality finds
| us strength. II has grown strong and pure with
/ the elevation Of the worlds moral tone The soul
whose life is high is nearest the faith Immortal
as he who is upon the mountain-tops is nearest
| the eternal stars And the simple reason is that
| Immortality is an assumption, an involved eIr.
ment or fact, In all highest life
Assumptions are often the largest elements i'm
even simple problems, The Justification of the
problem is the justification Of the elements or as.
symptoms involved in il. You build a ship but
you assume the SEA. II your ship Is a success
the sea is thereby proved fact III immortalitv
Is an involved element of all highest life 10 cali
men TO- or TO insist upon that life and have its
claims admitted as just and true is to Justify the
great faith. Now, it is very certain that no one
ever suspects that he is mistaken when he calls
upon people to live the highest life of the intel
rect OF the moral and spiritual nature. Of the af.
tections. We all strive TO awaken the longing for
truth, the longing for holiness, the pure unset,
lsh love OF the heart, and never dream that We.
are doing aught unreasonable. But these very
Things assume Immortality. Assume ii as build.
ing ship does the sea
Mr. lllman then went on to illustrate this noint
ny Inference 70 intellectual life, moral and spirit
ual life, and the life Of unsehsh affection They
are aroused by life in this world hut moi satis6,i
Ihty seem TO get only fairly under way when The.
can OF death Is heard Their popularity is that
they are immortal longings. They imply the be,
yuhd' II TINS assumption of theirs cannot lie
trusted, then We know who are the mista zen ones,
NOT tine brutalized man who saws with drunken
1nckhtss OF utterance, When you n dead you're
IKE Jog; that S the end of you;" not the CAV
stnsuous libertlne who takes the world as lis
pleasures ground and has no eye for aught Ir-
You'd It's carnal delights: not the self centred ma
terlallstss, content with mere creature comforts
anu tangible possessions, but the heroes of truth
VINO nave fought and died in its defence and prop.
asatlon; the blessers aud helpers of the world
those who have lightened its woes and lifted III
aspirations the unselfsh hearts that have laid
.heir dead away without tears but with resigna.
non triumphant over their grief the Saviour
wh9 soobed out his life, say upon the cross. i'm
reality upon the bosom of eternal love
Christ came teaching higher life That was
lhe problen 70 the solution of which he address. !
ed himself Yet his example with all ia spiritual
force, Is but CHASTITY deception, il Immortality hr
Vot TACT is 1t mistake to urge what he urgedy