The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-03-30
FORTY DAYS Of PENANCE,
They Are Now Cone By and All
Christians Celebrate the
N Resurrection.
SOLEMN and Impressive Services
In the Various Churches
Of Helena.
Large Congregations Listen to Appropri.
ate Sermons On the Resurrection
Of tho Rcdecmcr.

The forty days Of fnsting and prayer Is
at an end. Easter Sunday in Helena was
duly observed in all the churches Of the
city. Easter eggs and new bonnets were
plenty In many homes The weather was
sunny and brought a good many people
out OF doors. Services in the churches
were unusually we'll attended at the morn
ing and evening hours.
Tho services at ST. Peters Episcopal
church we're very largely attended. So
great WAS the crowd in the morning that
many people we're unable to gain admission.
The evening service, commencing at seven,
was especially for the children, and all the
Sundayischool scholars who could manage
TO get there were present. The little ones
presented their Easter Offerings, which
amounted in the aggregate to quite a large
sum. A number of Easter carsls were
sung and every child went home happy in
tho possession of an Easter egg. The dec
orations of tho church were very beautiful.
The Rev. Mr.. Webb read st. John XXX:
Ills and then said:-Sb the beautiful story
reads! Such ia one of the simple scenes in
the early twilight of the worlds first Easter
morning. Take the questions addressed by
tho arisen Lord to Mary in the garden. oc-
curing in the passage just now from the
gospel;-lying in the light of this days
theme are all the thoughts which these
questions suggest. woman, why weepsst
thou? Addressed to her, first by the angels,
then by the arisen Jesus, was it not also an
announcement that the great sorrow which
brought her from a sleepless couch to the
sepulchYe, while it was yet dark, is now a
oroundiess sorrow? Nor her alone-nor to
that grief alone.
Ask yourself, what 10 the meaning of any
being here OF earth? What is the predes-
tined end2 What are my tasks? And how
shall ] best fulfill them? 10 subordinates,
to employers, to friends, TO kin, husband or
wife or children, what should % my doport-
ment? My wealth. how shall / use 1t? My
poverty, how endure it2 In a different
spirit from that Of the = who first pro-
am / my brothers. keeper? Must ! bear
anothers' burdensps You stand today
among the emblems and the promises and
the faith of the souls immortal %springtide.
AND here are your answers: Life is worth
living; duty is worth doing; self-sacrifice
your whole history into the liRhtof to-day's
truth; take the Easter message-which is
for you-and what is there to disquiet you?
What ground have you for dependency?
Against the wide horizon how small ap-
pears the stone above any grave! Set your
life against the eternal, as we understand
it in the risen Christ, and how trivial seems
it's worst perplexitiss! How easily endura-
BILE its heaviest sorrow!
Turn to the second question, 'sWhom
seekest thou?" How like the attitude, not
only Of the animate earth, but Of the race
Of living beings that have always lived up
on it's ~surface! The woman whom Christ
addressed is out upon a search in which her
heart is resolutely centered. We must go;
who shall be exempt Upon our quest
among the graves or beyond. In the great
throng We shall seek-and find: first the
Christ. And then we only wait
"'Till the night is gone
And with the morn those angel faces smile
Which I have loved long since and lost awhile.'