Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1894-03-30

The Baptist Church.
At the Baptist church there was no effort
at elaborate floral decoration, though palms
and a large number of potted plants were
arranged across the front and at the ends
of the platform, and bouquets and other
arrangements of bright-hued cut flowers
were effectively used. Miss Stewards
organ voluntary and Mr.. MaXham's solo,
''The Easter sunshine breaks again." by
Meitzke, were rendered excellently. Rev.
Mr.. Parry's text was from ! Cor. XIV, 20:
'But now is Christ risen from the dead,
and his able sermon forcibly arrayed the
arguments and proofs of the resurrection,
and the hope and cheer of faith in a liv-
ing Saviour
The evening service, at o'clock was a
brief Sunday school concert, of which the
special features were Mr. Maxham's rem
dering of Bogert's "The Lord is risen.
songs by a male chorus, solos, choruses,
rectations ant the reading of an Easter
story by members of the school. An in
teresting letter was read from Miss Isham,
one of the workers connected with Dr. Jud
sons Memorial church in New York, eX
pressing appreciation of the recent contri-
buttons of clothing, etc, made through
the Sunday school for the destitute among
some of the cases helped Following the
evenings exercises the ordinance of bap-
tism was administered. the candidates being
six young ladies from the Sunday school,
The Unitarian Church.
The text of Rev. Mr.. Leavtts morning
sermon was from Paul's letter to the
PHILIPPIANS, II can do all things through
Christ which strengthened me- The
theme was the resurrection of the Christ
in the human soul; and the lesson
drawn from precept and illustration was
the power of a great absorbing affection TO
cleanse, to ennoble and consecrate our in
! dividual lives. Our lives are none of them
isolated and separate, standing by them
! selves, but are all connected with other
! lives from which there pOurs into our lives
| strength and hope; and so it is that our
| lives are measured very often by the power
over them of other lives, or by the con-
serving and uplifting influence of devotion
to home, or country, or profession, or
daily work. The source of such enriching
and strengthening power over our lives is
| God and strongest and purest the current
flows to us through the Christ life
through him who ''has led the world in
morals and religion for 1900 years only be
!
! humanest and bravest man in it, and
hence the divinest.'
In the evening a special responsive
! Easter service was given by the sunday
school, largely of music, Mr.. Hackley as
sisting with cornet and Mr. Brasor with
violoncello. The singing of the children
showed the result of very careful prepare
ton, and the service was the most spirited
and satisfactory of its kind ever given in
the church. At both services Mr.. Miller
sang Easter solos. The floral decorations
were of lilies and datfodils and palms.
At the UniversalIst Church.
There was a beautiful display of Easter
lilies and other flowers in front of the altar
at the Universalst church Sunday morn
ing, the arrangement having been made by
Florist McGillivray. The congregation
present filled every pew. There was i'm
pressive Easter music. and Mr.. Maxwell
preached an able and uplifting sermon from
the text, "If the dead be not raised let us
eat and drink, for tomorrow we die" The
difference to earthly life resulting from be-
lief or non-belief in Immortality was the
central thought of the discourse.
For the evening service the decorations
were reaaranged; large cross of green
leaves rose from table in the rear of the
platform, and sylvan altar occupied a
central position in front, where partici-
pants in the evenings exercises placed
wreaths of flowers An excellent program
in charge of Miss Mary Houghton, was pre-
sented, opening with organ voluntary, an
thems by the male quartet and a solo by Mr..
Gilbert. a responsive service by the super
intendent and school, and prayer by the
pastor preceded the greeting given by little
Verne Winchester, after which Easter
morning" by Laura Stearns and "The first
letter. by Lucy Mckinney were well re-
cited, and "a happy band of children
was sweetly sung by the primary class
Little Marion Smonds gave a recitation,
Easter flowers" was sung by leila Ed
wards, and Zetta Weld rected "The little
earth-angel." Following Mr.. Gilbert's sole
was an exercise by a class of boys. 1t was
quite impressive, as at the close of this ex-
ercse the boys stood with bowed heads
while little Lawrence Barber, claspine
his hands and raising his eyes, offered al
affecting prayer. This was followed by the
rectations, "a sermon in stone by Annie
Lamb, "a supposition,' by Lester Barber
and an exercise of recitations and music by
a class of girls. As they finished, the eros.
of green was transformed into one of Eas
ter lilies. "Via crucis, via lucis'' was wei
rendered by Nan Houghton. "The win
ner of the race was pictured by Guy Tas
ker, an Easter CAROL was sung by Zetts
Weld, and Clarabel Eddy completed the
pyramid of offerings on the altar with
bouquet as she recited clearly Longfellow'
''Flowers." After animated singing by
the school the pastor made appropriate re
marks to the children, proving his abilt,
to please the young while interesting all
The hymn, Blessings of Chrst's reign,
sung by the congregation, and the benedic
tion by the pastor closed a concert which
reflected credit upon the church and sun
day school, and was thoroughly enjoyable