The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-04-15
NO DISPLAY.
But Yesterday Was Easter
Just the Same.
Sermons as Helpful, Music as Elaborate
and Flowers as Beautiful.

Perhaps Easter observance gained some-
thing in religious significance because Of
the un- Easter like weather yesterday.
At any rate it is perfectly safe
to assume that all who attended
service at any time during tho day did so
for the sake of the service itself and not
for the indulgence of that vanity sup
posed to be so general on the day inter-
vening between the Lenten restraint and
the gaiety which begins with Easter
Monday.
And furthermore the crowds were out
in spite of the wet. In none Of the
churches were the flower collections un-
appreciated because of a lack of people to
see, and no Easter sermon had been writ
ten in vain because of the lack of a con-
gregation to listen.
1t was Easter without the sunshine, the
millinery, the butter gloves and the light
trousers, but it was Easter Just the
same, and society lost nothing be-
cause 1t wore fatigue uniform rather
than full regalia. The florists alone
had genuine cause for regret. Their
narily heavy Sunday morning trade, but
the flowers wilted and there were no
purchasers.
The New Heaven and the New Earth.
Special Easter services were held fore
noon and afternoon at the First Congre-
gational Church on Benefit street. The
display of flowers were exceptionally
beautiful, and the musical program for
the day was elaborate.
The theme of Mr.. Lords Easter morn
ing sermon was "The New Heaven and
the New Earth" and was prefaced by the
double text: 'If the Dead Are Not Raised,
Neither Hath Christ Been Raised, ,"-"God
Created Man to be Immortal and Made
Him to be an Image of His Own Eter-
nity."
Mr.. Lord opened his discourse by ex-
pressing the hope that his words con-
corning what seemed to him the absolute
certainty of Immortality might not appear
to any one of his bearers as drawn forth
merely by it's necessity of the reason.
"Out of my thought OF this growing COM
munion OF sympathy" he continued, 81
shall try to speak simple, ,straig htforward
message"
The discourse then proceeded to touch
upon the common experience shared by
men of today with that little band Of dis
ciples 1000 years ago; the experience Of
the loss of one loved and honored, one
whose life changed the face of the whole
world for those who knew that life. And
the sense of loss that the passing of such
soul must bring would bring
with il also the question and
the hope Of Immortality. And from such
hopes of Immortality for one springs the
broader hope Of immortality
hope has been gradual from gross
beginnings to its present fullness
in the light of modern science and ma
tional faith, until now "the highest point
that we can find at which the laws that
develop life express themselves is
the increasing intensity of the con-
scious human soul. 1t is the
development of an even higher type of
soul that marks the farthest advance of
life. Personality, the SOUL is the end, not
the means.
"But such development,such assurance,
cannot exist for US until know what the
Christlike life is now, here, in Others, in
ourselves-and read the message back
ward and forward across the ages.
'Strive to live, pray to live, as Christ
strove and prayed TO live, and the possi-
bility of life forevermore becomes clearer
with each thought and effort for you and
all who make you and keep you wise and
strong and faithful, pure in heart and
loyal in will"