The Washington times., 1895-04-15
PAEAHs OF EASTER PRAISE
In All Churches SWeIIed Anthems
to Christ, the Lord.
AFFAIRS WE'RE FLOWER-DECKED
Nearly All the sanctuaries Were Crowded
With Worshipers-Brightest Sunshine,
Balmy Breezes, and Bluest Of Skies Made
1t an Ideal Resurrection DaY-An Atmos-
phere Laden With the 0dor Of Bloss oms.

All Washington Joined yesterday in the
grand choral anthem which, under various
forms, was sung in joyous tones in all the
city's temples in honor of the Redeemer
triumphant over thegrave.
1t was a lovely Easter morning-itself
an incentive to the feelings and emotions
OF prayer and devotisn. The morning was
exquisite enough in its suggestions for a
poet to eonjure with, bright, unclouded. the
air just moist enough to give one the sense
of liquid sunshine, aud from all around the
perfume of early blossoms and the fresh
odor of the ambitious buds and expanding
leaves.
A word as TO these ambitious buds They
have accelerated their pace much since the
chilling reception given them by Palm
Sunday, and are now distinct in the warm
sheen or their green and grey. 1t is no
longer figure of speech to say that the buds
are coming. They are here, on the eIms, on
the naples, and the hair OF the willow is
already beginning to sweep the ground.
The most picturesque OF all the sights
abroad ou the streets, in hedgerows or in
plots, is the glorious golden citizus, whose
yellow masses attract the passer-by. And
again in the parks these are seen with COM
panion pictures OF pure white spira in
massive form.
SHRINES DECKED WITH FLOWERS.
| But the loving hands and hearts OF the
| city laid gardens and eonservatories
under contribution to do honor to the day
| the Lord made On Saturday the ap-
proaehes TO all the churches were marked
! with flower-beareTs to the shripes within;
and the result of this work was beautifully
| manifested in the gorge Gus ness and
| splendoF OF the floral tributes with which
| many of the affairs, chancels, and other
| parts of the churches were decorated.
| The chaneels of the larger churches were
| symphonic poems of perfume, light, and
| color, eacn d little garden from which the
/ fragrance went up as a part of the incense
| of prayer 90 the risen Christ whose legends
were everywhere inscribed on the walls.
AS usual, it was day of religious fervor
and enthusiasm. Very fewSpeople stayed at
| home, go that before and after the morning
| services there were great throDgs or people
on the streets, all bent where thesweet toned
| bells inylted them to the feaSts OF flowers,
music and prayer.
| Humanity, like the other beautiful part
| of nature, the treesand shrabs, was cut in its
J vernalp rdirent which wen became the
pFoprieties OF balmy air, invigorating sun
shine and the bIuest of April skies extended
Ikea benediction oveTthe moving muititudes
The frequency of yellow, pink aud blue,
marked the spring costume, although, as a
matter or fact, there were not as many OF
these ''out" as were anticipated
Man was even more conservative than
woman in the respect of drawing the golden
mean between the wiuter and strictly spring
styles. There was fair sprinkling of light
/ coiored hats ana trousers, but the majority
were Just dressed up in their Sunday clothes
without regard to the fact that the sun
passed the yernal equinox nearly a month
ago.
ALAS! FOR APRIL SHOWERS.
And perhaps it was just as we'll that sc
much foresight had been used, for alas
before evening the lovely Easter, like
Niobe, was simply diss olved in tears
which scattered her daughters far and
wide in flight like frightened doves to ch
their homes. 1t will rain in April anC
Easter Sunday, even, has not the right O.
way.
People who left the city after churci
to do the suburbs and pluck the oX-eyet
daisies where they nod on their native
slopes, came back in hurry between 4 and
6 p. m, with their few fortuitous daisies
and Easter ribbons well bedewed with The
beautiful but embarrassing April shower.
Some of the ribbons will wash; others viii
not.
But altogether it was simply q superb
Easter Sunday, and thousands upon thou
sands ofthose who wentto church yesterday
must have arisen this morning with th'
grand music of tie choirs still ringing il
their recollection, and with memories,
however feeting or faint OF the fragrance
of the flowers of Easter.
There were special services in many o
the churches.
PRETTY AND EFFECTIVE.
One of the prettjest and richest effects IL
Easter decoration was at the Church of the
Epiphany. The beauty Of the scene in the
chancel was not in the profusion, but in The
extreme grace of the disposition of the
flowers. The magnificent cathedral gl
window of the chaDcel and the side Chande
liers, with white electric ights shed q soft
lustre over the roses, white and red, stand:
oflilies and rows of potted pal ms.
The lectern and baptistery were prettily
set off with punches of roses. Midway o.
the church, on the right and left, were g
mass of Easter lilies, the only decoration
outside the sanctuary.
Around the altar were the Rev Dr. J
Randolph McKinl, rector; Rev. J. T. Cole
and Rev. j. B. Sterrett, assistants Th'
sermon was by Dr. McEifn on the Genera
subject and suggestions of the resurrection.
The congregation was exceedingly large
d great number OF people standing until th'
beginning of the communion service. Thi
was partaken of by large proportion o
the congregation.
The music was remarkably. fine, and wa
sung as spublished on Saturday in The Times
AT st. Johns Church it was impossible
to find even sta nding room Il half hou,
before the opening OF the morning services
The beauty OF the interior of this churcl
was highly accented by the richness of tn
decoration. A conspicuous feature of tn
ornamentation was mass of Easter lille
and greens, which was disposed against tn
east wall of the chancel. Elsewhere in th
sanctuary there were palms and roses, spira
and other white flowers.
The sermon was by the Rev. DR.. Mackay
Smith on the very appropriate text: "The
| shall wal with Me in white" sigDifyn
5 the innocence and purity of man in tn
resurrection. In the sanctuary with the rec
tor were Rev. R. w. S. Wood and Rev. F II
BigeIow The music was excellent.
CRUSH AT ST. MATTHEW'S.
1t was expected that the crowd would bes
crush at ST. Matthew's Church, and suel
was the fact. Hundreds of people wer,
turueda way failing tofindaccommodation
The church was quite tastefully but b.
no means elaborately decorated The chan
Gel was brilliant with candle lights, anC
among the many rows of these were dis
posed rich and rare roses The chapels ol
, the right aud left were also decorated witt
roses.
The musical part of the services was
given with grand and thrilling effect a
the offertory and the devotion. A splen
| did sermon was delivered by Father Bart o1
Trinity Church, Georgetown. Father
Kenrick celebrated the mass, Father Burke
deacon, and Father Lee, sub-deaaon.
tSt Anui1StiIa,s thn m aSs rvrS cpIe. fra Ter