Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-04-06
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The Easter nibrning services at the Bap-
list church we're OF unusual Interest, two
beautiful anthems having been prepared
for the occasion, and followed by a very
interesting sermon by Rev. A. A. Layton,
who preached from the text, II have seen
the Lord,'' John 20;iS, his theme being
"The First Easter Day." Following 10 the
sermon condensed: The custom OF cele-
brating Easter Is q beautiful and i'm.
p~ressive one, although 1t had a heather
origin. We, as Christians, have nothing
| by which to know the exact date OF
Christ's resurrection. But we do know
| that He rose on the first day of the week,
| and hence our wsekly celebration of the
| event.
All Christians should be able to say,
"We have seen the Lord, " because OF the
transformation He effects in their lives.
Ifyou nave seen the Lord, He greets you
| this Easter morning with the triumphant,
GAN hail!" and says: 'Fear not death, for
died" "Fear not the grave, l was
buried" "Fear not, you shall rise"
II you have seen the Lord, the commits
| sion, $50 tell 1t, that He is %risen," which
| He gave on that day to the two Marys, He
also gave to you, and this involves the
story Of the empty grave and a living
Lord. When you sought the Lord, weep
Ing, He greeted you with the welcome,
"All hail, fear not!', for His resurrection
tells of His suffering, of His glory, and
gives assurance OF His ascension to ''your
God and my God."
If you rave seen the Lord, then when
suffering, sorrow and distress close about
you with their gloomy shadows, He APP
pears to you as He did to the ten in the
closed room and says: peace be unto
you"
"See my hands, and my feet, and my
side." "Handle me and see it is l." will
remove doubts from the most sceptical.
II you nave seen the Lord, He also says,
"Teach them to observe all things; teach
the unbelieving world that the time is
coming when it will fear His presence as
the Roman guard feared.the angel" To
him, who has really seen the Lord In his
own life, 1t comes as his duty to teach any
disciples who may doubt to doubt no more.
The evening discourse was from the text,
.'This is a beautiful saying and worthy of
all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came in
to the world to save sinners, of whom l am
chief.n / Tim. 1:15, and was followed by
the baptism of Miss Ruth Jones.
Easter services at the west side Catholic
church were celebrated throughout the day
and we're especially grand in the after
noon. The male chorus sang itself into the
hearts of all those present, and demon
strated that it will play no small part in
the coming musical history Of Las Vegas.
A great number Of people from the east
side attended the services at this church.
There were Holy Communion services at
the First Presbyterian church, yesterday
morning; also, some timely and appro-
pirate remarks by the pastor. Excellent
music was furnished by the double quartet,
composed of Mrs. r. C. Rankin, Miss Belle
Rogers, MRS. ]. H.. Stearns, Mrs. Beschel
and Messrs. James A.. Dick, l.. H. Hof-
meister, Hugh Loudon aud L.. f. Adams,
with Mrs. Adams presiding at the organ.
The program for Easter was we'll rem
ucT6u ~ tu0 IA. H. u nulCu Jocbci udy, ~
being the first in the history Of the Las
Vegas church. The design of decoration
was carried out beautifully. The collec-
ton for missionary cause was good. Two
souls were added into the church. The
day will be long remembered by the peo-
pie of this denomination.
Crowds swarmed into the Church of
Immaculate Conception at both services,
yesterday, and the solemn Easter services
will long be remembered by those who
participated in them. The music rendered
was exceptionally fine.
The attendance at the special Easter
services at the First NJ. E. church, yester-
day morning and evening, was unusually
large, the house of worship being literally
packed at the evening service.