The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-04-04
DAY OF SPECIAL MUSIC
BLESSING OF THE PALMS AT
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.
Or. plTTsGER's REFERENCE TO CUBA
Revival Services Begun at The First Baptist
Church ..ReyiVa|s at the Christian and
Central Methodist Churches
Continued.


Sunday of Lent. next Sunday being
Easter.
The day gets the name from the Gus
tom, in the Catholic church, of blessing
branches of the palm tree ana carrying
them in procession in commemorat.on
of the triumphal entry of our Lord into
Jerusalem John MD.
Palm Sunday was fittingly observed
here. especially by the Catholic and
Episcopal churches, all of which were
decorated with palms and other ever
green's and with fresh flowers.
At the Cataolc church the ceremony
of blessing the palms was observed and
high mass was sung. At the Episcopal
churches special music had been pre-
pared and sermons appropriate to the
day were preached.
DIR. PITTTNGE1s FOR WAR.
II rejoice to-day that this nation,
which has won and now enjoys the
blessings of liberty and freedom is about
10 swoop down and snatch from bondage
a neighboring island of the sea. 1t is
right and proper that it should do so.
Let il be done peacefully il it can be, but
TO God and humanity-to relieve the
sufferings of those poor people and make
better, if possible, their condition. To
lift men up and make better their con-
dition is God-like."
These words were spoken yesterday
morning by Rev. DIR. Pittinger rector of
the Church of the Good Shepherd, as
he concluded his sermon on '.The Di-
vine Life And there was not a heart
among his hearers that did not answer
Amen to the sentiment
1t being Palm Sunday the church
was decorated with palms, evergreens
and cut flowers, making fragrant the air
of the church and sending heavenward
sweet incense mingled with the pray
ers Of saints.
DIR. Pittinger selected as his text:
Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by
these We might be partakers OF the di,
vine nature."-lI. Peter. / A.
In this gospel, said tho preacher is to
be found d graphic sketch of the Goa
summation Of redemption.
t.Let this mind he in you. which was
also in Christ Jesus, who being in the
form of God thought it not robbery to
take upon him the form Of man. He
went further than that, he took upon
him the sorrows and sins of man: even
the death, the ignominious death upon
the cross. that he might sympathize
with our iniirmities and impart to us
something of his divine nature.
I'VE are not only to partake Of his
resurrection but in some way. even on
earth, we are to be made partakers Of
the very nature of the Godhead. A
great. Il glorious promise is this-a Tnys-
tcrious promise. but true one. The
communica bility of the Godhead to man
kind is implied in this promise.
I'm the sacrifices under the Mosaic
law there was no importation of the
divine. 1t was simply to relieve man
Of his sins. By the coming of Christ
this was changed, man was not only
relieved of his sin and its consequence,
but there was also an infusion of
the divine as a defence against future
transgression.
THE life that has come, to mankind
has not come up out of depravity and
weakness. but the divine life has des-
depths, and has lifted up fallen man.
"On another theory can we account
for Christ. In all the centuries there
has never been man that approached
Christ All sorts of triumphs Of science
and civilization and philosophy have
been accomplished. but there has been
only one Christ and one Christ-lifc.
I'VE are partakers of the celestial ma
ture. even in material sense. The soil
becomes vegetable. the vegetable is
transformed into flesh. and we are made
of material like unto that of the CLEAN
ing worlds that dot the heavens at night.
Through the transforming influence
of the divine world our habits of action
and thought are changed, life becomes
different. we become different-the spirit.
the whole life is changed-we are made
anew, bodily, mentally and spiritually
as if we had been born again. This. is
the power of divine truth 1t is this
that enables men TO become partakers
Of the divine nature
Take two children as nearly alike aes
possible. Rear one in ignorance and
with vicious surroundings; put the
other under christian influence and sur
roundings. AT the age of twenty five.
bring them together and there yon will
have a picture, an example of the trans
forming power of Christ and his religion.
The difference lis not superficial and
easily overcome. 1t is Il part Of the
nature. the very fibre Of the two men.
These two liyes-the human and the
dvine---are going on side ny side. Some
times one predominates, sometimes the
other. Let no man or woman be dis
courag ed if the human nature seems to
predominate. Strive for God, for hea-
ven. whatever be the diScouragements
you may meet. Once the divine life has
been implanted in the human soul, that
life is there immortal"
AT CHRIST CHURCH.
Rev. A. r. Hunter, principal of the ST.
Augustine school, preached yesterday at
Christ Church. in the pulpit of the rec
tor, Rev. DIR. NJ. NJ Marshall
Mr.. Hunter took as his theme the re-