Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1899-04-02
A CARNIVAL OF JOY.
OF EASTER MORE
GENERAL THAN YEARS AGO.
CHURCHES BEAUTIFULLY DECORATED.
Development of the Church Choir
What Easter Means to Different
People-society In the Rainbow OF
Fashion. ffa rflff

Easter, the carnival Of Joy, has com,
again.
The church-goer knows the meaning OF
Easter in a way, because in every land
where the Christian faith obtains the
singers carol "Chrlst is Risen" Techni-
cally. IT means the anniversary commemo-
ration of the resurrection. Really. IT is
an annual reminder 70 mankind Of an the
term religion implies. and Of the duties
that really devolve upon every person.
The date of Easter is determined by the
ecclesiastical calendar Of the Catholic
Church. 1t is very complicated and
elaborate affair invented by illus,
Neapolitan astronomer and sage, under
Pope Gergory Mi. at the close Of the
sixteenth century. The regulations OF
the Council of Nice are four-frst. Easter
must be celebrated on q Sunday; second,
this Sunday must follow the fourteenth OF
the paschal MOON third the paschal
moon is that moon whose 18th day falls
on, or next follows. the day of the vernal
equinox; fourth. the vernal equinox is
fixed invariably in the calendar on the
2lst day Of March.
This calendar moon is not the moon Of
the heavens. nor yet the moon of the
astronomers, but It is an imaginary moon
created for ecclesiastical convenience
From these conditions it follows that
Easter Sunday cannot happen earlier than |
the 22d of March. nor later than the 18th !
OF April.
EASTER A PLEDGE.
The resurrection is the ostensible type |
Of the majority of sermons preached on
Easter SUNDAY Htff 10 IA
which is meant. The deep religious sig
nifcance of the occasion is illustrated |
in the most attractive and beautiful form
IN the churches as n lesson to the eye |
and through that 10 the heart.
Greatest Of all. however, are the joyful
features Of Easter. the upspringing OF
hope, and the miracle Of returning life. J
All these inspire a condition of joy and |
happiness in the lives of young and old,
and the most insensible object becomes
part Of this carnival Of JOY. Easter is
a continual pledge TO mankind that life
Is eternal
Easter means much in many different |
ways TO many different people. To the |
merchant it's approach means hard work
and large profits. For some it might as
well be called "Vanity-Day," for it means |
nothing more than an opportunity to put ,
on new clothes
society VIII emerge to-day from the
sombre hues OF Lent into a rainbow OF
fashion, and the Franklin-street parade !
after the morning service will be a sight | .
well worth seeing.
BSERVANCBsM0RE GENERAL
The custom of observing Easter is far .
more general now than it was n few
years ago. Thousands of dollars have [
been spent I'm church docorations and
such decorations Will be particularly |
elaborate in those churches where fash 4
ion worships They will consist chiefly
of palms and Easter lilies, and lew will (
be the affairs. chancels, or pulpts that
will go unadorned.
The musical part Of the church services 4
will be unusually attractive. gentle
man who might well be taken for a cri-
terion in such matters is authority for |
the statement that more music has been +,
bought for church choirs this year than | Z
for many years. and thc,charscteftS that
music is far higher. The programmes | {
printed last Sunday show that the music !
viii be exceptionally line.
The florists have an unusually lbrave 4
show. Easter lilies and lilies Of the val
ley figure in 1t 10 a very large extent.
but there are large quantities of yiolets 4 J
roses, and hyacinths. The demand Tor !
lowers has been quite phenomenal