The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-12

eully before one who climbs toward Il up one
OF the steep little hills, Of which there are
many 10 Bcthlehem, .Arohitecturally 1t 10 sim
PIE. With ~ plain sides and Vide approaches,
its round. cupola-like steeple seems to
dominate the city around II.
The church Is old. but the customs and
'observances followed by It's congregation
are far older, They came from the old
country with the first founders OF Bethle-
hem. have been handed down from genera
ton to generation with but little alteration
and have become hallowed by tradition.
Such Ia the Easter service which fills the
church at daybreak every year and leaves
thousands, crowded out through lack Of
accommodations, standing In respectful
silence In the streets outside.
To outsiders this Easter service Is quaint
and, In q way, dramatic, but II Is not In
tended to be 80. The Moravians are sim
ply following an old custom, as their fore
still do.
Following. as II does. the old traditions
OF the Church. Moravians come to Dethle-
hem In crowds for the Easter observance
The night before Easter Sunday finds the
with pilgrims. Bethlehem Is in the centre
Of an extensive network OF trolley lines
which run In unbroken line as far as Phila-
delphia In one direction and almost to
Reading In the other Visitors come from
DOM tHeS6 CltleS ana Inc nOtelS ana
private houses to their limit.
Many outsiders come every year with
out knowing exactly what they are to see.
Such was the case last year, when more
than one hundred persons remained In
the church at the close Of the Saturday
vigil was to follow. They had made no
arrangements for lodging. expecting to
spend the night in church, and there they
were allowed to remain for there was no
accommodation for them In the hotels or
boarding houses, which were full.
The traditional Easter service begins
In the church at daybreak and is the same,
never varying year after year. II would
inspire an unbeliever, but to the Moravian
II Is doubly impressive because every day
during Holy Week services have been
held in the church preparatory to the Easter
Observance.
At o'clock In the morning. before a
sign of dawn has appeared behind the hills
over beyond Soush Bethlehem. six or eight
mon gather on a corner near the church
bearing trombones. and a moment later
the Instruments blare joyous chorus an
nouncing that Easter Is dawning.
Their notes arouse the churchgoers In
the neighborhood The musicians 20 to
another corner and play again, and 30 on
through the city they mark the beginning
OF the days observance.
The music Of the trombones is familiar
have the deaths Of Moravians been told
to the city from the belfry Of the church
Usually their music IL that Of sadness, as
by one air they announce the death OF an
old man, by another hymn the passing
of child, or by still another that Of a mar
ried woman: but ON Easter Sunday their
tones, for the only time in the year. are
raised in eladness.
Then in window after window lights
appear. people begin to appear on the
streets, climbing up toward the church
from the South Bethlehem side or walking
down from the west. They appear early,
IL they are wise. for past experience shows
that though the church seats 1. 200 and
allows 600 to be crowded within it's doors.
three times that number will stand outside
unable to get in when the services begin
at S o'clock,
A peal Of the big bell in the steeple an
nounces that the doors are open to those
who have been waiting in the dark, and the
pews All rapidly. SO do the aisles and every
bit OF available space. Members Of the
congregation even camp on the stairs lead
ing to the pulpit and All the pastors room
In the rear The altar is covered with
flowers. Easter lilies, palms and azalels,