Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-05
CHURCHES IN EASTER CARB
Nill'O 1S spent for Decorations Appropriate
to the eeveN. Festival
BOWERS OF PLANTS AND FLOWERS
benutlfni sDectacles, En~traneinR
Music. Thronss Of Participants and
sightseers-Poor Churches
Run I'D Big Bills.

Easter Is conceded TO be the most brill
liant OF the many church festivals eele-
brated. In American cities, SURPRISING
even Christmas in l~avishness Of musical
programs, extravaganza OF decoration and
point OF attendance.
Millions OF dollars are spent each year
for Easter titles and alleluias. yet para
logically, the more wealthy the congrega-
tion the less the money which is paid out
by the treasurer. This is due to the gen.
etal custom Of making Easter Sunday the
, occasion Of memorials to the dead. In fash
ionAble churches like st. Bartholomew,
New York, where the vanderbilts worship,
the noral decorations will represent sew
eral thousand dollars, but Of this sum only
the potted plants are paid for by the com
mittee In charge, and these are merely
rented for the day. The flowers are sent
BY the Vanderbilts, In memory Of those
OF their family who have died In the
church. Sometimes these memorials come
In the form Of set pieces, such as pillows,
harps and other funeral offerings, but 80
skillfully are they arranged by the dec
orators that the work, when completed.
shows only an admirably massed chancel Of
green and white.
How the Decoration is Done.
Bermuda lilies, hyacinths. white ~azaleas,
lnarcissus and lilies Of the valley are the
most popular flowers for decorative pur-
poses, but even white roses and carnations
are not despised when the prices Of all
lowers soar skyward.
q The work OF decoration begins on Satur-
day Afternoon and is generally in the hands
OF professional decorators and florists, as
sisted or hindered, as the case may be, by
committee Of the church people. In the
- L.--A A. oNw.,.NNNn. ,aAateso
II what is known as the altar guild, while
in the Catholic churches the work Is done
BY the sisterhoods. The ceremony Is ac-
eomplished with much reverence and those
gho make the rounds Of Catholic churches
At this time have an opportunity to study
Inc exquisite workmanship in the laces
dsed in decorating the affairs. which can
never be seen during the crush OF Easter
sunday. The finest laoes owned by a
ihurch are reserved for the Easter serv-
bces, and often the wells used to drape the
igures on the various affairs are worth
4 small fortune In themselves.
At the conclusion of the last service on
sunday the flowers are removed, and they
ire sorted for distribution by a committee
IN churches where guilds are formed to
minister to the sick, these workers have
irst right to the flowers, and the rest are
distributed to the various hospitals. The
,alms and ferns rented by the florists are
.emoved on Monday unless the week fol-
owing Easter is to be marked by a num-
ser OF church weddings, in which case ar
ankements are frequently made for the
decorations to stand.
Decoration in These Cities.
A florist who has stores in New York,
Jhicago and Philadelphia states that fully
;2O0. 600 will be spent in chancel decora-
ions In New York churches. $4,000 In
chicago churches and a like sum In Phil
ldelphia.
This includes all sorts and conditions
u CONGREGATIONS, from the mission chapel
where am expenditure Of SIS or $50 - made
univ. after most mature Elaboration, to
,dihces like st. Georges, where J. Pierpont
aorean will pass the silver plate for
saster offerings. and where the chancel VIII
,e completely hidden by lilies and azaleas
Il IS a plant, hyacinths at half the price
nd cut flowers beside which the decora-
ions At a bali or dinner sink into financial
nslgnihcance.
The wealthy Church's Easy Task.
The weather. the church, the more sim"
lie does the choir master hnd the problem
I arranging the Easter music. His sing
RS are kept up to the highest possible
.tanQArQ TOT every beENlCes anu NC moNOo
20 special effort for Easter Sunday. except
a an appropriate selection of music. So
erfectly are his singers drilled for chorus
york that the introduction Of additional
oiees would injure, not improve, the
nBemble work. Chorus singers In wealthy
hurches are paid enough to make their
egular attendance an object.
Students OF singing make up the ma
GRITTY Of these choirs and the standard
I music demanded In a congregation Of
realth is such that II could not be i'm
roved for special occasions. Moreover,
he ~soioists are also the best o~btainable.
the choir master finds that he has little
o plan except the actual musical num-
ers.
Even here much latitude is denied him.
ertain hymns and choruses are demanded
a this day. including the triumphant
ymn Jesus Christ is Risen Today. Allie
iia." and the magnificent choral, "The
lsileiujah Chorus from Handel's
Messiah" II is a daring soloist who will
leet to sing a new aria pushed by some
nterprising publisher when a member Of
40 congregation who contributes her hun