Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-03
IMPRESSIVE SERVICE
LARGE CLASS CONFIRMED By
BISHOP SATTERLEE.
At st. Thomas Protestant Episcopal
Church-Local Clergymen Assist
Music by Vested Choir.

Before congregation that nearly filled
the large auditorium Of ST. Thomas Protes.
tant Episcopal Church, 18th and Madison
streets, last evening, a class of about seven.
ty was confirmed by Bishop Satterlee and
accepted within the church. The service
was unusually impressive. The chancel OF
the church was decorated with flowers
The ages of the persons, confirmed ranged
from fourteen to three score and ten. Many
in the class were young women who were
dressed in white and wore white wells, en-
blematic of purity.
Besides the rector of ST. Thomas Church.
the Rev. c. Ernest Smith, D. D., and his
assistant. the Rev. Carl S. Smith, there
were present of the Episcopal clergy Of the
city. the Rev. John G. Ames the Rev. John
A. Aspinwall former rector of st. Thomas
the Rev. John Cornell and the Rev. Herbert
Scott Smith, rector of st. Margaret's Epis-
copal Church, and the Rev. J. G. Ames.
The service began with the professional
hymn Soldiers Of Christ, Arise" The
regular surpliced choir and the auxiliary
choir, vested in black gowns and white
capes, rendered the music.
The evening service was read by the
Rev Mr. Aspinwall. Preceding the real
service of confirmation there were read
the opening sentence, the general con-
fession. dissolution. the Lords Prayer, YER
sicles, Psalms 123. 1874 and 125 and the creed.
The choir then sang Come, Holy Ghost"
The Bishops Address.
Bishop Satterlee addressed the candidates,
who occupied several rows Of seats in front
and to the left Of the chancel.
IF you want yourselves to come out
ahead In this world he said. Just say to
yourselves that Christ knows. Say to your
selves that you are bound to do Gods will.
The will of God is more real than sun
shine-more real than the air we breathe,
or the many great things that come to our
vision.
THE powers of nature all obey the will OF
God. When you do that you are on the safe
side. Get into the habit of coming in direct
contact with Christ. There is nothing so
helpful to the Christian as trying day by
day to obey Gods will. Mark you, If you
are bound to believe, Christ is bound to help
you. The most precious gifts are the wis
dom of understanding and the spirit OF
knowledge"
Bishop Satterlee said it was important to
force ones self into the way of doing right
and good. There had been times in his life
when he thought of putting off reading the
Bible or doing other things he knew he
these things, and invariably he had re-
ceived benefits and blessings from God for
having so done.
The Concluding Services.
DR.. Smith, the rector, read a selection
from Acts, after which he presented the
candidates to the bishop. There was a re-
newal Of the baptismal vows, versicles and
prayer by the bishop, the congregation
standing during this part of the service.
The candidates knelt and received the bless
ings Of the bishop, and the form OF accept
ance into the church was completed.
Following the confirmation the choir sang
the hymn Thine Forever The closing
prayers and benediction were said by the
bishop, and the services were closed with
the singing of the occasional hymn 20
Jesus, L Have Promised.P
The class was one of the largest ever con-
firmed in an Episcopal church in this do
ceSe.
The candidates in this class were drawn
from many different denominations. There
were twelve men and fifteen boys, twenty
women and twenty-three girls. OF these
forty four were Protestant Episcopalians.
eleven Methodists, fourtPresbyte three
Roman Catholics, two Congregationalists
and one each from the Baptist and Dutch
Reformed churches. One Of the young men
was a Japanese. who is in the city prepar-
ing to take a course in law at Columbian
University.