The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1903-04-14
A BEAUTIFUL EASTER DAY,
Large Audiences In TaStefully Decorated
Churches Hear Eloquent Ser
mons on Sunday.

l Sunday was a typical Easter day
) The sun shown gladly, and the breatl
of spring, gently kissing the flowers
was sweet with their fragrance. Al
was bright and beautiful-a day worthy
the event which was commcmorated
telling by its brightness and gladness OF
gloom dispelled, of sorrow past, of Joy.
GUS hope given to man.
Services were held in all the churches
of the city, and in each there was a
large congregation. In the Lutheran,
Methodist and Episcopal special Easter
services were held.
AT THE LUTHERAN CHURCH.
The rostrum and chancel were tastily
and beautifully decorated with a pro-
fusion of potted plants and spring
flowers. In the centre was the cross,
made of green with white roses. At its
foot were lilies, cmblematic of the
divine love which there sprang up and
grew till it filled the world with its
glory. The pulpit and reading desk
were draped in white.
| Mr.. Seabrook's theme was found in
John 20: l1-l6, and his text was tie
question asked of Mary by the angel of
the resurrection and by the risen Christ,
woman, why weepest thou?'
All three evangclists tell us of the
| death of Christ on Calvary-and when
they next speak it is to tell us that He
who died for our sins rose again for our
justification. They tell us nothing of
the events of those long hours of hope
lessness during which he lay in the
tomb, of where and how they lived, Of
their experiences of grief. Why should
they? What does it matter now? All
sorrow is past. He died, yes, but He
lives. Good Friday and Easter lie very
close together, each explains the other.
Out of the tomb, into life and triumph,
this is the story of the day we name
Easter. 1t was a day Of gladness, it is
day of joy, a day worthy to he the
first of new line of Sabbath days.
Every recurring Lords Day commemor-
ates the events of that day, but among
all the bright days, which call us to the
Lords House, this Lords Day that we
name Easter is the BRIGHTEST The very
bells calling to the house Of prayer
seem to ring more ioyousIy and as their
tones reach our ears, the hearts voice
replies, eyes:
go bells, within the stccplc sway,
1t is the glorious Easter day!
Ela1Iv wa l,nrn tbn I ,,,i,, r,,I
The fear and gloom are ovcr-past,
The sealed stone is rolled away,
A risen Christ we sing today"
Nature herself is glad and unites her
voice with ours in rejoicing. Her burial
time is past. She has come forth from
winters scpulchre with rejoicing.
Our churches are filled with the sweet
incense Of flowers. AS the women of
old brought sweet spices to the tomb of
our Lord, SO the women of today bring
the beautiful flowers, not because they
are beautiful and pure, but because
they speak to us Of life, and we bring
them saying:
80 blossoms yield your incense sweet,
For cross and altar, fair and meet
In full array we set the palms
In sign of vctOry:-our Psalms
Are jubilant with joy and faith;
Our Lord is Lord Of life and DEATH"
The question that first the angels and
the Risen Lord asked of Mary on the
Resurrection morning, the Easter day
brings to all. The angels had often
looked upon tears by the side of a grave
tenanted by some loved form, but never
before had they eheld one weeping by
an empty grave and because it was
empty. In their question there may
have been sympathy, but that seems
hardly possible, for there can be no
true sympathy where there has never
been suffering. The chief element in
their question was wonder, as if they
said, eff you could know all that we
know, your tears would soon be turned
to JOY" But their questioning word,
even with the added message, "IIc is
Risen'', could not dry Mary's tears.
Still weeping she stood in the twilight
dawn, by the scpulchrc. Now there
comes one, who has Himself wept by
grave side. He knows the meaning of
human sorrow, because He has touched
depths of grief known to no other than
Himself. He knows the meaning of
human suffering, for into deepest an
guish, He our Leader, the Captain of
our salvation made perfect through
suffering, always goes before us. He
knows the meaning Of human tears, for
He has shed them by a grave side, and
when He spakc asking "Why wcepcst
thou?" it was not in wonder, but in
closet fellowship and tcndcrcst sympa-
thy. He asks it with the purpose Of
revealing Himself, the risen, living
| Christ, alive for ever more.
The real JOY of the first resurrection
morning was brought to Mary by the
Christ Himself. So today, the glad
Easter bells, the joyous songs Of rcsur-
rection comfort, the beautiful flowers,
| IL l.