The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-04-13
T WAS AN IDEAL
 DAY FOR EASTER
Churches Crowded and Streets
 Presented Animated Scenes
VERY BRILLIANT MUSIC
Beautiful Costumes and Beautiful Fiowers-Knights Templar Att tend Services at First Meth
 odist Church.

Yesterday was almost an ideal Easter in Birmingham. The sun shone brightly the greater part of the day and the air was balmy and redolent of flowers.
 The streets were thronged with men, women and children in the morning and afternoon. Birmingham. always good Church-going town seemed to have made a record yesterday It is reasonable to say that greater number of people at tended divine service than on any pre- elous Sunday in the history of this com munity. Easter hats and gowns were never more beautiful and the scenes in the churches and on the fashionable streets and avenues were full of color.
 Cyrene commandry No. 1o Knights Templar, in full costume. attended wor- ship at the First Methodist church.
 A congested Center.
 The services at the First Methodist, at the corner of Nineteenth street and Sixth avenue the Central Presbyterian. at the northwest corner of Eighteenth street and Fifth avenue and the Cumberland Presbyterian, at the southeast corner of Eighteenth street and Fifth avenue, were concluded at about the same time and large sections of the congregations or those respective churches converged. Al the intersection of Fifth avenue and Nine teenth street Presbyterians and Metho- dists were crowded together and the con gestion brought to mind some of the Ia millar scenes in New York and Chicago. Fully three thousand souls were mixed up" within a hundred and fifty square feet
 In former years the floral displays in churches on Easter Sunday were confined to Catholic. Episcopal and Lutheran chancels. But on yesterday there was hardly a house of worship that was not garnished with potted plants and flow CTS. Some of the large Presbyterian Baptist and Methodist churches were almost as profusely decorated as the Episcopal and Catholic.
 The Music.
 The Easter choirs of many or the churches were augmented and the music was exceptionally brilliant. The fine choir of the Church of the Advent, under the direction of E. G. Powell, surpassed itself. In the absence of a rector, there was no sermon at the Advent, but the full Easter service was read by MT Powell.
 The Sunday school celebration at the Church of the Advent at 6;30 D. m, was a marked feature of the day. The children sang carols that echoed sweetly through the spacious auditorium and the bright banners of silk and gold, waving aloft at the head of the classes heightened the picturesque effect of the joyous assem- blaze.
 At st. Mary s-on- the Highlands at Il o'clock the Rev. J. w. Cantey Johnson conducted the services and preached the sermon. The music of the choir was rich and artistically rendered. Mrs Chandler's solo, q Know that My Re- deemer Liveth," was sung as the offer tory number. It was delivered in musicianly style and with singularly tell ing effect
 The Sunday school of St. Mary's held a celebration in the afternoon There was no service at night.
 Among other Protestant churches that had particularly attractive musical pro grammes were the First Methodist, St. Johns Methodist, the First Baptist, the Second Baptist, the First Presbyterian, the Second Presbyterian, the Cumberland Presbyterian, and the two German churches.
 Temple Emanuel, in celebrating the Jewish Feast of the Passover, also had an elaborate programme of music.
 At St. Paul's.
 Immense congregations attended masses at St. Paul's church. At the last service there was solemn high mass. with the Rev. Father Kerrigan as celobrant, the Rev Father Augustine O. S. B., as deason and the Rev. Father Osmond o. 8. B., as sub-deacon. The Rev. Father o'Reilly was the preacher and his theme was the resurrection of Christ as the cornerstone of the Christian religion.
 The boys sanctuary choir was larger than usual and so was the mixed choir in the organ gallery. The singers were in excellent form and Gounod's Troisieme Messe Solennelle, with full orchestral ac- compartment. was performed in man. ner that easily sustined the high reputa- tion of St Pauls musical contingent.
 This work of Gounod's was heard yester- day for the first time in Birmingham. It is a grand choral composition and while 1t does not touch the popular taste like the St. Cecilia mass, 1t is so spiritual and so full of artistic beauty that it will live as one of the composers noblest produc- tions.
 The performance was smooth almost and singlng out particular number 1t was remarked that nothing could have been more finished than the Kyrle. This certainly revealed the choir