The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1904-04-06
Easter az the Episcopal Church.

The Church of the Holy Comforter
greeted with grea+ JOY on Sunday,
the recurrence Cf the high and holy
festival of Easter and endeavored by
every possible act of alteration to ex
press its sense of gratitude for that
day, the most exalted in it's sacred
calendar. Many OF that communion
from the country around gathered
within its sacred precincts to swell
the anthem of praise to the glory and
honor of the Risen Savior.
The congregation too was increased
by the presence of many from other
denominations. The sacred building
was dressed with flowers only of pure
and spotless white, relieved alone by
evergreens.
Beautifully and symbolically sugges
tive of the Bride, The Church of Christ
and the perpetuity of it's Divine and
Risen Founder. 4 few wreaths of white
roses were suspended from around the
choir railing, these mutely expressed
the idea that tie whole service was
like a crown wherewith to deck the
thorn crowned Nazarene. Easter was
the great central theme. Every act of
the service like the star which led to
the Savior's lowly birth place, now
pointed to the Risen King. The rich
treasury OF the Episcopal ritual yielded
from it's wealth of worship portions,
only appropriated by this great season.
The music was most elaborately and
feeling rendered. It was soft and
tender. Each note added to the
warmth of the heartfelt service and to
the glory of Him to whom it was all
offered. The voice of woman ever
present where is praise to the Son Of
God poured forth in peculiar richness
its sweet and loving melody.
The following music was rendered !:
Hymn 116
Christ our Passover-Barrett.
Te Deum-Stearns
Jubliate Dec in b hat-Alzamora.
Hymn 118.
Gloria Tibi.
Hymn Ill.
Offeratory solo Love Divine. -
Sanctus-Taylor.
Hymn 225.
Gloria in Excelsis-Old chant
Nunc Dimitlis-Turle.
It was impressive beyond description
to hear that large congregation repeat
in unison with awful earnestness And
the third day He rose again according
| to the Scriptures. So vivid was it all
through the more than nineteen hun
dred years the eye could see the empty
tomb, the angel, and the grave cloths,
and one almost hear the angel say,
"He is not here. He is risen. :" By
a higher vision of faith the soul of the
christian could almost discern it's
acendeds Lord.
Amid these inspiring environments
the Rector Rev. H. H. Covington an
nounced his text And if Christ be
not risen, then is our preaching vain,
and your faith is also vain.'' The re-
verend speaker stated no fact was more
completely attested than that of the
resurrection. Even the bitterest
enemies of our Lord admitted it.
Great men die and are soon forgotten.
The memory of heroes who have given
up their lives for their country pass
away, but the memory and work OF
the Son of God has within it that
which must ever live. 1t was the
life He led which made it's perpetuity
easily accredited. The speaker warm
ed with the mighty theme and was
most eloquent when he described what
this stupendous act had wrought.
The closing application OF his dis
course vas deeply feeling and impres-
sive.
In the afternoon at the same
church there was a children's ser
vice, primarily arranged for the
gathering in from the Sunday school
of their offerings for Foreign Missions.
This however was made the occasion
of most interesting service. All to-
gether there must have been present
nearly one hundred children, as some
not members of the school were pres
ent. Hymns suitable to Easter and
the missionary cause we're sung. The
children marched in from the church
yard led by two banner-bearers, and
singing the while Onward Christian
Soldiers. - The Rector gave them a
most instructive discourse. At the