Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-22
Other Ministers Followed.

So the day passed. But while the pas
| tors temerity stirred up much strife among
the congregation and led to its depletion in
quarters that could be least afforded it
was not without gratifying results. Many
of his fellow ministers. learning of his cX-
perience, consulted with him and though
his congregation had been noticeably re
duCod, they decided to hazard an Easter
service the following year, for they could
find no harm IN such an observance, bat
much that promised well in the long run.
Some of these ministers were they to
whom many Of the pioneers Cungre cation
had turned for religious guidance, and IN
the light of this their feelings may be
easily imagined when the next Easter they
beheld their new church homes even more
elabOratcly decorated than their old one had
been year previously. OF course, there
was more revolving more deuouncing Of the
heatheniSh practice. and more scurrying To
find churches in which Easter was not
recognized by much as a text, a lesson
bud
In such fashion came the Observance Of
Easter, with its decorations and special
services. into the vast majority OF the
churches OF the metropolis which had never
before paid any attention TO the day in any
part of the public service. As the custom
spread from congrega ton to congregation,
outside churches, hearing about the innoYa-
ton. fearfully took it up Many expert
enced the opposition that was the portion
of the pioneers in the movement, and not
that they ultimately went out of existence.
This was particularly the case in New Eng
land and in those parts of the west largely
settled by New England emigrants.
But it was all in vain that there was
kicking against the pricks. The growth OF
the Easter spirit was Irresistible, and that
church which did not catch it's share OF the
spirit was doomed. SO that today II would
be hard to find church, no matter how
poor in members and resources, which does
not observe the day with special services
of some sort, and has not at least home
grown lily or two upon its pine pulpit.
Good Friday Services.
OF late years the general observance
of Easter Sunday has been reflected in
the observance of Good Friday by nu-
merous nonllturgical churches and indi-
vlduals In the big cities the financial IN
situations generally remain closed for the
day. and in New York last year It was
noticed that some wholesale and retail
houses either did not open during the day
or closed in the afternoon. Good Friday
services now are common in Such churches
the PrcSby terian and the Baptist, and
each succeeding year sees more and more
attention paid to the day by bodies that
few years ago gave no particular thought
to the significance Of the day.
Similarly, The Catholic and the Episcopal
ian are not the only religiouists who OBJ
serve Lent nowadays. As individuals. and
not IS members Of amy church, Bap-isjs,
MerhodistS 0nErCEationalists and others
Of the evangelical denominations are in
creasingly paying attention to the observ-
ance Of Lent. Many pastors have noticed
this tendency and more or less openly en-
couraEeG it. holding that no one can be
harmed by custom that, no matter how
lightly INDUCED in, causes thoughts of
Christ and His teachings to be stimulated
in the hearts Of the observers.
All-peryadIng as it now is, the Easter
spirit is surely growing still, and the world,
aWeary with its year of toll, listens today
with deeper reverence than ever before TO
the message Of hope that is swelling from
a thousand pulpits, I am the resurrection
and the life"