The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-04-24

! Bonincini. deacon, and A NJ. Efhnger'
s j., sub-deacon.
+ Church of the Assumption during the
day, one at o'clock, another at
o'clock, the special service at 10:5o
/ o clock, and vesper service at 3;15 IN
/ the afternoon,
Dr.. Estey's Sermon.
/ Probably a larger audience never
attended a service in the First Presby-
/ terian church than the one which
filed the large edifce to the overflow
ing point on Sunday morning Even
the throwing open Of the Sunday
school room failed to accommodate all
the worshipDers and many of them
stood throughout the morning pro-
gramme.
The decorations were beautiful but
simple. The pulpit was outlined with
palms, lilies and other cut flowers. ON
the chanceI rail a similar effect wf,s
carried out. At the rear Of the choir
loft was a bank of lilies and palms
In the morning, Rev S. S. Estey,
the pastor. preached brilliant ser
mon memorializing the spirit of the
hour He said:
Easter day has mysterious power
to smite the heart with longing aspira-
tior and thrill that side OF our souls
which looks upon infinity and eternity.
Bitter men and women. heart-broken
men and women, sinful men and Wo-
men are croWding the churches To-
day. Dimly their souls stir with a
longing for a truer life. innocent
children are artlessly glad today; aged
faces light and lift; flowers smile upon
countless graves. When ask nySeiL
why these things are so, come upon
some very real truths.
First this Easter stir OF nope com
pels me to realize with new force now
certain it is that beneath the cheap
eommonplaceness of mans lie there
is a fathomless yearning after Goa
r,f1 hhnR1Eh
the forced drudgery of bread ard
butter getting. drowned by pleasure
seeking, it only croucheS ready 10
leap out at the unexpected moment
Like a child's cry in the night is the
souls sharp call for God Better thar
we were brown 1aeves a1mlessly
tossed by the winds than that we were
sensitive, quivering souls tossed as
footballs by unfee1ing universe FORCES
To the GOd-lOnging in man Easter day
and the Easter truths of God and
Immortality call. and religious 1eelilg
swells and obeys their power as the
waters of the sea swell and OBEY the
call of the moon
IN the second place when I ques-
ton the meaning of the Easter quick
ening of mems religious life and Ialths
I come sharply up face TO lace Win
this fact: Apart from Christ and his
resurrection the human race has no
sure foundation for its hope in i'm
mortality. I do not forget that the
ancient Persians believed in immor-
tality. I do not overlook the fact that
Plato argued for it's truth and Cicero
demonstrated it's probability 1 am
not forgetting what suggestive evil
dence nature gives US by her resur-
rection miracles of plant and caterplI-
lar. I am not ignorant of the argu-
ment that lies in the fact that in all
ages and all chimes men have Ionged
for immortality, and that universal
desire in nature is always presumptive
evidence that there is satisfaction of
that desire. I do not undervalue the
weight of conviction that comes from
considering what an appalling waste
of moral and intellectual power and
beauty would be presented if human
beings are swept into oblivion at
death. No, I recall all these things
but still I repeat that apart from
Christ and His resurrection We have
no certain ground for faith in immor-
tality- And well enough the world
knows this. What man is preaching
Plato this Easter day? What minis
ter is saying. Thus saith Cicero?'
Men are not ffOcking to the woods
this day to hear Natures message con-
corning immortality. And SO it is that
see in this Eastertide stir of religious
life this second fact proVeds Christ and
His resurrection are the facts upon
which this century is building its faith
in immortality. The German Hamack,
critic of many of the church's beliefs.
utters this word as historian about the
grave of Jesus: One thing IS Ger
tain, this grave was the birth place
of the indestructible belief that Death
is vanquished and that there is a life
eternal At that grave the guesses and
the dim longings of men for fmmOrtali-
ty, which had always rooted themselves
in the human heart, broke the soil of
uncertainty and burst into the full
flower OF proof"
Knights TenpIar Services.
In the afternoon. Topeka Knight
Tempiar commandery No. 8, held it's
service at the First Presbyterian
church. Topeka chapter No. 5 Royal
Arch Masons, attended as the guests Of
the Templars. MarShall'S band headed
the procession from the lodge rooms to
the church.
The evening was given over to a song
service. Those taking part were: Mrs
George W. Parkhurst, soprano; Mrs
c. Pribble tenor. Mr.. James Moore
baritone; Miss Katherine Wood, organ
list An exceptionally fine musical pro-
gTamme was given.
The Sunday school attendance in the
morning was the largest for the past
seven years. The Sunday school room
was Inadequate to seat all those who
were present and a large part of the
church had to be used
At the Central Church.
Easter morning services at Central
Congregational church were in the ma
ture of a Sunday school event. Many
children were present, and eighteen
members of the Sunday school were
received into membership of the
church on confession of faith. The
names of the young boys and girls who
became members are as follows: viii
Adams, 1888 Lincoln; Dollar Barr.
1921 Fillmore: Hayden Belden, 1874
Buchanan; Berenice DIETRICH. 1247
Fillmore; Sarah Elder, 1928 West Fiji
teenth Faith Fredenhagen. sos Wood
nue.: Mary Grant, 2401 Topeka avenue;
Helen Gladys Hughes, 1904 College
avenue; Ruth c. Kingman, 1895 Null
vane; Una Lyle, 313 West Thirteenth;
/ Charlie Macarthur, 1341 Garfield;
Esther Macarthur, 1871 GARFIELD; Nora
E2ta.-oo o. . NE-ast rI..1-alftn. Paul Rorter