The Washington herald., 1909-04-12
FAITHFUL PROCLAIM
The risen CHRIST"
Churches of City Crowded by
Easter WOrShiperS.
AFFAIRS ARE DEEP IN FLOWERS
Ideal Weather Brings Out Grest
COneOurse % CHRISTIANS 20 the
ChU hes, and Fills the Various
PrOmenades with the WearerS OF
Things Fashionable in Dress

A jabilsnt chorus from the Christian
army. waited skywa-d on the exquisite
fragrance OF myriad lilies yesterday
again proclaimed that Christ is risen.~
Hosannas spread the news. No longer
wearing its Lenten shroud bedecked n
the Ioveliest Of lovely raiment plGcked
from natures heart. the church was the
proud herald Of good tidings.
The symbolism OF Easter is double
spiritual and mundane. The church sees
the aIlegory OF the ascended Christ IN the
Scriptural story. and has appointed this
day as the spiritual anniversary of thar
event The biologist sees the reawaken-
ing Of All created things-the budding
vigor of nature The observer Of human
events may indulge in much cynical phi
iosophy regarding Vanity Fair. and may
even cry. metallically: % vanitas vani-
tatum
But the spirit Of Easter rises transcend
ent above all the extravagence Of fash
ion and above an mechanical pessimism Of
one who thinks he has probed the bowl
Of the universe TO the bottom. For such
Easter was not made.
Fruits fail. and love dies. and time
ranges--but the church lives on. On
Easter its marble altsrs. glorious in
Gothic tracery and lace-work Of chiseIing
were flooded with the white and binding
light from candles mounted IN golden
sticks. They appeared as polished caskets.
dazzling and resplendent. within which
was locked the sacred secret. a gorgeous
proscenium Of flowers Unframed them. as
II luxurious vegetation had climbed 10 a
snowy summit.
Affairs Hidden by Flowers.
Flowers We're everywhere. There were
palms and lilies ard apple blossoms. The
eye roved from petal to petal, from group
to group. from terrace TO terrace. The
air vibrated with green and white. and
with a multitude Of intermediate shades
as when an apple blossom shyly cast its
head into a long lane OF lilies. asking for
brief acknowledgement
The lilies were the emblem OF purity,
the sacraments- Their immaculate array
cccasioned many a visual rhapsody. and
in gazing upon them the onlOoker felt
ke lad passed from the outer1aost portal
10 the shrine where a flower is ptayer.
The shape OF the lily is spirituelle. for
II Is a small. eornucopia-lilSe horn. exud-
ing multitude OF fragrant rhythms and
endless chants and hymns
To these scenes Of floral splendor null
tltudes flocked The houses OF worship
lacked not for worshipers and those
who sought admission made a grisyoRs
strain upon all the churches. None we're
turned away while il was humanity pos
sibI, 10 bio them enter Catholic and
Protestant church alike wss uaebss u
find space for all those who desired 10
participate in the services.
The choirs Of Washington composed an
army The usual host. OF the standing
army" as one chorister calls them. was
doubled. and IN some cases trsrleJ. An
thems rolled down Haves and transe2ts
as a majestic body OF sound with the
sonorous swell Of the orgaq carving
the rhythm fer out into the thorouShfareS.
Jubilates pealej forth as II an invading
host were celebrating its conquest
Whether the music were a profound and
heavy chant BY Palestrina. or a sslort.
lyrical hymn catching IN its passionate
fow the triumph Of the Ascension. the
choral singing was magnificent
To the altar rails the Christians
1ocked. and on this day Of deepest pur-
port 70 sll within the pale Of annuncfa-
ticn. partook of the sacrament All
thine the last wine that 7 pour Is. the
last IN the chalice we drain" was the
spirit in which the body and blood of