Smyrna times., 1911-04-19
SMYRNA CHURCHES GIVE
FINE EASTER PROGRAMS
MUSIC AT ASBURY M. E. CHURCH
MOST ELABORATE IN YEARS

Presbyterian Church Has Fine Ser
vices and St. Peters as Usual
Makes Much of Easter
With church bells joyously pealing
forth their invitation to worship and
glad anthems and hallelujahs sound
ing from organ loft, Easter was OBJ
served in the churches of Smyrna
all day Sunday. The day was fair,
as had been predicted by the
weather man, but it was far from
being an ideal one. By one of those
tricks of the weather peculiar to
this time of the year, there was
little furry of snow in the morning,
and many a damsel looked out of
the window on the point of getting
ready for church, pouted and said:
"No Easter bonnet today" But
the snow furry didn't last. When
the time arrived for the promenade
to start the sun appeared and re-
mained behind wind clouds. The
atmosphere was chilly and although
there was a display of spring gar
ments and headgear among the men,
bers of the fair sex, clothes of dark
hues and with a suspicion of linger-
ing winter about them were much
in evidence. The significance of the
joyous Christian feast which com
memorates the resurrection of the
Christ, predominated at all churches.
His crucifixion and His victory over
death and the grave was told again
in sermons from the Smyrna pulpits.
Easter anthems, perhaps the most
beautiful of all sacred music were
sung. In keeping with the elaborate
musical progr rams many of the
churches were dressed in palms and
ferns, with the graceful Bermuda
lilies, or Easter lilies adding their
beauty to the decorations. Some of
the church choirs were assisted by
special choruses and orchestral &C.
compartment. Parts of various
oratorios were combined in the
service by many choirmasters, and
elaborate musical plans were carried
out.
Easter Services at Asbury Church
At Asbury M. E. Church probably
the most elaborate music in town
was rendered. An augmented choir
under the direction of Chorister
Walter o. Hoffecker rendered
music at both the morning and
evening services and added with
this the fact that it was the second
Sunday under the new pastorate of
Rev. w. d. Parry, the church was
filled to it's capacity and the gal
leries had to accommodate the over
flow. Three anthems were sung in
the morning and three at night.
The morning anthems were, first
"Shout Ye High Heavens" &C. w.
Chadwick; offertory, Easter Day"
Edwin C. Rawley) with effective
solo parts by Miss Mary Roberts,
Mr.. L. M. Price and Mr.. j. E.
Hoffecker; closing anthem, "The
Strife is Ger" (Mendelssohn). In
the evening the first anthem was
Triumphant Strains Arise (Flor.
ence Edna Chipman); offertory, g
Angels Roll the Rock Away"
(GeibeD and the closing anthem,
"Easter Day" (Rawley.) All the
anthems were of high order anC
made the church ring. In connec
f;oy, NTH +b;o fba oroon x,oI,,p a -; n.
of Mrs. Marion Coverdale were il
keeping with the day which included
the Hallelujah Chorus by Handel
Celestial Aida" (VerdD and others
Rev. W. D. Parry, as on the previ
GUS Sunday, made most excellen
impression with his congregation ant
his sermons during the day wer'
fine. His morning subject was: :"
Know that my Redeemer Liveth,
Job 10: 25, and his evening subjec
"But their eyes were holden tha
they should not know him." LUX
"a: 16. In point of decorations
the church never looked better. Th
chancel was a perfect mass o
blooming flowers and fern while tn
Easter lily was ever in evidence.
Easter at the Presbyterian Church
One of the largest congregation
ever assembled at the Presbyteria
Church, took part in the Easter sci
vices Sunday. Like the othe
churches there was beautiful dis
play of cut and potted flowers
lilies and ferns. The augmente
choir rendered special music an
the sermons of Rev. j. E. Franklin
pastor, were in keeping with tn
subject of the day. In the morr
ing his subject was "The Credibilit
of the Resurrection, and those WI