Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1912-05-23

~ ceremonies and customs, well
worthy of comment. They are
" unique as we'll as beautiful, and
1t Is fitting that in this new
land, 30 full of the spirit of progress,
so alive to the artistic, so keenly
aware of the value of beauty, these
new ceremonies should have birth. Los
Angeles has her May Fiesta, relncar-
nation of the Spanish feast day. The
beach towns have their touching serv-
Ice OF Memorial day, when they COM
NIT their garlands and flowers to the
sea on an outgoing tide, thus com
memorating the death of all sailors
who died for their country. Pasa-
dena has her Rose tournament on
New Years day. One of the most
beautiful OF all ceremonies of Cali
fornia's creating is that of the yearly
sunrise Easter service on Mt. Rubi-
doux. Nearly 1000 people grouped
about the Sierra cross on the summit
OF the mountain this year, and ! have
never witnessed a more impressive
scene. writes Gussie Packard Du Bois
in the Los Angeles Times.
On that first Easter. we read that
the disciples rose before dawn and
hurried to the sacred place outside
the city. So. in the hush before day.
break. the footballs of pilgrims echoed
on the streets of Riverside, the tread
of many feet. the sound of wheels,
On the evening before. the Mission
Inn had been well filled with those
who had come from all the neighbor.
ing towns to rest under its arches
until daybreak. Great fires glowed on
the hearths and roared up the chin.
neys; SO they may have glowed and
roared on the hearths of old abbeys
when Arthur and his knights went on
quests.
olden Days Recalled.
Sitting in the clustered music room,
many banners and ancient hangings,
heraldry and swords, one might we'll
be minded OF the olden days OF pill
grimage, and alone In the clustered
walk among statued saints, the sound
of the great organ coming family to
the ears, the days of the Mission
padres came again. 1t was fitting to
rest in such a place and await the
dawn. At quarter before four o'clock
came the summons that the hour had
arrived for the assembling of the pill.
grims. and soon the court was full.
1t was a morning of fog, and out of
the pale, gray opalescence the arches
lifted indistinctly, half-hidden, half
disclosed. The bells were still. their
clappers mute. Voices were hushed.
The great eyes of motor cars CLEAN
ed strangely, many people passed on
the dim streets, and all were still.
The foot of the mountain was reach
ed, the ascent began. Here q group,
discarding the road, climbed up the
mountainside over rocks and around
great boulders. Up and up, around
and around went the crowd disappear
ing into the dimness. Beside us were
precipice with no bottom. Great
rocks doomed before, beside us, and
were gone. Roof by roof, spire by
spire, grove and garden disappeared.
We were out of the world, we had
climbed above II, we had reached the
top, and the Mount OF TRANSPORTATION.
Earth and earthly things were gone.
There were a few moments of quiet
while we got out of our car and climb
ed up to the foot of the cross, then
from the enveloping, tremulous opal
clouds came the clear, pure notes of
the cornet. To the unearthly beauty
IF that sound listened until it ceased;
then from the vast throng, as with one
voice, came the Lords Prayer, and
responsive reading of the Scripture,
and one voice took up the melody of
simple song, sweet and high.
TWO Thousand Sing.
Again the sound OF singing fell upon
the ear. but now it was the many. the
vast assemblage In a familiar hymn.
caught my breath to hear that vol
ume Of song rising from 1000 voices.
1t seemed to me like the great mul.
titude" that We read about in Reyela.
ton. 20 never harp nor horn, nor
aught We blow with breath or touch
with hand was like that music as IL
came" A single voice followed, clear.
strong, vibrant, in Henry Van Dykes