The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1912-05-24

| - ALIFORNIA has some DeautlluI
ceremonies and customs, well
worthy of comment. They are
~ unique as well as beautiful, and
it is fitting that in this new
land, so 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, reincar-
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 Bots
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 kearths 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.
oIden Days Recalled.
Sitting In the cloistered music room,
with its stalls like Westminster. its
many banners and ancient hangings,
heraldry and swords, one might well
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 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 gleam-
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 a 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 1t, 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
of 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 1t 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 Revela-
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
God Of the Open Air" There was no
visible earth beneath: above-was 1t
heaven? It seemed very near. Again
the throng sang. I'm the Cross OF
Christ 1 Glory" The mists drove
across the Sierra cross as they sang;
it disappeared and came again; the
melody died away: wonderful, tremu-
lous color dreamed for q brief moment
| In the east and silence fell.
/ picked few flowers growing be-
side me. Slowly we came back to
earth and to the mountains foot. and
then back to the court and the cam
panile, the open fires and the ban
nered room
In all the Easter customs Of many
lands ! can think Of nothing more i'm,