Webster City freeman. [volume] (Webster City, Hamilton County, Iowa) 1884-1946, 1915-04-06
EASTER SUNDAY
AT THE CHURCHES
Religious Festival Of the Year Fit
tingly Commemorated by Diff
ferent Societies.

Easter Sunday dawned with ques
tionable skies, but the prophesie'
rain failed to arrive and attendance
at the Easter services in all of th'
churches was very large. Th'
churches were all appropriately dec
Grated with Easter flowers ant
greenery and there was perhaps les!
of display of fine apparel than fol
several years, but perhaps more of
desire to worship, at this, the rea
religious festival of the year.
At the Universalist church, the
knights Templar had been invited
to attend the morning services in a
body. One. section of the church was
reserved for them and the musical
program and short sermon has been
pronounced with one accord by
members of the commandery as one
Of the finest they ever attended in
this city. The music by the regular
quartette, accompanied by Mrs. w.
H. Cook, was veritable treat, while
the brief sermon by Rev. Haywood
was an inspiration which cannot be
forgotten.
The services in the evening at the
Christian church were in charge of
the young people of the Sunday
school, who rendered an Easter can
tata to an overffowing house, in a
most creditable manner. The church
was tastefully decorated with ferns
and Easter lilies, as were all of the
churches of the city.
The services of the day at the
Baptist church, besides partaking OF
the Easter spirit, were the closing
of the two weeks meetings held by
the pastor, Rev. J. o. Staples, assist
ed by Mr.. and Mrs. J. O.. Brown of
the Moody evangelistic school of
Chicago. There have been over
twenty-seven new members added to
the church, besides strengthening
of the membership in an invaluable
manner. Baptismal services were
held last night and the church filled
at all services.
There was a very large attend
ance at both the morning and even
ing services of the English Lutheran
congregation. The floral decorations
were profuse and handsome, the mu-
sic appropriate and inspiring, and
the attendance at the communion
the largest in the history of the con-
gregation. Thirteen new members
were received in the course of the
day, twelve at the morning service.
The evening program, with choral
songs and recitations by the little
folks, was we'll rendered, and all re-
turned to their homes with graft
tude for the sacred pleasures of the
day, and joy in the assurance of a
risen and glorified Redeemer.
In the morning at the Congrega-
tional church the service was very
appropriate in its commemoration Of
the risen Lord. "A large attendance,
beautiful flowers, splendid music by
the choir and thoughtful sermon
by the pastor on What / Believe
About Immortality" marked the oc-
casion as one of great interest and a
deep spiritual uplift.
The sacred concert, "The Seven
Last Words of Christ, in the evening
was an auspicious occasion, the au-
ditorium of the church being filled
with people and the choir at its
best. This story of the crucifiXion
in music is the most notable thing
on the whole ever attempted by this
young musical organization. The
atmosphere surrounding the cruci-
fixion of Christ was dramatically
and very vividly reproduced in the
words and music of this religious
cantata and its portrayal was clev-
erly handled by the young people.
The choir was ably assisted by Mr..
Warren B. Dodge, one of the favor
ite vocalists of this city.
The services of the day at the
Catholic church were begun by a
communion service at a. M, at
which nearly every member of the
church was present, the children's
choir furnishing the music for this
The church was beautifully decora-
ted with lilies and cut flowers and
the altars banked with the floral Of
ferings. At 1890 a. m. the church
was filled to overhowing with the
members of the congregation and
High Mass was celebrated, followed