The Washington herald., 1915-05-02
and Play in the Household rr.a 1e:'S Marshall
Easter Services in a
Church of a Big City

Iity and immaculate splendor. and
when the strains of He Is Risen" re-
sound through the church it Is the
voice of the throng-oblivious for the
moment to the neiShbor's newest Of
fering of fashion-that joins with the
lilies and proclaims the tidings of
higher truth and hope.
Music is one of the chief features of
the morning service. A violin. a harp
and clarionet are usually added to
the harmontes of the great double pipe
organ. and occasionally a small band
OF brass instruments swells the &C.
compartment. The choir of forty or
nifty voices Is also increased for this
special service. and the long list of
chants and anthems. rendered as if by
one voice. represents hours and weeks
OF hard, long, careful chorus practice.
Inc effect OF IL all is exotic. What
ever the sermon may be. ii never fails
to arouse emotion-for the moment
ana he Is a fortunate preacher who
can so stir his audience that when the
oHertory is announced for the poor OF
the parish" the appeal reaches re-
sponsive hearts-and pocketbooks. 1t
generally does. too. and it is no I'M
common sight on Easter Sunday to seX
the plates or baskets heaped to over
moving with one. five, ten and evan
hlty dollar bank notes. \ number Of
N''N' SHSS ItttlNc dil their COntribu-
tons with which to give parish aid Nv
this and the Christmas Offering only.
and not infrequently the collection
mounts into the eight and ten thou
sand figure.
The next service of the day is for
the children. At o'clock all the
younger members of the Sunday school
meet in the church proper. where the
divisions of classes with respective
moor. Galleries are reserved for fam
lilies and friends. Here again, as at
the early service. rich and poor meet
on common ground. More than half
the instructors are young women and
men from homes of luxury. who volun-
teer their services both in the trade
school and on Sunday. and the Easter
afternoon promenade is sacrificed to
the singing of hymns with their small
pupils.
If the morning hymns thrill those
who join in them. the volume of over
a thousand childish voices in the aft
ernoon is equally as inspiring. Truth
to tell. the enthusiasm of the little
ones almost surpasses that of the
grown-ups. and what Is more. the chill
dren-every one of them-sing. Sew
eral Sundays before Easter nfteen or
twenty minutes is taken from the class
time in each department of the Sunday
school to teach the youngsters five or
six Easter hymns. When printed
slips containing the same hymns are
handed them on festival day. the tunes
are so familiar that even though they
cannot follow the words. each child's
voice helps to swell the tremendous
melody.
The browning attraction of the serv,
ice comes after the last hymn Is sung.
In single file the children pass up thu
middle aisle to the altar steps and
thence to the altar rail- One girl or
boy is chosen to lead each class and he
bears large envelope containing tho
joint offerings OF the class. which have
been collected and saved during the
previous Lenten weeks. This envelope
is dropped into the plate and as each
child files past the rail he Is met by
an assistant who hands him q potted
Geranium plant. bright with full.
bloom flower. The little folks leave
the church with their growing keeps
sake tucked against their side and q
smile of Easter gladness lights I'D ev-
cry face.
1t is the smile of each person who
takes any part in the workings Of this
wonderful institution. and when the
doors of the vast church are closed
after the S o'clock evening service that
night, the walls are still vibrating
with the continuous outpouring of
joyous prayer and song which have
shaken its frame since the rising of
the Easter sun.