The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1920-04-08
Congregationalists Have
Unusual Easter Services
Unique Program Follows Cantata
Rendered by Junior Church
Choir in Evening.

Ihe Easter services at the Con-
gregational church on Sunday at
tracted capacity congregations at
both morning and evening services.
The first service of the day YVES the
Easter Communion which was held in
the .quietness of early morning and at
this service there were sonre new
members received into fellowship
with the church. The 1000 o'clock
service was one which inspired the
real Easter spirit. The choir under
the direction Of Mrs. ]. w. Ward was
never heard to better advantage and
the dainty decorations arranged by
Mrs. E. A. Richards and Miss A.
Emerson proclaimed the great mes
sage that Easter was the festival of
new life. The contrast between the
interior Of the church, radiant with
blossoms and lilies and the cold and
bleak wintery out Of doors was very
striking.
The Easter message was an appeal
to worship not a dead Jesus but a
living Christ and the pastor, Rev. C.
S. Sparkes, sounded the true Easter
note as he spoke of the great hope of
Immortality and the fact Of the re-
surrection upon which the very fab
ric of civilization was founded. The
presence of the Knights Tempiar in
uniform added touch of dignity and
charm to what was throughout an in
spring and uplifting service.
At the service in the evening the
Junior Congregational church choir
rendered an Easter cantata. This
choir had been trained by Mrs. Geo.
Berggreen and they rendered the
cantata in a most efficient manner. It
was feast of music and the crowded
church thoroughly enjoyed it. Miss
Vera Jameson at the piano and Miss
II. Erwin at the organ had a large
share in making the cantata sue
cess.
The second part of the program
consisted of a "Feast of the Candles"
A huge white cross stood on the plat
form in front of which was a large
: candle. Smaller candles were group
ed at the base of the cross and every
one in the congregation was given a
small white candle. The service was
to impress the fact of the meaning OF
the resurrection and the method OF
spreading its message throughout the
world. The church in darkness rep
resented the darkness of the world
1000 years ago; then Christ came and
the large candle in front of the cross
was lighted. Christ said,"I am the
light Of the world" Christ's method
was to teach little group of mer
whom he called disciples and give the
flight" to them and the candles at thu
base Of the cross were lighted tx
illustrate this. Then came the scat
tering Of the diciples-the going out
of the missionaries and the light was
carried to the congregation to illus.
trate this. AS candle after candle
was lighted the church became one
blaze of light and the fact was made
apparent that each light had come
from the one light which was the
: Christ.
The pastor concluded with the re-
mark that having received the light
ourselves, we should as soldiers of the
cross go out and by our life light W
darkness in others. While the can
dies were still alight the whole con
gregation rose and sang an appro
pirate hymn. It was a most UNIQUE
and impressive service and one which
will remain for many days in Il
memory of those privileged to wit
ness it.