Evening star., 1948-03-29
Throngs Brave
Cold 10 Observe
Easter al Dawn
Church Rites Follow
Open-Air Ceremonies
With Mercury at 81

By Cospor Nonnes


Thousands Of Washington resi-
dents and visitors braved wintry
weather yesterday to attend numer-
Gus outdoor Easter sunrise services
held at parks and other places
throughout the District area.
Later in the morning additional
thousands attended services in
churches. Centuries-old rituals,
festive music and sermons pro-
claiming the hopeful meaning of
Easter were dominant features of
the observances.
President Truman attended serv-
ices at First Baptist Church, where
DR.. Edward H. Pruden, pastor, used
as his scriptural text, 10, am with
you always, even unto the end Of
the world"
Spiritual Forces Stressed.
In an aisle seat, always held for
him, the President heard the pastor
declare, Frequently we feel we are
standing alone in our support of
what we consider spiritual ideals.
But in common with the disciples
of the Resurrection, we always will
find that the spiritual forces are
present to give us strength"
At Arlington National Cemetery
the amphitheater was filled with
worshipers huddIed together on the
white marble seats. Fur coats and
warm-l looking dresses were worn by
the women and heavy overcoats,
with collars upturned, by men. Here
and there an Easter bonnet, COW
cred with flowers, peaked out
hravely from a sea of less colorful
but warmer appearing hats. Blan-
kets were wrapped around the knees
of groups football-game fashion,
and programs were held in glove
covered hands.
The thermometer at the amphi-
theater read 81 degrees at 7 am,
but the sharp wind whipping
through the open stadium made it
seem much colder. The sun played
hide and seek with fast-moving
gray clouds to add to the discom-
fort of the worshipers.
Minister Wears Hat.
Worshipers at Fort Lincoln, Blad-
ensburg road at the District line
began to assemble as early as 4:30
am, some lighting their way across
the grounds with candles. DR.. Edgar
De Witt Jones, minister emeritus of
Central Woodward Christian Church,
Detroit, spoke with his hat on and
with gloved hands holding his man.
uscript.
at was the first time In all my
years of preaching that ever spoke
with my hat on" DR.. Jones said
later. 1.-The wind was whipping
down from the hills into the faces
of those on the stands and made 1t
very cold indeed. But we went
through the schedule as planned"
Similar conditions were encoun-
tered by worshipers at other outdoor
dawn services throughout the Dis
trict area. In general, the cold
snap kept the attendance below that
expected.
DIR. sizoo Speaks.
The world today stands sin des-
perate need of the recovery OF that
sense of confidence which the Resur-
rection morning vindicates," DR..
Joseph H. Sizoo, president of the
New Brunswick IN. j. Theological
Seminary and former pastor Of New
York Avenue Presbyterian Church
here, told worshipers at the 18th
annual sunrise service sponsored by
the Grand Encampment, Knights
Templar of tile United States at
Arlington Cemetery.
C. Byron Lear, grand generals
simo of the Knights Templar, well
coined the gathering to the service.
"One of the most ominous and
obvious characteristics Of our time
is disillusionment," DR.. Sizoo de-
clared. "The age Is full OF misgiv-
ines, anxieties and uncertainties.
We have become fussy and panicky.
We have Just finished a war for
freedom in which the forces OF de-
mocracy, by the grace Of God, tri-
umphed and prevailed. One would
suppose that sigh OF relief would
run through the world and that
the flames of Joy and faith would
be burning bright. The very op-
posite Is the truth. We are Sinking
back into ugly moods, sour tempers
and pickering cynicism.
What ails this age?" the speaker
asked. Issues in which God has
a stake can never be ultimately
denied 1t holds the assurance that
truth is more powerful than false
hood, that principle is more eternal
than expediency, that giving is more
beautiful than getting, that sharing
Is more solemn than boarding.
Fort Lincoln Sermon.
worshipers at the seventh annual
Easter sunrise service sponsored by
the Organized Bible Glass Associa-
ton OF Washington at Fort Lincoln
heard DR.. Jones assert there have
been sadder Casters than this one
and happier casters but not in our
history has the Easter sun shone
upon so confused, anxious and ap-
prehensive people"
whether humanity as we see
II today can rise out of hate, in
toleranc and ill-will or commit
suicide by taxing the poison OF
racial, creedal and social pride" is
serious question now facing the
world, the minister said.
Death is not the end of life,
DR.. Clarence w. Crawford, pastor |
Of Calvary Baptist Church, told
worshipers at the fifth annual Eas-
ter sunrise service at Jefferson
Memorial. Easter reveals death Is
our friend and not our enemy" he
continued. "Our responsibility is to
increase our capacity to enjoy
eternal life"
At the Navy Medical Center, Be-
thesda, Md, service Navy Chief of
Chaplains william Thomas de-
clared I'VE need the Easter faith
because it believes in an existence
more than mere flesh and blood.
Services at walter Reed.
Army Chief of Chaplains Luther
D. Miller spoke at the annual sun
rise service in the formal garden at
Walter Reed Hospital.
The Rev. Glendale Burton, pastor