EASTER DAY.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 479, 12 April 1909, Page 5

EASTER DAY.

CHURCH SERVICES. Easter Day, the gieat festival of tho Resimeoiaon oi Ouri&v, was leiobi.itetl in Wellington Umiciios or all ueiioiniiuuous yestoiuuy, auu, despite- tnc uma\ourabio >vo.imer, congiegations assembled. At bt. i'nuJ's Uio faster wructa pn.ttcnm.Ti Dy lite jlujok oi Common x-iajer i>ere camea out, aim weli-Mio»n uyiuus mo cliuicil- iius LaSieiuliy ueeorated i.ith tloweis una greenery, au mo services were largely utuMiiicu, ana mere were a \ery iai'fc,o iiuniuor oi communicants. in tao course ui his sermou at. lUonuiig i'l-ayer, tlie Rev. 'I'. U. bprott saia mat uioto who have re«che<l middle liio would leiuember the time when tlie uospvl account oi me Resurrection ana tne empty tomb would be K-garactl as pure by many soienv.i.e people. Moda}, i;owo\er, this spirit oi connueiit dog-u-uisui «as not. so pieialent among VnO leaders oi thought, uid it would be very generally admitted tlua the Gospel narrative uiigm.»ell bo a recoru or actual observation of psychic pnenomena. i\lr. 11.I 1 . H. Jiyers, wlio had spent years in investigating sucli phenomena on tiio most strictly beiontikc lines, had confidently predicted, in lua great work on " Human i'ei sonality and its ourvival Alter Death, 1 ' that beiore a liuuuied years hau gone by no reasonable man would disbelieve tue Resurrection of Christ. At fat. Peter's Church the chancel and nave were beauulully decorated. Communion services were held at 7 a.m. and 8 a.m., choral communion service, with solemn procession, at 11 a.m.,-and evensong, with solemn procession, at 7 p.m. The Rev. G. I'. Davys preached morning and evening to large congregations.

'itio services at St. Mark's Church were largely attended, and. tiie church was beautiful wuh win to flowers, toi, and greenery. 'Ihc Kev. A. M. Johnson preached in the evening from tho text., " JNow is (Jhnst risen from tho dead, and become the first fruits of them that slept." 'liie sermon was a consideration of tho nature of Christ's Resurrection. Special Easter services of a most improscharacter were held in all of tho Roman Cktiholic churches of tho city yesterday. There wero very large congregations. Archbishop Redwood celebrated l'ontifical High Mass at St. Joseph's in tho morning, and in tho evening presided at Pontifical Vespers and Benediction at tho Basilica. ' At tho Vivian Street Baptist Church special Easter servioes were conducted by tho Rov. J. J. North. In the morning ho preached on tho subject of "The startling features of tho Easter Message," and in the evening took for his subject "Tho light which Christ's resurrection casts on ours." At tho evening servico a solo was sung by Mrs. Darling. • ihe services at tho Terrace Congregational Church wero conducted by tho Rev. J. Reed Glassoit. In tho morning ho took for his text Hebrews xi, 13: "These all dic<l in faith not having received tho promises, but having seen them afar off." For the ovening sermon his text was Acts ii, 24: "Whom (iod hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that Ho should be holder of it." Dr. Gibb preached at St. John's Presbyterian Church in the evening to a large congregation on tho text I Corinthians xv, 14: "And if Christ bo not risen then is our prcaching vain and your faith is also vain." Tho special music included an Easter anthem and the "Hallelujah" chorus from Handel's ".Messiah" played by Mr. Maughan Barnett as an outgoing voluntary. MISSIONS TO SEAMEN. Special Easter and harvest thanksgiving services, conducted by Mr. Moore, missioner, wero held yesterday in the Seamen's Cliurch, which was tastefully decorated with fruit, berries, leaves, corn, and vegetables. Tho services were bright and hearty, and, despite tho wet weather, well attended. Special Easter and harvest hymns wero swig by tho choir and congregation. Mr. Moore, in tho morning, preached from Matt, xxviii, 6: "Ho is not here, for Ho is risen as He said. Como and see tho placo where tho Lord lay." Mr. Moore spoko of tho joy of Easter and tho joy of harvests. Tito resurrection of our Lord meant everything to tho Christian — the triumph over death, and sin, and tho grave of tho risen Saviour, ,- tho reunion of loved ones, tho opening of the Kingdom of Heaven to all believers. Our hearts, too, should bo full of joy for the # safe ingathering of tho harvest and tho fruitful season. Tho greatest i scientist could not make ono grain of wheat or cause it to grow. In tho evening thero was a very largo congregation, when a brass memorial tablet was unveiled by Mrs. F. W Rutherford in the absence of Mrs. Williams through indisposition. Tho framework was of wood from the Penguin. The tablot boro tho following inscription:— "F° glory of God and in loving memory of the Passengers, Officers, and Crow who were called away by the foundering of the off Terawhiti on tho night of I'eb. lw, 1909. This tablet is erected by friends and members of tho Missions to Seamen to mark tho splondid heroism and selfdelnal in a time of great peril, when to persons lost their lives. 'Greater love hath no man than this that a man lav down his life for his friends.' 'To jive in hearts we leave behind us is not to dio.' " lho lessons v;cro read by Messrs. J. W. Jack and E. L. Burgess. Special hymns wore sung, the solo being taken *hy Miss liaker. Mr. Mooro, who conductcd tho evening service, preached from Isaiah xi, 10: "His rest shall bo glorious." Ho spoko of death not as a destroyer, but an 'angel ringing down tho curtain on our lives, and as the entrance to a fairer lifo of rest from labour care, vexation, and sorrow. The missioner referred in touching language to the heroism shown at the wreck of tho Pengiun.