EASTER DAY.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 776, 28 March 1910, Page 8

EASTER DAY.

THE CHURCH SERVICES. Easter Day, the festival of the Resurrection, was observed in the customary manner yesterday in all the Anglican' and Roman Catholic Churches, and in many churches of other, denominations. The day was fine, and the services were largely attended, the usual Easter decorations of flowers and foliage being very beautiful. The time-honoured ceremonial, lessons, anthems, and hymns associated with the great festival combined to make services bright, interesting, and imnressive. At St. Paul's pro-Cathedral there were celebrations of the Holy Communion at 7 a.m., ,8 a.m., and after Morning Prayer at 11 a.m. At the lastnamed service the Bishop of Wellington (Dr. Wallis) was the celebrant, being assisted by the vicar (the Rev. T. H. Sprott) and the Rev. H. E; Tuckey. The Bishop gave an appropriate address, taking as his text: the words in the first chapter of the Book of Revelation, "I am He that liveth and was dead." After referring to the meaning of the Easter Message, he said the older one grew the more convinced he became of the impossibility of fully understanding all that the Atonement meant; one could not write down an adequate explanation of it on a half sheet of notepaper, but that did not make it any the less real or lessen its spiritual power. The' Bishop reminded.his hearers that they. should not stop at the lessons -of the Crucifixion and. -Atonement which Good Friday had brought home to them, but they should look above and beyond to the risen, living, and ascended Christ.

: At St. Peter's, Willis Street,- the morning service was conducted by the vicar (the .Rev. G'. P. Davys); and there was also a-choral celebration of the Holy Communion. ' The Rev... H. A. Kennedy, of Horbury (Yorkshire, England),' conducted the evening service. All the services were well attended, and there was a large number of communicants. The church was tastefully decorated, and the Easter music waß most effectively rendered.;

The decorations at Sti Mark's, Sussex Square,, were very- beautiful indeed. Both morning and evening services at St. Mark's were, conducted by the vicar (the Rev. A. M. Johnson), and were • attended by large congregations. The choral service in the morning was Stainer's, in E-flat, while Stean's Anthem for the First Day or the Week was sung in the evening. At Roseneath, the Rev. D. ,'C. Bates preached in the morning, while the evening service was conducted by the Rev. C. E. Tobin.

-The, services at St. John's Church yesterday commemorated Easter Day. The hymns, anthems, and lessons were all chosen to "illustrate -this' great fes : tival of the-Christian year. In the morning the. text' was: :■ "I am He. that liveth and was dead, and- behold I am alive for evermore, and have the keys of hell and death." ■' In the evening Dr. Gibb chose-a-theme which enabled him .■ to set forth Easter, lessons; and at the same time to convey a message to the Women's' Bible Classes, which are now holding.their, annual convention. There was, a crowded congregation. The music was, bright and inspiring, and Mr. Barnett, who presided at the organ, the "Hallelujah Chorus" as a concluding voluntary.

The Rev. J'. Gibson Smith conducted the services at St..Andrew's. Special Easter hymns were sung' at both sen - ices. , '.'

•The Easter, service at Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church,;, yesterday.. morning was made'the occasion of a special appeal by ,the; He v.. J. Kennedy Miott on'behalf ,of\.the Presbyterian. Orphanage at Brooklyn.; •■ A number.,, of "tlie children from'the orphanage were present at :the service,, under tire guardiansliip of Mr. .and Mrs.. Mills,' who are in charge of ; the. institution,. and looked very spruce and happy when introduced by Mr. Elliott to the congregation.

At St. James's, Newtown, the Easter morning service was conducted by the Rev. •W. Shireri .whose .'discourse -was framed' on.-the passage: "I know, that my Redeemer liveth" (Job XIX, 25 and 2u). .The Rev. W. J. Comrie preached in the evening, while at the Island Baycharge the Rev. Mr. Shirer also conducted' special afternoon and evening services. • !

His Grace the Archbishop sang Pontifical Mass at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church, Buckle Street; yesterday morning. At the Basilica, solemn High Mass was celebrated at 10.30 o'clock. The celebrant was the Rev. Father Herbert, who preached on. the mystery of the Resurrection. The Rev. Father Graham was deacon, and the Rev. Father Hickson sub-deacon; In the evening, vesper's were held, and,his Grace the Archjjishop gave solemn benediction. ■ A service was held in the Missions to Seamen Church on Good Friday morning, when Mr. James Moore, the niissioner, preached.from I Corinthians, 1-18. ' A limelight lantern service took place in the institute in the. evening, when various slides. depicting the lire and death of Christ were shown by Mr. G. W. Barltrop, and described by Mr. Moore.. Miss Whaler sang a solo, "He was Despised and Rejected of Men," and appropriate hymns were sung by the choir and congregation. ' The harvest thanksgiving services were held on Easter Sunday, the church being very tastefully decorated for the occasion.' There was a large congregation at each service. In the morning ,Mr. Moor.e preached from Philippians (3—10), and the lessons were read by the Chinese Consul. At the evening service Mr. Moore again preached an eloquent sermon, taking his text from : Psalm 30, verse 5, and the lessons were read by the missioner and Mr. J. S. Cummirigs. Miss Burke sang; a solo, Mr. J. Jack presiding at the organ..