EASTER DAY.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1408, 8 April 1912, Page 6

EASTER DAY.

A GREAT ECCLESIASTICAL FESTIVAL THE CHURCH SERVICES.' Easter Day was observed in nearly all tho churches yesterday cither in the form of time-honoured rites and ceremonies or by special prayers and lessons, and in almost every case the preachorc referred to various aspects of the Easter faith. ANGLICAN. In all the Anglican churches tho special services presermed in the Ifook oi"Common i'raycr wcro carried out with liocoming uignity. The Easter music being sung. At St. Paul's l'ruCathedral (.the Uev. A. M. Johnson), 'tit. i'etcr's (Archdeacon Harper), St. Murk's (the Rev. C, P. Askew)', and in the other city and suburban churches there were several celebrations of tho Holy Communion, tho number of communicants being very large. There wore also larga congregations at the other services. Tna churches were tastefully decorated with llowers and foliage. A special service for men was conducted m St. Mark's Church yestcrdav afternoon by tho Uev. C. F. Askew, tho Vicar. At tho opening a short organ recital was played by Mr. L. Wntkius. Members of the choir sang a sacred solo. Mr. Askew, in his address, stated that the difficulties of unbelief were much greater than those encountered by believers. Ho contrasted the ideas onco advanced by atheists to account for the present condition of tho universe, with the grand and 6implo duclaration, in tho first chapter of Gonosis, that God created the heavens and (ho earth. He also drew attention to tho fourteenth chapter of Genesis, and recommended all his hearers to read it. Some years ago, he remarked, a learned professor had said that the wholo of tho statements in that chapter wero without foundation in tact, but, within the last

few years, exploration and excavation had proved that they were absolutely correct. Critics were nhvays ready to niako damaging statements, but never to admit tho fact when they were proved to ba wrong. Mr. Askew concluded a forceful address by recommending his hearers' to take tho 6imple statements of the creed, and read them for themselves. He was quite sure that they would be satisfied, and that it would bo far better and easier to accept these statements than (lis wild utterances of unbelievers. A lnrps number of men attended the service,' which is one of a series that is beilij held. ROMAN CATHOLIC. In tho Roman Catholic Churches in and about tho city, Easter Sunday was most impressively observed. At Bneklo Street (St. Patrick's College), his Grace Archbishop Redwood celebrated Pontifical High Mass at 10.:)0. His Grace preached at this Jluss. Altogether five Masses wero celebrated at (his church, tho first of which

was commenced at G o'clock. Dean Kegnault celebrated Solemn High Mnss at St. Mary of tho Angels' (Boulcott Street), with tho Rev. Father Eccleton as deacon, and the Rev. Father J. Herring as sub. deacon. Dean Rcgnault preached tho sermon. In tho evening there was exposiHon of tho Most Wessed Sacrament, and procession. Five Masses wero celebrated at the Basilica (Hill Strect).v Tho 101:10 scrvico was Solemn High Mass, at which the celebrant was - the Rov. Father M'Carthy, deacon the Rev. Father Cullcn, and sub-deacon tho Rev. Father nickson. Tho Rev. Father M'Carthy preached, and tho choir rendered special music. Thcro was Solemn Benediction in the evening, at which the celebrant wns his Gracn Archbishop Redwood, who was assisted by the liev. Fathers Venning and Keeletini. Tho Rov. Fnther Eecletou pwaclml. At those and all tho olhcr churche: (he congregations wero large. ST. JOHN'S. ' ' The services at St. John's (Presbyterian) Church yesterday were largely attended. Easter hymns were sung by the congregation, and the choir rendered anthems op. propriatc to the occasion. Dn Gibb too!t us his frxt in the morning. Philippians iii, 10, "That I may know the power of His resurrection." He said a distinction was to be drawn between the fact of the resurrection aud its power. To experience the latter tho soul must lav hold, of the living Christ. Tho resurrection was a fact of history; it was also an e'ernal fact. Living in communion and fellowship with Christ they would experience

the power of His resurrection in a changed attitude to sin. and to life, and to death. The mystic energy of the Godhead would flow iuto their hearts and wills. They would die to sin. Life for them would consist of things that defv all valuation by tho world's standards of worth. Death would be the gate through which they, would pass into the citv of God. In tho evening Dr. Gibb spoke from II Corinthians v., 17, "Wherefore if any man be in Christ be is a now creature. The old things have passed aivnv. Behold they have become new." The believer who had died and risen with Christ was a new creature because renewed in the spirit of his mind. The newness within made all things without new also. This was shown and illustrated: (1) In relation to the material world. In the eyes of the man mado new in Christ all nnlural objects seemed to reflect the glory of God. (2) Work, tho common tasks n'f the common day. became new. Tha shackles of earthly necessity were transmuted into the golden freedom of lov« and truth, and minted into tho largesse of willing service. (3) The human environment became now. The new-made man found a strange, new interest in all his fellow-beings. From being, mauv of them, objects of (ho deepest indifference they became objects of tho deepest inter, est, because all were God's children, and for "all Christ had died. Even tho outcast and tho fallen camo within tho sweep of this now feeling towards mankind. Tlioso that aro worst, but need Christ most and all are dear. (4) To tho believer, God was new. Apart from Christ, God had little or no real existence for (ho soul. And all the wonder and glory and beauty of God disclosed'!o (lie now creature could not bo dreamed of till it was actually experienced. How tn preserve this sense of newness wis (he question to which Iho concluding part of the sermon was devoted. There was only one way: Obedience to the call of iho new life. The ideals and efforts involved in this obedience were swiftly i|,-rtoll-ed, especially as bearing on the service of woman. (Tho sermon was addressed in particular to the members of the Young Women's Bible Class Confereiu-e.) In some respects her task was different from man's', and even when apparently tho same, the methods of its performance were different. Woman could best servo tho world and preserve the freshness of her spirit by permitting Christ, to lift up and glorify her nnlural qualities. What were these? Gentleness, pitifulness, modesty, purity, helpfulness, patience, <olfsacrifico. Let them reveal the splendour of theso graces when caught up into Die

passion for tho service of Christ. Their sunromo ta«k—(he stijircmo task of ew-vy believer, whether iiinn or woman, was, to win Hie ivorlil for Christ, oiul (his woman couM best do by h«iiin lier best; self, nnd loving oh the Lord's al::iv every womnnly pift and grace. ?<) would lior life lo ever now- awl bright with the lijbt of God's own face. . WESLEY CHURCH. At Wesley Church, Tarauaki Street, yesterday moiniiig Easter hymns and anthems were suag, and tho wlo "I Know That My Kcdccmcr Livofh" was ronderot by iliss IJriltain. The Kov. ,1. G. Chan man conducted tho service, and prencl.ei on the subject of (he journey of the two disciples U) Emmaus. Thcsc'hvo men, ho said, wove conversing together, with sorrowful hearts, of their Lord'* de.itli, when Jesus joined tliem. as a 'stranger, nn -\ comi'oi'led them, first, by getting 'tlicui to tell tho ca'.'.so of llu-ii- grief. Grief sup. pressed, oppressed, tho preacher coiltinned, but grief made vowl found sym-

pathy and comfort. Secondly, Cli'iist comforted Hie disciples by showing them, from ancient prophecies, that Ho 'mist needs suffer and die to enter hi'.ihlis glory. Touching next on tho fact that. Jesus was known to the disciples bv tt,-o breaking of bread, the preacher remarked that Christ to-day wai1,.,l to reveal himself, through tli-v ordinary and common affairs of life, to ono wlio had eves to sec and to appreciate His presence.' .(esm enmo between the, disciples nnd- their grief, and they lost U-.oir sorrow bv snv. iiij Hun. Fellowship with Clirivt "raised men above t.heir sorrows and trials,