EASTER SERVICES.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2473, 12 April 1909, Page 4

EASTER SERVICES.

HOLY TRINITY CHURCH. The festival of Easter v, r as celebrated in Holy Trinity Church yesterday by a series of well-attended services. These began at 6 a.m.. when the vicar, the Rev. L. Dawson Thomas, celebrated the Holy Communion. A second Communion service, at which the Vicar was again the celebrant, took place at 7 а. and a third at 8 a.m., when the Rev. F. W. Ohatterton celebrated. At 11 a.m. choral morning prayer wae conducted by the Vicar, assisted by the Rev. M. C. Cockerill. There was a large congregation. The service used was by Berthokl Tours, and the anthem was Adlanis’ “Open unto me the gates of righteousness.” The solo in the anthem was effectively sung by Mrs. Smith. Hymns appropriate to the Easter festival and special psalms were also sung. Holy Communion was celebrated by the Rev. M. C. Cockerill, and an impressive sermon, treating of the world-wide effects of the event commemorated on Easter Sunday, the resurrection of Jesus Christ, was preached by the Vicar from the text, “He is risen ; He is not here” —St. Mark XVI, б. The number of communicants was large at all the celebrations, and the total constituted a record lor the church. At 2.45 p.m., a largely attended service for children was held by lie Vicar, who also, at 7 p.m., conducted choral evensong. The service used was Tallis’ Festal; and Bruce Steane’s anthem, “The strife is o’er,” was sung. Mr. Dawson Thomas preached from the words, “I know that my Redeemer liveth”—Job XIX., 25. Mr. Sidebottom officiated as organist, and the singing of the choir was exceedingly good. The church was crowded at the evening service. The church was effectively decorated in honor of the festival. White flowers were placed on the altar. Above the chancel steps a few large fronds of fern were so disposed as to form an arch, and the choir stalls were adorned with ferns and the feathery plumes of the toitoi. The pulpit had a decoration of white flowers, toitoi, and ferns, and the lectern was elaborately adorned; it bore two floral crosses with other decorations of flowers and green leaves, 'fhe font was tastefully, bedecked with niiage and white blossoms. Plumes of toitoi were affixed to the pillars of the nave and to the ends of the scats. The general effect of the whole was decidedly good. In addition to the services at the church, a children’s service was conducted at Kaiti in the afternoon by Mr. M. J. Hicks, and in the evening ■w-rvices were held by the Rev. F. W. Chatterton at Kaiti, and by the Rev. M. C. Cockerill at Mangapapa. ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC CHURCH. Special services were held at St. Mary's. Catholic Church yesterday in connection with the Feast of the Resurrction. In the'morning at 10 o’clock High Mass was sung by the Rev. Father Lane, and special music was most efficiently given by the choir. The church was much too small to accommodate the large congregation which assembled. Two services were held, but so numerous were the worshippers that many people were unable to gain admission'. Father Lane thanked the choir for their splendid assistance to the church, and made special mention of the services of Messrs V ita Bros with their instrumental music. In the evening there was again a crowded congregation. Special music was admirably rendered by the choir, and the Rev.' Father juane preached a most powerful sermon on the subject of the Feast of the Resurrection. The church was beautifully in honor of the great festival of the Christian year. The Rev. Father Ormond, of Auckland. conducted special Easter services at Tologa Bay yesterday. ST. ANDREW’S PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH. In St. Andrew’s Church the Rev. F. H. Bailey, of Queensland, preached in the morning, and in the evening the Rev. W. Grant preached from Acts XVII., 18., hi.s subject being Jesus and the Resurrection. He said that it was the resurrection that lent significance to the Atonement, for if the resurrection was not a historical fact the Cross was shorn of its power to meet the needs of man. In proof of the historical part of the Resurrection, were the faith of the disciples, the institution of the Lord’s Day, the descent of the Holy Ghost on the Day of Pentecost, the work of the Church for so many centuries, and the personal experience oT tlie Christian. All these tacts showed that Jesus Christ was risen from the dead, and that “His dust is not lying under a Syrian sky,” but that he is living and loving and mighty to save. During the service the choir rendered the .anthem ,“The Radiant Morn Hath Passed Away.” BAPTIST TABERXACLE. There was a crowded congregation in the Baptist Tabernacle at the evening service, when the ltev. \Y. Lamb preached from Ist Corinthians XV., 51, “Behold I show you a mystery,” anil during the course of a forceful sermon said that the life of man was full of mystery, and there was mystery all around' him. Life was a mystery in itself, and the man who looked upon life as a mere machine took a poor, materialistic depressing view of existence. • The whole experience of life was mysterious. There was that in man which convinced him that there was something behind the visible, something he could not put out his hand and touch, some higher Power that ruled the universe. There was a mystery that far exceeded all mysteries the world had ever known, and that was the mystery of the resurrection of the body. By the glorious resurrection of Jesus Christ the corruptible body was to be raised incorruptible to life, everlasting. If there was no resurrection of Jesus Christ, there was no Christian religion. It was because Jesus Christ rose" from the dead that the Christian religion became possible, for His resurrection was accepted as a fact, and for that fact Christians were willing to go to the stake, for they knew that Christ was their living Saviour. During the service special anthems were sung by the choir, Mr. 11. J. Brownlee taking the solo.