The San Francisco Call. Newspaper, April 6, 1896, Page 8

THE SAN FRANCISCO CALL, MONDAY, APRIL.6, 189s. SCENE AT ST. MARY’'S CATHEDRAL DURING fin 2 e 3 (AL LY S <. pi i - N HIGH MASS. “““m]l)).t\@”m HOW EASTERTIDE WAS CELEBRATED IN SAN FRANCISCO CHURCHES A Wealth of Bloom and Fragrance, a Concourse of Sweet Sound, and Discourses Bearing Messages of Hope and Gladness The churches of the City were crowded | yesterday. The usual number of worship- ers was doubled, and persons who attend but once a year were in evidence, her of spring m tempt fair of the triumphs of the milliners’ and dressmak arts in the way of spring creations were left at home, however, be- canse of the inimical effects of moisture. The most magnificent of the temples of worship were decked with Easter emblems in costly profusion, but no edifice, how- ever humble, was without its fic re- minders of the sacredness of the occasion. Everywhere the to the seasc > was music appropriate ,in nearly every instance tne r being considerably aug- srmons were messages of hope to the world, of promise of rest after wearine: rfter sorrow, smiles after en of happiness dominat- ing the griefs of earth St. Mary's Cathedral. Cathedral Mary’s was crowded throughout the aisles, main floor and gal- ler] the solemn celebration of Easter at 10:30 A. ». In the sanctuary great ef- forts had been made to produc ing scene and one altogether appropriate to the fe: I. There were Easter lilies and callas everywhere, from the altar-rail back to the piliars and altar, stanaing in beautiful masses of green and white, and bunched like great clusters of plants taught to climb upward around the col- umns and by the walls. Scattered in the background tall palms heightened the effect and helped to carry the wonderful profusion of Lilies in unbroken lines up to the tabernacle. It wasadark day and in- side the cathedral a dim light prevailed. | But this only served to intensify the glow | from the grand candelabra among the | lilies and palms, with a result that proved | more than usually effective. Solemn high mass was celebrated by Archbishop Riordan, who was assisted by | Father Hannigan as deacon, Father Ramm sub-deacon,2Very Rev. J. J. Prendergast sssistant priest, Fathers Byrnes and Con- | way deacons of honor, and Father Mulli- | gan master of ceremonies. The choir had been largely augmented and rendered the | following selections: ‘Kyrie,” “Gloria,” | “Credo” by Beethoven, in C; “Sanctus,” | an impos- “Benedictus” and ‘“Agnus Dei,” from Mozart’s Twelfth Mass; “O Filie, | O Filii,” adapted from the Grego- | rian. At the offertory Lambillote’s “Hec Dies” was sung. The choir | was as follows, under the direction of Pro- | fessor R.J. Harrison, organist: Sopranos Mrs. Noonan, Mrs. Kelliber and the Misses | Pauba, Byrne, Higgins and Mouhn; alto, | Miss Julia Sullivan, soloist; tenors, Messrs. | Kelliber and Cantati; bassos, Professor 8. | J. Sandy and W. Stranz. | Monsignor Nugent delivered a strong | and eloguent sermon, in which he urged his hearers to live as witnesses of Christ. He said their life and actions and words should stand out in bold relief, giving a distinctiveness to their character and showing there is a power and inflnence | superior to mere human motives. Catho- | lic men of education must mix and stand | forth with their fellow-men, and by their | knowledge be a witness of the faith in | them. In conclusion he urged the young | men to be loyal to God, humble, to lead boly lives and be sober. Rev. Samuel Bernard Hedges also | preached a most eloquent and touching Easter sermon at St. Mary’s Cathedral yes- terday morning. The feeling af tne! Resurrection pervaded it, and the thon- sands who listened were thrilled atthe poweriul narrative of Chrisy’s sad life on earth and his ultimate trinmph over death and the grave. The text was taken from the 118th psalm—*‘This is the day which the Lord bath made; let us rejoice 1n it and be | glad.” | Easter Sunday! The great festival of exult- | ant joy in the Christian year because above all other days the Lord’s day, the day which he hath made. We know Christmas dey as aday of joy and | gladness, and so it is, and yet that day was the | entrance of Christ upon a life of sorrow to end in the transcendentsorrow of Calvary. The festival of the transfiguration which gives | manifestation of his divinity, foretelling the eternal transfiguration ia majesty and power, we know s a joy day also in the Christian | calendar. Butit was a mere passing manifes- tation—the giving of & hope unreslized. We may come even to call Good Friday a joy day, a strange joy indeed, born to us of sorrow and death, but & aay of joy such as consolation brings joy without giadness. Ascension day, 10 those who believed Christ to be God, is truly 8 joy day. But Ascension day is the commem- oration of a victory passed and echieved. No, | the great joy day of the Christian year is this day which the Lord hath made, and in it we rejojce, and we are glad. Alleluia! For itis the commemoration of the victory of Christ over sin and death and tne grave. Easter Sunday 2000 years ago dawned in | sadness and all but despair to the little band | But as | tion of the angel at the tombs. of believers in Christ. Hither came the sor- to the World. rowful Megdalen seeking the Lord. How sim- ple, how tonching the record of that first mani- festation of the ri Mary! Raboni, He had risen as he had foretold. And it was to the penitent Mag- daien that he first appeared. Oh, joy of Easter! To us will he appear on our resurrection from sin. and we, 00, may say the word Rabon! ter. This washis first manifestation. How sw the words with which he announces hix at his second manifestation, when he appeared 10 the women who had also sought his tomb— “Fear not.”” Fear casts out joy. But this is the day which the Lord hath made in it there could be 1o fear, and so the sweet words, * not.” . It was on that same Easter morn he came again. This time to the ten sitting in the room with the doors locked for fear of the Jews. To them it must have seemed a day of bitter sor- | resurrection of Christ, nor to roll away the stone to let him out of the tomb. Christ did of the angel to do this, as be could pass through the stone as he did on the evening of Easter day, when, passing through the closed doors, he stood amid his Aposties. el ceme as the messenger of G \ instrument of divine grace to produce supernatural faith in the souls of the holy women. This is the method God always uses in re- vealing himseli to men. He chose the Apostles, | gave them their credentials, sent them to teach dogmatically, worked with them by He works the seme way to-day, because he has not changed, man’s nature has not changed | Wherefore the law made in the beginning still 1to| ince the fact of the resurrection and as | race, and as they preached so men believed. | ! the doors. Scores of late comers edged | their way to the space at the rear of the building and craned their necks for a sight of the magnificently decorated altar, | listened to the inspiring music, then fail- | ing to secure even comfortable standing room hurried out again into the rain. The decorations could scarcely bave been more elaborate. The Gothic panels were outlined by innumerable Easter lilies, while ferns and callas were banked about the altar. A line of lilies extended across the spaces between the windows, and the large cross donatea by Miss Kate Hutchinson and in place for the-first time execution of the choral music elicited gen- eral admiration. The seventh monthly festival was held in the evening, when Homer Henley sang by request the aria from “The Holy City, Frank Coffin “Hosanna,” Sampson L. Tucker “From the Depths” and Dr. David Alexander Hodghead “Sing Ye Praises.” The choir rendered Gounod’s chorus, “Un- fold Ye Portals” from “The Redemntion’ and the processional hymn “The Strife Is O’er,” also the vesper hymn “Jesus, Meek and Gentle’” Mr. Holt concluded with W:1y’s “‘Offertoire in G’ by request. For the first time the surpliced choir of double chorus, “The Earth Is the |Lords” (Nefthardt); solo and chorus, “Come See the Place Where Jesus Lay.” (Parkec): tenor s0lo, “The Resurrection” (Shelley), William Wood; chorus "“As Sleep Takes Filgnt” (Shelley); s0lo, I Know That My Redeemer Liveth” “Mes- siah” Mrs. C. W. Mark; response, “There's Not a Tint Th Paints the Rose”; duet, “I Wil Mag- nify Thee” (Mosenthal), Mrs. Mark and Mr. Wood; chorns, “Christ Our Passover” (Beale): organ postlude, “Unfold Ye Portals Everlasting’ (Gounoa). Plymouth Congregational. At Plymonth Congregational Church Dr. W. D. Williams preached eloquently {upon the spiritual significance of the re- A GLIMPSE OF GRACE EPISCOPAL CHURCH. DR. ROBERT M ACKENZIE PREACHING ON THE RESURRECTI row. Hewasdead; he was in the tomb. The Lord had come; his mission had been a fail- ure. No, there he stood with his sweet saluta- tion of peace, “Peace be unto you,” the risen Lord. Then to the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Quickly they return to Jerusalem, and as they enter are greeted with the joyful news, “The Lord is risen indeed, and hath ap- peared unto Simon.” Then unto Thomas, the faint-heart-doubting Thomas. But should we wonder, for have we not at times doubted in him and his mercy and his power? Like Thomas, when the Lord showed his hands and | his side to prove that he was indeed the risen Lord, our prayer should be, “My Lord and my God.” Our joy to-day is the joy we heve in the truth of Christianity, proved by the resurrection. His stupendous miracle of his own resurrection from the dead was the proof positive of his other miracles, of himself, of his doctrines. When the Apostles went forth to preach his gospel they appealed to the fact of hisresurrec- tion for the truth of what they taught. His resurrection proves to us this and their right to teach. And as trom his and their doctrine is born to us the highest aspiration of our soul | to know what they taught is true—true beyond all question or doubt—is to us & very boon of joy. What to us would be Christianity without the resurrection? A mere hope, unsustained. Christianity is true, Christ is true, his word is true, and Easter is the proof thereof. Hence Is Easter our joy day. Alleluia! From the resurrection ot Christ is born to us the sure | hope of our own resurrection, and hence our joy. A St. Ignatius. The altars of St. Ignatins were decorated with Easter liiies in most lavish fashion 80 that the effect was grand, indeed, when the burning candles shed a luster upon the sanctuary. Solemn high mass was cele- brated at 10:30 A. M. by Rev. Father Calzia. Father Hickey was deacon and Father Treca sub-deacon. Tke male choir was strengthened by many new voices and rendered Riga’s mass and for an offertory piece “Regina Ceeli,” by Benedict. Father Woods preached on the appari- He said: The angel had not come merely to honor the holds good that “every understanaing must be brought into eaptivity to the obedience of Christ.” Do you then seek the true church of Christ? Would you know whether there is indeed on earth a vicar of Christ? Listen, and when you hear resounding through the world the voice of one teaching with authority, re- proving, exalting, opposing heresy and infi- delity to-day as vigorously as when in former times his words were received by all men with reverence: when you hear him like tne angel saying, “Lo.1 have told you,I in mission an angel in authority, an apostle wielding as his vicar all the authority of Christ,” then bow your heads and hear his teaching, for the wora in your ears is no longer the word of man but of God. It seems, then, that it is this dogmatic teach- ing power of the church that sets the world against her. Calumnies are heaped upon calumnies. We are told that the church is opposed to the state, usurps the prerogatives of the state, invades the rightsof the state. | There can be no opposition between the church | and the state, for both come with all their rights, all their prerogatives, from the one God, who is perfect in all his works. The world hates the church because the prince of the world hates the church, which snaiches souls from his grasp and makes them sharers in the resurrection of Christ. When, there- fore, as is sometimes the case in certain Euro- pean countries, the state turns away from God and submits itself to those who are will- fully and knowingly the agents of Satan in his warfare against the church, and receives from them instructions as to its conduct with & hu- Christ, there must be an irreconcilable conflict between the church and the civil power. But in this case it is not the church that is invad- ing the rights of the state, but the state that is struggling to destroy the church. Let us not forget that the resurrection of our Lord was from the dead. From the mere fact, then, that so much on earth lies dead—de- prived of the life-giving grace of God—we have | & strong motive to prayand labor that God may by his word of power call it to a glorious resurrection and establish his kingdom through the whole earth. Grace Church. | Grace Episcopal Church was crowded to mility it never showed toward the Vicar of | | procession v v Lt , 4 \ iy p Z FAIR WORSHIPERS AT that church was preceded by a cross in the to he tchancel, Cyril E. Holt being the bearer. First Presbyterian. The impressive services at the First Presbyterian Church were attended by as many as the church could, by any ingeni- ous device, accommodate. The wealth of floral decorations in purest white gave to the edifice an air of more than usual sa- credness and the devout attendant forgot | the artistic arranzement of the decora- tions in the thoughts their symbolism suggested. In the morning Dr. Robert Mackenzie preached on the resurrection and the les- sons to be drawn therefrom. F. Grabam sang *I Know That My Re- deemer Liveth” (Waud), and Miss Daisy Cressy rendered the solo “Immortality’ during the offertory. The choir selections were: “Come and See the Place Where Jesus Lay,” “Rise, Glorious Conquerer, Rise,” “Every Flower That Blossoms,” and “The Head Once Crowned With Thorns.”” The organ prelude was from Mendelssohn. Rev. Edwin Hart Jenks preached in the evening, the sermon being preceded by a | short Easter praise service. A Weber selec- tion was chosen for the organ prelude and Dr. Gilbert | | surrection. The music at the morning service was as follows: du Fest” (Vilbac): invoca- tion: anthem, *Cbrist Our Passover” (Wil- liams): quarlet, “Christ, the Lord, is Risen To- day” (Jobnston): anthem, “Lift Your Glad Voices” (Haesche); offeriory. soprano solo, “O Heart Bowed Down, Arise” (Roeder). Soloists—Mrs. Eva Tenney, Mrs. J. W. Madden, W. M. Simonsen and Charles L. Parent Jr. H. . Stedman, organ- ist and conductor. Organ, “Chsnt itarian. The First Unitarian Church celebrated Easter by appropriate music and decora- | tions, and by sermons commemorative of the day, both morning and evening. The music consisted of: Organ prelude, grand chorus in D (Gullmant); | anthem, (a) “When Jesus Was Risen,” (b) “He | Was Despised” (Lynes), () “Christ Being Raised ¥rom the Dead” (Schilling); stri (Haydn): “Gloria” in B flat (Gilchrist) “Goa Hath Appointgd a Day” (Tours); prayer: string quartet, “Andante Cantabile,” op. II (Tschaikowsky); offertory, “The LIght of the Better Morning”; anthem, (a) “My Hope Is in the Everlasting,” tenor solo (Stainer); () “Awake Thou Thut Sleepest” (Maker); organ postlude, “Allegro Vivace,” sonate No. 1 (Mendelssohn). Second Unitarian, Rev. A. J. Wells preached in the morn- ing on *‘Our Immortality,” and in the evening on ‘‘Blossoming Life, or Why Unitarians Observe the Festival” Miss ST. IGNATIUS CHURCH. at the end of the center aisle was twined with the emblems of purity. Rev. R. C. Foute preached a doctrinal sermon from the text, *'I know that my Redeemer liveth.” Communion was ad- ministered at 8 and 11 A. M. The choir, | under the able direction of W. H. Holt, the organist, sang “The Strife Is O'er’ as 8 processionai hymn; the anthems, “They Have Taken Away My Lord,” “‘Christ, the Lord, Is Risen To-day,” ‘“Jesus Christ Is Risen,” “Te Deum,” * Jubilata,” “Gloria Tiby,” “Kyrie”; offertory, *Sanc- tus,” “Gloria in Excelsis,”” and as a re- the postlude was from Raff. A quartet rendered “The Angel of the Lord.”” Mrs, Riggs gave the solo “Easter Eve,” and J. C. Hughes, during the offertory, O, Day Divine.” The choir sang the anthems “Why Seek Ye the Living Among the Dead” and “The Singing of Birds,” and the hymn, “Crown His Head With End- less Blessings.” Trinity Presbyterian. The earnest discourse of the pastor, Rev. J. Cumming Smith at Trinity Presby- terian Church, was supplemented by the following excellent music: cessional hymn, *He Is Risen.” The | Organ prelude, “The Incarnation” (Gounod); Lena Roberts was the soloist in the morn ing. She sang “The Resurrection,” and |at the evening service the solos were | “Consider the Lillies,”” by Mrs. Noble, and I “I Saw a New Heaven and New Earth,” by Mr. Wood. - ‘West Side Christian. “The Open Grave” was Rev. W. A. Gardner’s topic at the West Side Christian Church yesterday morning. The music was as follows: Organ voluntary, “Prayer of Lohengrin” (Wag- mer); hymn, “The Savior's Wondrous Deat anthem, ‘Palm Branches” (Faure): hymn, “In the Cross I Glory”; Easter Anthem” (Sudds); bymn, “The Angels That Watched Round the Tomb"; cornet so'0, “The Holy City,” N. F. Rem- ington: offertory solo, Mrs. Walietts. Thirty of the Sunday-school ch.ildren presented an Easter programme in the evening. Trinity Episcopal. The lily seemed to breathe its Easter welcome to the many who zathered at the three services at Trinity Church yester- day and rejoiced anew before_ the open sepulchers and the risen Savior of_ t_he world. And the lily was not alone in its welcome. There were the lilac, the rose and the fern, all offering up their beauty and their fragrance. The morning services were rich in splen- did ceremomal and Easter song. In the afternoon California Commandery No. 1, Knights Templar, held forth, and in the evening the Sunday-schocl children gave their exercises. The Rev. George Edward Walk, M. A., rector of Trinity Church, conducted the trinity service and preached an eloquent and appropriate di:cour_se on each occasion. Tke morning service in- cluded communion and these Easter anthems were sung: *‘Christ, our Pass- over, Is Sacrificed for Us,”” Frank N. Shep- perd; Te Deum, in B flat, H. J. Stewart; Jubilate, in B flat, H.J. Sewart: hymn, Palestrina. % There was a large turnout of Knights Templar at 3 . M., though the rain poured down in torrents. Those who officiated were Commander Sir Martin Jones, ng- eralissimo Sir John P. Fraser, Captain- General Sir C. H. Wilson and Private G. . Walk. The services were of a most interesting character. There were anthems, glorias and solos, organ and violin. The music of this service was rendered by the regular choir of Trinity Church: Miss Millie Flynn, Miss Rowena M. Tarrant, Miss E. Eggers, Miss E. Mills, Mrs. Herbert C. Porter, Mrs. John D. Gibley, Mrs. Olive Reed, Miss Maud Bumeschein, Miss Levy, H. M. Fortescue, Osgood Putnam, E. L. Atkinson, Berkely Pearce, J. L. Marshall; H. J. Stewart, organist and musical director. The Easter festival of the Sunday-school of the parish was held in the evening. De- spite the rain there was a large attendance of parents and friends. Jessie Wardter was awarded the rector’s gold medal for general merit, and Frances Kidd and Georgia Harris carried away silver medals as testimonials of their efficiency. The rector spoke to the children in cheering words, and was glad to see so many, with song and prayer, liiting up their pure young Learts to Jesus, himself a child. “Iwish to say to our older friends,” he said, “that we are endeavoring in the Sunday-school to teach the young that as they grow older they will more and more appreciate the glories and biessings of God. We send our children to the public schools that their minds may be trained, that they be equipped for the great battle of life, but there is something needed more than mere mental training—the glories of the spiritual life—and therefore we must bring their young souls to the Savior, that they may know, Jove and obey him.” At the Y. M. C. A. The Oakland Orchestra h its pretty young ladies proved the principal attrac- tion of the Easter praise service in the Y. M. C. A. auditorium yesterday atternoon. Chauncey M. Depew was expected to address the audience, and every seat in the hall was filled by young men, while the gallery was well sprinkled with women 1n expectation of hearing the well-known speaker. But Mr. Depew was not able to spare the time for an address on the eve of Iis departure. The Rev. John Stephens, pastor of Simp- son Memorial church, delivered an adaress necessarily abbreviated because of the long musical programme. He took for his sub- ject “The Resurrection, and Its Relation to Modern Enlightenment.” He said that all light and knowledge in reference to the immortality and existence of a God de- pends on the revelation of the scriptures. The only satisfactory foundation for revelation is in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. Although the doctrines of Christ were excelient, and as an example perfect, men have no sufficient pretense offered for the knowledge that Christ rose from the dead. Had it not been for their steadfast faith in the resurrection, Jesns might have been considered a great genius, but not as a divine being. At the Russian Cathedral. Rev. Father Greenkovitch, assisted by all the priests in the diocese, officiated at two elaborate and beautiful services at the Russian Cathedral yesterday. At the morning service the church was decorated in the most elaborate manner., The altar was a mass of flowers and all the pictures on the walls were hung with garlands. The columns were festooned with evergreens. Father Greenkovitch's sermon was ap- propriate to the occasion. He told the story of the Resurrection, beautifying it with texts and selections from the Scrip- tures. The edifice was taxed to its utmost to hold the crowd that sought entrance. At the evening service Father Greenko- vitch officiated, but nearly all of the dec- orations had been removed. He did not preach a sermon, but read the usual even- ing service. A special blessing was asked for the Emperor and Empress of Russia. Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe. Easter Sunday was celebrated at the church of Nuestra Senora de Guadalupe by two services yesterday, Father Valado- mat officiating at both. The altar was decorated with a profusion of white flowers and a number of emblems. Nothing elaborate was attempted at either of the services, as Archbishop Rior- dan is to confirm forty candidates to-day, and everything isto be on the grandest scale. The confirmation service is to take place at 10 o'clock this morning. An elaborate musical programme has been arranged, and the little boys and girls are to enter the church in processional order. A large number of priests from different churches will assist at the service, The Holy Spirit. The Church of the Holy Spirit added nine new members to its list yesterday morning. Twice as many partook of com- munion yesterday as three months before, Franklin Hall,where the chuch assembles, was decorated with palms, ferns and flowers. A friend of the pastor presented a beautiful communion set, complete, with baptismal bowl, to the cihurch. Mr. Mil- ler preached from the text, “I am he that liveth and was dead.” Notre Dame des Victoires. That inbate taste for which French- women are so well known displayed itself in the decorations of the Church of Notre Dame des Vicioires. Lilies were used principally and profusely. but not so much as to overcrowd the altar. In graceful clusters, daintily tied with ribbons, scat- tered here and there, loosely Ppeeping from the miast of ferns, they turned the chan- cel into a vast bower. The ladies who deserve the credit of the tasteful floral arrangement are Mesdames J. Bluxome, Edouard Chevassus and Mes- demoiselles Emilie Hoffman and Marie Wallace. Mass was celebrated by Father Alex- ander Loude, and Emile Gente, 8. M., de- livered the sermon. He preached on the subject of the “Divinity of Jesus Christ.”” *“We have be- f