Easter in §akm 
 
 By Wm. A. Blair 
 
THE FIRST 
 EARLY EASTE% MORNINg SERVICE 
 
 ON THE 
 
 HERRNHUT GOD'S ACRE 
 
 April 13, 1732 
 
 "In the young men's meeting on April 12th 
 we were of one mind that on Easter Day 
 we would go to our Resting Place upon the 
 Hutberg before the rising of the sun; which 
 was done before four o'clock on the morn- 
 ing of the 13th. Later, when we had spent 
 an hour and a half in singing on the Hut- 
 berg, and had returned, a song and prayer 
 service was held in the, Saal." (Croeger, 
 Volume I, page 224.) 
 
lEaate r tn Salem 
 
 "Tomb, thou shalt not hold him longer; 
 Death is strong, but life is stronger; 
 Stronger than the dark, — the light; 
 Stronger than the wrong, — the right; 
 Faith and Hope triumphant say 
 Christ will rise on Easter day." 
 
 —Phillips Brooks 
 
 Silent is the great visitor-thronged 
 city. 
 
 "Night's black mantle covers all alike 
 'Tis the witching hour of night; 
 Orbed is the moon and bright, 
 And the stars, — they glisten, glisten, 
 Seeming with bright eyes to listen, — 
 For what listen they?" 
 
 Perhaps for the sweet song the 
 angels sang; or, for the glad cho- 
 rales that usher Easter in. Some two 
 short hours since 
 
 "The lonely moon 
 From the slow-opening curtains of the 
 
 clouds 
 Walked in beauty to her midnight 
 
 throne/ ' 
 
 cr 
 oo 
 H 
 
the well-trained groups, with an- 
 cient horns, stand here and there 
 throughout the city's bounds. Sud- 
 denly at the appointed hour, as if 
 with one accord, the sacred hymns 
 peal forth almost beneath the wait- 
 ing windows of each home, gently 
 yet solemnly calling all from 
 sleep. 
 
 "Hark! the numbers soft and clear 
 Gently steal upon the ear" — 
 
 from near at hand, from neighbor- 
 ing square, 
 
 "Now heard far off, so far as but to seem 
 Like the faint exquisite music of a 
 dream." 
 
 * In every home, despite the hour, 
 all now arise, then quietly to the 
 tranquil square proceed, o'er which 
 the tall church steeple casts a bene- 
 diction, constant, tender, sweet. 
 
 "Night's black mantle still covers all 
 alike," 
 
 but every eye is fastened on that old 
 church door. Slowly, quietly, gen- 
 tly, now at last it opens wide. The 
 
host of ushers, thronging choir 
 and all the pastors of that faith, 
 from all the province round, appear 
 and disappear into the gathered 
 throng. A moment later, then, a 
 form erect, in priestly garb, a strik- 
 ing face, a "good gray head which 
 all men know," as if by magic cen- 
 tres in the scene. Upon the portal 
 all alone he stands, framed as it 
 were in a great picture there. It is 
 the Bishop, well beloved, 
 
 "Whose preaching, but far more his 
 
 practice wrought 
 A living sermon of the truths he taught. " 
 
 His voice, so clear, so marvelous, 
 so sweet, sounds forth in tones of 
 triumph and of joy that all may 
 hear, the greeting apostolic, 
 
 "The Lord is risen !" 
 
 Oh, there's something in that 
 voice and in that call that touches 
 every heart and brings in thunder 
 tones the hearty glad response, 
 
 "The Lord is risen indeed!" 
 
Soon the great procession forms, 
 and at its head u his office sacred, 
 his credentials clear," the Bishop 
 leads it on. In his footsteps "fol- 
 low fast" one of the bands, and 
 others, finding ^p laces h ere and 
 there, play, antiphonally as they 
 march. Through hallowed avenue 
 and fair, the vast throng slowly 
 makes its way, until a welcoming 
 gate is found o'er which a sweet 
 inscription ever says, 
 
 "I am the Resurrection and the. Life." 
 
 Beneath the arch the Bishop now 
 has passed and in the centre of u the 
 field and acre of our God," he takes 
 his stand. 
 
 From every blossom-covered 
 grave there springs a fragrant, rich 
 perfume, 
 
 "And the fresh air of incense-breathing 
 morn 
 Doth wooingly embrace it." 
 
 Night's candles have almost 
 burned out, the day begins to break 
 neath the "opening eyelids of the 
 
morn," and, in the east, a mellow 
 light a promise brings, that soon 
 the radiant sun, "God's crest upon 
 his azure shield," will flame again 
 upon the forehead of the morning 
 sky. On what a scene, that none 
 can e'er forget, will its first rays de- 
 scend ! More than thirty thousand, 
 in His image made, from many a 
 city, town, and state, are standing, 
 waiting there, in silence grave and 
 in deep reverence wrapt. None fail 
 to hear the Bishop's words. None 
 can forget that service there. All 
 feel the thrill of this great call be- 
 fore the benediction comes,— 
 
 "Glory be to Him who is the Resur- 
 rection and the Life! He was dead 
 and behold He is alive evermore; 
 And he that believeth in Him, 
 though he were dead, yet shall he 
 live. Glory be to Him in the church 
 which waiteth for Him, and in that 
 which is around Him from ever- 
 lasting to everlasting. Amen." 
 
 But why stand you silent there? 
 The multitude has gone, the ser- 
 vice o'er. 
 
UNIVERSITY OF N.C. AT CHAPEL HILL 
 
 00034024617 
 
 FOR USE ONLY IN 
 THE NORTH CAROLINA COLLECTION 
 
 Form No. A-368, Rev. 8/95 
 
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