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Show MANY ATTEND EASTER SERVICES IN IN PARK; TO BE ANNUAL AFFAIR ZION NATIONAL PARK, April 23, 1935 The first annual Easter Eas-ter song service recently held in Zion National Park was attended by an audience of from seven to eight hundred persons,, representing represent-ing all f the communities surrounding sur-rounding the park, and augmented augment-ed by out-of-state visitors from California, Nevada, Arizona, Idaho,. Ida-ho,. Montana, Texas, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Pen-nsylvania, and Florida; an attendance at-tendance record that is unusual in view of the fact that but one week was spent in planning and advertising the program-. The program, which was conducted con-ducted jointly by the National Park Service and local church organizations, featured the well-known well-known vocal choruses of southern Utah and also included a short dedication of the outdoor amphitheater amphi-theater in which the service was held. Claude Hirschi, president of the Zion Park Stake of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Lat-ter Day Saints, presided over the meeting, and Mr. Thomas C. Parker, assistant superintendent of Zion National Park, delivered the dedication address. Short talks were also given by President Presi-dent Hinschi, President Palmer, of Cedar City, and P. P. Patraw, superintendent of Zion National Park, who expressed his appreciation appre-ciation for the cooperation of all church 'groups participating. Opening Op-ening and closing prayers were jrrered by Bishop Morris Wilson. Jr., of La Verkin, and Councilor McArthur, of St. George. A major portion of the service consisted of vocal selections and community singing. Singers from the Dixie Junior college, St. George, under Director McAllister, McAllis-ter, rendered two fine numbers with their double mixed quartet, quar-tet, and also two solos, "Trees," and "The Voice of the Deep." A stirring soprano solo was contributed con-tributed by the Zion Park Stake; and two numbers, a double mixed mix-ed quartet and a male quartet, were contributed by singers from Cedar City. The entire program was fittingly fitting-ly centered around the idea of outdoor Easter worship, amid the natural beauties of Zion Canyon, which formed a vast natural cathedral ca-thedral surrounding the man-made man-made amphitheater in which the audience was gathered. A per-feot per-feot spring day, superb surroundings, surround-ings, and a simple sacred service combined to produce an effect upon the audience which is seldom sel-dom if ever attained in the more conventional types of Easter Eas-ter worship. Both church and park service j officials express the hope that similar services in future years may prove equally effective, and Superintendent Patraw is of the opinion that as this annual event becomes more wridely known, it will become a mecca for visitors from all parts of the West. |