Show y v Y 1 x f y 1 v y 1 ri Vr wr s ti p i y yam F Mt A 9 t. t M fie r t G. G Ili NATURES NATURE'S CHURCH Towering vivid-red vivid limestone rocks sil- sil ho against a glorious sunrise sky of red blue ue and gold create an ant r ft t inspiring we-inspiring setting for th the annual Easter sunrise service in Colo- Colo Colorado's Colorados Ju at 1 rado rados rado's s Garden of the Gods OW O THERE T HERE WAS A A GARDEN aster K fester aster Sunrise Service Set 11 81 ji Church Carved by Nature a u e 2 J f Features COLORADO SPRINGS COLO Just Just as on the sunrise of the ther 2 r st st Easter morn when a magnificent hope confidence and faith t upon a discouraged group of men and women so will some b MOO oo worshipers gain renewed hope and courage from the t s Annual ual presentation of the Easter sunrise service in a church a million or more years ago by nature the nature the inspiring arden of the Gods I near Colorado Springs of Here ere in a IS setting Ul le Ie beauty amidst the towering estone tone shafts of the cathedral ires lires looming to fantastic angles of are ore re than feet with the brilant bril- bril ant ht tnt red of the rocks bathed in a alden golden elden light of an early Colorado rise and with majestic snow- snow Aped Pikes Peak serving as back- back J op the Rev Thomas Dick Jr will willye ve ve ye the annual Easter message t constellation of ideas gathered the Easter faith is h s almost over ollI oll- oll I ing ng g in its ts daring Truth Is s stronger I 4 n falsehood good conquers evil love 1016 loveI I I stronger than hatred human beings brings are artl worth north and dignity God is an unfailing e of 0 security life is victor over overath mth ath These thoughts thol constitute the eme m of 0 Mr Dicks Dick's sermon V t Acoustically and to the eye the arch which nature carved out inI in I jie e Garden of the Gods is more 1 than any since erected y I IV r mortal man The spectacle of J people massed together ins iny in y s 's s natural inspiring awe-inspiring setting Hia ha ja colorful incredible sight lend- lend ig true religious significance to tos to's s 's Easter sunrise service deep in ine j lie e e heart of the Rocky mountains ho JI c F Founded 28 Years Ago j I The Colorado Springs Ministerial il liance founder of the Garden of ofie ie e Gods Easter service 28 years 0 o again will sponsor the rites e service will be carried to radio j worshipers coast to coast over the network from to 7 fi r ri m m. Mountain Standard Time i g f from om Station of lorado o Springs jAs As in previous years the Garden Gods service will be antly musical The Colorado f wrings Brings rings voice a cappella choir fill fill be featured The choir under of Frank Gilles is nation- nation t JY lly y famous having won first place 1 the N National a lional Choral society cone conI con- con I e st several times J Traditional with the service for any years is tenor Bernard Vesy Ves- Ves r i-ey i y y who has been singing on the raster faster sunrise services for more morean an a quarter quater century Vesse Vessey Y Yme t me to Colorado Springs from the ast st for his health His solo Open she e Gates of the Temple which v he heWings Wings dings every year is a favorite of I of music lovers Mrs erda Lawrie Colorado Springs is 3 The Garden of the Gods spacious spacious spa- spa cious lous garden of overturned limestone limestone limestone lime lime- stone rocks was revered by Ute Indians as a holy place for their i. i god Manitou long before the II coming of the white man The lii big rocks according to the Indians In- In VP are arc barbaric hosts of gito gi- gi Mants to ants which in prehistoric times threatened their domain The Thes Utes s prayed to their god Manit Mani- Mani t ton who lived at the top of Holy Mount Pikes Peak and who answered their prayers by causIng caus- caus r Ing the giants and the monstrous monstrous mon- mon beasts accompanying I them to turn tarn to stone stoney Geologically the explanation is uch simpler In prehistoric times ie e e same shaking earth-shaking movements hat at formed the Rocky mountains aused an of limestone extends underground from I IK nada anada to Mexico However it is taly in the Colorado Springs Garen Gar- Gar j en of the Gods that this limestone j u shows antly above ground In 1921 the Rev A. A W W. Luce of the he First Christian church now retired retired retired re re- re- re tired was walking through the Garden Garden Garden Gar Gar- den of the Gods his Bible in hand trying to get an inspiration for his Easter faster sermon Opening his Bible to o the Book of John he read Now in n the place where he was crucified there here was a garden there they laid Jesus While reading this his eyes fell ell on three gigantic shafts of rock which closely resembled cathedral cathedra spires The inspiration came to him that here in the beauty splendor splendor splendor dor and solitude of the Garden of the Gods was vas the ideal place to gather for worship and to observe observe observe ob ob- serve the day in which Christ was resurrected This inspiration became a reality and ind the first Easter service was held with some worshipers at- at tending ending The audience has been growing ever since now estimated to o be more than In addition to o the thousands who receive inspiration inspiration inspiration in in- from actually attending the service countless others are able to benefit spiritually from this Easter message by dialing the service service service ice on their radio The noted Dr S. S Parkes Cadman once stated that unless a person were to go to J Jerusalem Jerusalem Jeru Jeru- eru- eru salem where the first Easter actually actually actually actu actu- ally occurred he could find no more appropriate setting than the Garden of the Gods with thousands of people people people peo peo- massed together in the natural valley surrounded by towering peaks The Garden of the Gods was a apart apart apart part of public domain until 1879 when it was bought by Charles E E. E Perkins an eastern railroad tycoon He intended to build a home there but on more leisurely inspection decided that no work of man should spoil the beauty of this natural gar garr den |