The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1853-12-20 00:00:00

THE CHURCH'S FESTIVALS

TO THE EDITOR OP THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—The festival of Christmas has always, by the
Church universal, been observed for the celebration of her
most solemn rites, the offering of her highest praises, and
the decoration of her sanctuaries with appropriate symbols
of her joy and gladness.
Christmas is almost the only period of the Church's
year which has retained a hold upon the affections of
Englishmen, and yet I am sorry to think that the re-
ligious observance of that holy season is much below that
of our ancestors, who, whatever may have been their
errors, put this enlightened age to shame by the earnest-
ness and sincerity with which they walked in the light
which was given them.
It was an ancient practice of the Church to prepare for
the celebration of her joyous festival by a watch, or vigil,
which was generally ended by a midnight service on the
eve of the feast : they were, however, discontinued, ex-
cepting on the eves of the great festivals of Christmas,
Easter, Pentecost, &c., and of these the feast of our
Saviour's nativity has always been so observed, even as
at first the angels announced the glad tidings of great
joy, " while shepherds watched their flocks by night:
Why so appropriate and primitive a custom should have
been suffered to fall into disuse amongst English Church-
men, I have never been able to ascertain, unless it has
been because Rome has retained it, which is, if any, a
very strong reason why we should have done so also ; for
it is certain that many Protestants are in the habit of at-
tending "midnight mass" on Christmas-eve, at the Ro-
man chapels of this town ; and to those who know any-
thing of the Romish system it will not appear strange
that some of these, whose religious feelings are likely to
be excited by the beauty which meets the eye, and the
melody which salutes the ear, should be captivated through
their senses, and, if they are not of strong mind, they are
often led by Romish friends to compare the two churches
from a Romish point of view, which, of course, will place
the English Church in a disadvantageous position, and
their faith in it will continue to be steadily undermined
by the zealous and untiring emissaries of Rome. All this
may and does often happen to those who are induced to
attend a service to which they would never have gone, if
an opportunity of attending such were afforded them by
their own Church.
About two years ago a suggestion appeared in one of
your contemporaries, that the observation of the approach-
ing festival of Christmas should be commenced by a mid-
night service in our principal Churches s in only one, St.
Martin's, did the proposition meet with a response. I
attended that service, and though—for reasons I need not
specify—it was not a popular church, the service seemed
to be eminently so ; there was about 1,500 of a congrega-
tion, whereas the average attendance at this church was,
I believe, about 300. Last year the Rev. Dr. Hillcoat, of
St. Matthew's, Scotland-road, had a midnight service,
and there is little doubt that these two churches being
open kept many Protestants out of theneighbouring mats-
house. But why should the practice stop here? In Lon-
don, Leeds, and other towns the Tractarians have for
some time revived this ancient custom, and why should
we leave this or any other primitive and Catholic practice
for the sole use and benefit of Romanists and Tractarians ?'
I for one cannot see the wisdom of so doing-

I would remark that the service used up'On this occasion
did always incitare;. if not entirely consist of, the celebra-
tion of the most, solemn rite of the Church=—the Holy
Communion, with,- of course, a sermon. -At thesservices
we have already had in this town the usual. evening
prayers only have been, used, which are not very appro-
priate. At the parish. churches of Leeds and Bradford,
where they keep the vigil of the feast of Circumcision, or
New Year's Day, they arways celebrate Holy Communion,
and I hope we may also: see the same at some church in
this. town, on Christmas-eve next. If the .Litany were
used, it would be a most appropriate service; it is evident
it never was intended to. donfine the use of that most
beaatifal devotional composition to the morning service,
but that it may be used at other times, at the discretion
of the•O'rdinary; and the Bishop' of London sanctioned
the use. of it at special evening services held at several,
churehes•in his diocese, during last Lent, and I feel sure`
our own good Bishop would sanction• its use upon Christ—

maseve--
I truer that the above imperfect remarks, if by your
kindness.permitted to appear irnthe Liverpool Standard,
may be a means towards attaining the object they advo-
cate, and any, Sir, yours respectfilly,
A CHURCH OF ENGLAND MAN.
Liverpool,. 13th Dec., 1853.
[The views which our correspondent" urges with such
Moderation. will be readily responded to by many
sincere Churchmen, but a strong: objection presents
itself, whichi it will be difficult to' overcome, and
the:more so on. this occasion, from' the day of the
week- on. which. Christmas-eve faM.• A midnight
attendance at church in a populous, town involves
the • necessity of passing through crowded streets
at' a, time • when]. from the number of drunken raf-
Sans and abandimed women, it is neither- prudent
nor' safe. for deeent people, and especially females, to
brout; and theseevils would be considerably increased
on-a
-Saturday, which is too often devoted by? the tower
orders to indulgence in dissipation, aftorthe.receipt of
their-wages. There are also objections,from.the injury
to health through i f6gs, and the chars- occasioned by
sitting in a cold, dimp church.]

TILE ANGZ2VAN RACE -1.07,D• ITS

CZZ, U IC C:_l3.