The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1866-12-10

,qaitles We trsst the Historical sooety NAV bes able
70 secure them most aterestng addition 10. their
small but valuable collection
RELIGIOUS SERVICES.
Inueressinx Ceremonies An Honor or the
Immaculate Conception.
The puesc ceremonies, with which the festival OF the
Immaculate Conception hoxored by the Catholic por
ton Of the community. were performed yesterday in
several of the churches In at inter esng
and Impressive.
This country having placed by tAe Fathers Of the
Church under the patronage Of Nary the Immaculate
Mother Of Cod and theCathoics here hcnoring her
their especial ntercessor at the throne OF grace Is not
to be wondered at that spirit Of emulation should be
engendercd between the several congregations and that
they should with each other in their efforts cee
brase the festival Of eher patroness in manner worthy
Of their earnest faith and her exalted station.
Among the method. adopted By the clergy and iaty
churches under che title "children Or Mary" These
years OF age Who are banded together for purpose
OF honong heYuriy Of the blessed Virgin and also for
thecicving Of the distressed teaching the catechsm TO
younger children and practising the teachings their
religion Besides the 'Chidreu OF Mary there is the
sodsty Of Holy ANGELS and me sodalty Of the 10,
honor Of the mnsterng guardian angels and Of the
angel Gabriel and the latter is In honor OF the Divine
Babe and also pray for the salvation OF the children
OF inhdel p&rents The former is composed OF children
between tue ages Of eleven and fourteen years and the
latter Of those between tho ages of i've and eleven
years.
At st. PETERS church. Barclay street. the celebration
by the sodales OF in the afternoon and one
which In reflected the highest credit all
concerned it, Shortly before three o'clock the three
sodacs attached tho church. under the direction Of
the Sisters OF Charity, formed the Sunday school room
in the basement Of the church, and marched in pairs
through the courtyard az the church into tho street TO
the following order:-The Children Of MARY" mum
berng hundred and dfty young ladies' dressed In
blue with sahes Of broad blue ribbon ransversey
across the breast and long wells OF pure white fastened
the head under wreaths Of white flowers headed by
q beautiful banner OF whrte silk, on which oil
painting Of the Immaculate Conception "Scdaty OF the
Holy Angels" numbering hundred young misses
dressed the former soday with the exception Of the
wreaths which were Of mixed blue and white flowers,
headed by banner Of blue silk bearing the representa-
ton Of an angel; "sodaty Of the Infant Savior"
numbering one hundred and twenty children dressed in
flowers headed by banner of red silk, which was
painting Of the Infant Saviour After the Sodales
berng some sixty members dressed in dark clothing,
and headed by banner with the portrait or the saint in
oil coors This society is for the purpose Of inducing
the members to live regularly and influence others to
the love OF virtue by their good example.
AS the procession entered the church and marched
slowly along the centre aisle to the sanctuary rails
beautiful coup d1H was presented, and which will
long be remembered by those who had the good fortune
to witness It. The grand altar, as well as the affairs
dedicated to the Blessed Virgin and st. Joseph were
profusely decorated with natural and artificial covers
and ilumined by numberless tapers, which shed mel
natural beauty OF the fair devotees and typyng the
loneliness and brightness of the Church Of Christ
When the procession arrived at the head Of the aisle
the banner bearers stood in the CENTRE while the others,
after genufcctng before the altar. seated themselves In
the pews either side, all chanting in unison the lite
ny OF the Blessed Virgin. As they seated
the vesper service commenced the choir under the
direction Of Mr. A. f. Pacher, rendVng the psalms.
hymns and responses In the style for which st. Peters
choir has long been noted vespers being concluded the
"Act OF Conservation read by Miss Rice, Of tho
re Of e w IN we
the by which the socialists bind themselves to-
gether and consecrate their lives and actions to the
service Of the living Cod and the honor Of his Immacu
late Mother At the conclusion OF the reading. the
asprants for admission to the different sodaes were
who invested each asprant with the medal OF the soda
ity and pronounced each the sarcedotal benedc
alone on account Of the number Of those dedcating
themselves to practices Of pety and virtue,
but also on account Of the tender years Of many who
were received into the "Sodaty Of the Infant Saviour
and whose childish voices joining In the responses and
petite forms they lifted up TO receive the medals
and blessings from their pastor noted with JOYFUL
smiles by the large number Of parents aud friends with
which the church was crowded During the reception
the members Of the sodalties sang the hymn Praises
Of Mary after the conclusion OF which, Father Quinn
delivered short and impressive sermon explaining the
nature Of the festival Of the Immaculate Conception and
the objects OF the sodaes and exhorting the children
TO persevere in the path OF virtue and 70 preserve their
faith in this life that they might be crowned with i'm
reformed returned the school rooms the socialists
singing, in unison, the Hymn Of the Immaculate Con
cepton.n
AT the Church Of the Holy Cross, in Forty.seccnd
street, the ceremonies were somewhat similar those
above described the hymns were effectively rendered
by the children Of the sodalcs, assisted by the choir
under the direction OF Professor Gleason. The exhort
alton was delivered by the pastor OF the church. the
Rev Father Mccarthy, who also delivered at the prn-
cipal mass an eloquent discourse the Immaculate
Conception.
At the Church Of the Immaculate Conception East
Fourteenth street, and, In fact at all the principal
Catholic churches throughout the city the day OBJ
served with all due solemni,y and the beautiful passage
from the "Cantice OF Cantcles' might be heard in
many places" Thou art all fair, o. my beloved, and
there Is not a spot IN thee"
immortality Of the staRe-Sermon Mt the North
Presbyterian Church.
After the usual Sunday evening service At the North
Presbyterian church, Ninth avenue and Thiriy.nrst
street, tho pastor, Rev. Thomas Street. last evening
delivered one Of series OF lectures young the
immortality Of the STAGE taking his text from the fourth
chapter Of the Ephesians He said that the subject
which he had selected one which at present
attracting great deal OF attention among all sincere
Christians The great question 70 consider was is the
theatre moral or immoral the Influences OF good
or pcrncious, safe dangerous II the theatre
safe and moral and good in its effects then let be
tanned, and let II be advocated from the pulpit; take
away all restraint, and afford all facilities for
It's growth. But II on the other hand II per
then let every effort be put forth from the pulpit and
elsewhere discourage and suppres
He did not want TO put himself in antagonism 20 others
he was not the director OF mems conscicnces but he
speced other mems convictions, and would leave them
TO follow their own He would not set up
binary rule, but at the time the duty or the
minister TO warn his hearers against evil practices Of
matter what character He believed that most people
theatres 70 amuse themselves and not 10 pro-
mote evil nor TO encourage any source OF evil His OBJ
jcct In treating this subject TO lay before the
candid judgment Of his hearers and ask them to
slider by the sober convictions OF truth. Amuscmanfs
OF this kind first invented at Athens IA Greece
thousand years ago From the rcmotest antiquity the
rnrticp celebrated the OF the with