The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-12-28
RITUALISM.
The Manner in Which Christmas was
Celebrated at st. AIham's. New YORK.

Celebrated at st. Alban's, New York.
The New York Tribune OF Saturday says
of America must have been to have witnessed
me manner In Which the great festival of OF
Church of st. Alban, on the corner of Lexing-
ton avenue and Forty seventh street. 1t is no
use shutting ones eyes to facts, and 1t is un-
doubtedly a fact that Ritualism has planted
itselfin this city of New York. The English
in refusing to recognize Ritualism in any
shape or way, but the people of England have
TaGe priEeipe Se~ Of snoring dOes not ansWer @ and
they are now foolisnly endeavoriug to shut
the stable door after the steed has been stolen.
Ritualism has by no means confined itself to
Great Britain. 1t has branched out in all direc-
OF America in its wanderings., Father Morrill,,
OF St. Albans, is the great follower and expo
nent of Ritualism. or. as it should be more pro-
perly termed, Sacramentalism, in this country;
and, to judge from the character of the services
held in st. Adams Church yesterday, he is
opponents may think, is not to be lightly es-
teemed. At about quarter before 10 on Christ
Adams was quite crowded At 10 O'Clock
the procession, headed by the crucifer
boys an acolyte bearing the banner of the
blessed sacrament, then the tRper-bearers in
gearing He Of st. Aoan
of Great Britain, and patron saint of the
church the choir 1pG dat the Pres
bivettas, entered the church singing the well.
known Christmas hymn, "Aark the Herald
cessional hymn, Father NOyes intoned Mattius,
the special pss! !tns being very well chanted by
ths b0iP esRsy ssaHoe s% & sho ps
to the vestTy, preparatory tn the great junction
Of the day, High Mass, M after M o,t few
me ments, e'iSs preceded BY the taper-bearers
swinging the thuribe containing incense. The
Introit ended, the priests advanced to the pace
steps OF the altar, tne eeleorant kissing the
altar, the others reVerently bowling, and the
celebration of High Mass began, the music
being set to Mozarts Twelfth Mass. Father
Snd Sd mane was ih ISS Fa1heT Soye IN
plain alb and dalmatic, served as Deacon, ana
Father Mines, in plain alb and tuntcle, as Sub
Deacon. Incense was. offered during the sing
Ing of the sequence, "Adeste Fldeles," and the
gospel was then read by the Gospeler, at at
| Lights. The Kyrie (derbeck'sl was admirably
done by the Choir, and after some
| by Father Morrill,, Father Mines proceeded to
| the pulpit, from which he delivered very
carefully composed and elaborate retrospect OF
the fuhlment of prophecy, as exemplihed in the
events attending the birth OF our Saviour, and
| which lessons he i'm plored his hearers TO con-
slider as belonging TO themselves as much as
TO the Jews of old, who so obstinately refused
| to listen TO them. AT the termination of this
discourse the Ohertory Sentences were sung by
| the choir, during which the offerings OF the
Were , anu Tne me
table to the altar, ald which, together with
the aims, were, offered on the altar by
Church militant The actual celebration
! of the Holy Eucharist was then COM
menced, incense being again offered before
the prayer of Conservation. There was q
slight hesitation noticeable among the choir
during the singing OF the Sanctus and the
Veni Creator, but as the score is here rather
catchy. some little allowance for an amateur
choir ought in all fairness to be made; but these
little shortcomings We're amply compensated
for by the admirable rendering of the Agnes
Del, or hymn of alteration of the spiritual
and ineffable presence in the Blessed
Sacrament, in which the soprano voice. though
o little nervous at first, sang out with fulness
and richness which added much TO Its
soemntty. During the singing of the Agnus
Del, the eelebrant first communicated
himself and then the other priests.
The general body of the communicates
10 considerable portion of the congregation)
then approached the altar and, when all had
comm unieated and the Gloria in Excelss had
been sung, the celebrant proceeded with the
consumption of the remaining consecrated ele-
ments and the ablution OF the sacred vessels,
after which he gave his benediction to the as.