The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-26
Zion Episcopal Church.


The services yesterday at Zion Episcopal church,
corner of Broadway and Thirty-eighth street, were
OF that nature prescribed by the Protestant Epsco
pal Church for this OF the year. Morning and
afternoon services were held, Bishop Southgate
officiating on both occasions. The church was neat
~ cocked with cvergreens and was well attended
throughout the day. At the morning services after
the singing OF the nineteenth, forty fifth and eighty
nth Psalms the nineteenth chapter OF Isaiah was
read which followed by the reading OF the Cos
pei OF the day, the second chapter OF ST. Luke This
in turn followed by the reading OF the FIRST
chapter OF st. Paul to the Hebrews after which the
gospel OF st. John was read and followed by the
singing OF the forty-ifth hymn. Bishop Southgate
then assembled the pulpit and delivered short but
eloquent sermon, taking for his text the second chap
ter OF IT. Luke, beginning &c the words, "And she
brought forth her first born son and wrapped him
In swaddllng clothes and laid him in. Manager
because there was no room for them In the
inn and ending with the fourteenth verse, GLORY to
God In the highest and on earth peace, good VIII
toward men, The mission OF Christ to EARTH said
the reverend gentleman was heraIded by this song
OF the angelic choir. The glory Of God was thus to
be ordained and the hearts OF men were TO be made
glad by these tdngs OF great Joy, even now, as
were the hearts OF the poor shepherds who kept
watch over their nocks eighteen hundred years ago.
As you gather around your hearths to-day, let this
feeling gladden. your hearts for to you this dag there
Ia born o saviour. II we are TO be Christians, con
tinued the reyered gentleman, we must be
Christians after the manner and purpose Of Cod by
being Christians with peace and good will earth,
otherwise we fail to ful1l the great end ordained for
US by the Creator. This Is our MISSION as IL was
His and every Christian must fulfil this vocation
under Christ Christmas must renoyate US II IL does
its proper work and we must be new born as was
the babe AT Bethlehem, with new life TO be spent
FOR the same purpose as was His-"Peace on earth,
good VIII toward men," Bishop southgate IN con.
for the poor OF hs flock, sa} ing: 'rhese they
whom your offering o. peace and good VIII must be
made.p
~. James Roman Catholic Church.. ,
The services at 50. James church yesterday
were OF the most impressive character carried out
with great magni1cence. The FIRST mass was cee-
brated at hafpast four A. NJ, the pastor, the
Rev. Father Farrely, acting as celebrant
assisted by Father Calaghan as deacon,
and Rev. Mr.. McEvoy as subdeacon. Tho
church was filed to repetion most eloquent
sermon, appropriate to the day, was preached by
Rev. Father farrelly. The mass sung was Gene.
rae grand gn mass double mar caor and
were brilliantly lighted and decorated pro- pro,
pillars and galleries galleries We're festoonca with i'm
evergreens At balf-past ten A. NJ another grand high
pressive sermon was delivered by the Rev. Father
st. Jouin, >. j., OF st. Johns College, Fordham,
who took for his text "And thus shall be a
swaddling clothes and laid In amanger." The rever-
end gentleman In enlarging on tins text said that
under such extraordinary circumstances OF humilia
ton fatal blow had been dealt to what the Evange
list described as the occasion or all sim namely, the
concupisccnce OF the fes of the eyes and the pride
OF life. The number OF communicates at the differ
ent masses was unprecedenedly large.
Trinity Chapel.
The special services held at Trinity chapel, West
Twenty-lfh street. yesterday morning were attended
by large and fashionable congregation Tire Inte
rior OF this handsome Gothic edince was decorated
in the customary elaborate and appropriate manner
The morning services were conducted by the Rev.