The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-26

Cs!nonc happening to drop In ration
u , .ne u Iass was In progress mt 70 =
c1seo for supposlng himself aftrr - sL,r
Of ms own faith The counter t'arka
VI re genuine; but Oh exJ CO., y
:" ence Of soul, and In the perform.
= nothing but the painted likeness c'@
-Four priests robed themselves In . ae s4c =
Father Noyes, celebrant; Morrlii, on; Downey,
deacon and miner. sub-deacon. l .ceded by TWO
acolytes dressed IN purple sOutanes and whlte sur
nees and followed by two boys xnown az ~
the glory OF veslments threaded OF SILK ana goid,
emergea from the sacrisly, and passing around tne
chance drew up IN front OF the altar. me altar Was
draped In white and at either side supported two
large vases OF natural and highly fragrant MOVERS
Two tall wax candles stood beside the mowers, ana
this much constituted the simple and effective deco
ration of the main altar on the super altar, now
ever the blaze Of light was fairly dazzlng. here
also were vases OF natural flowers interspersed pc
tween the rows OF candelabra which took up the
space at the rear and made bright illumination OF
ana pillars at the back OF the church. From the
altar to the front door unc0mmonlY heavy wreatns
and festoons OF pine leaves hemlock ana laurel were
suspended 10 the massive beams OF the Gothc ROOF,
and betw cen the pastcrs at the sides shields were
hung, enclosing crosses Of green leaves and white
camellas. From the main entrance OF the church
the appearance Of the altar was sngularly pictur-
esque seen, as it was, with Its halo oil light ana
color through soft aromatic maze q incense Wncn
OF the congregation and filled the church Win tho
Oriental odors OF nankncense and myrrh Inc
chasube OF the celebrant vestment or heavy tex
ture, marked broadly with u cross, was magniu-
cent garment with ground OF pale silver ike
.moonght on the lake, The chasuDles OF the other
officiating clergymen were exceedingly rich and
beautiful That OF the celebrant was made and pre-
scented by lady Of the congregation.
The music was or the light aud captivating cnar-
acter attributed TO the cnOirs OF modern catholic
churches The female voices were evidently the pro-
duct OF refined training The service was high mass
ana began much the same as III the Catholic Church.
There was tho Inh'ou accompanied by the anthem
'Arise;'' the Kan'te, Twelfth Mass sequence" to
the music OF the beautiful Adeste Ftdetes. The
tsinging of this hymn was excellent The cele-
brant turned at various times around TO the congre-
cation and cried, THE Lord be with you,' and other
consolatory EXPLANATIONS but the principal time
was devoted to reading and partly chanting prayers
in English, with his back to the people who knelt
up and sat down at intervals according to the
particular stage OF the ceremonies. The bread and
winc typical OF the Savlour's body ana blood
were duly introduced and would appear TO
have been considered transubstantlated Judging
from the bowed and reverentla faces IN the con-
gregatlon. Communion as IN the Catholic service
administered TO the alty, who went up IN great
numbers TO the chance and received 1t. The Greed
o1ertory, Sdnct,s Benedictus and A0nuS differing
In some respects from their Roman prototypes, but
not essentially chanted by the priests IN very
fair imitation Of the Catholic manner. Benedictlon
closed the ceremonies which were over about one
O'Clock yesterday morning. The congregation, 1t
appears has become exactly twice too large for the
cupaclly OF st. Adams.