The native Virginian. [volume] (Orange Court House, Va.) 1867-187?, 1869-01-08

The glory of womanhood, Love, to-day,
From the sky of her yeGng life faded away,
And she only cares to die.
An! Autumn is golden, and Spring is green
| And Summer is sweet and long:
| But what care we in our discomfort
For the earth's adornment, hue and scent,
| When something in life is wrong?
| CHRISTMAS EVE AT ST. ALBANs.
At nine O'Clock last night the little
church at the corner of Lexington ave.
and Forty-seventh ST., dedicated to st.
| Alban, the protO-martyr OF Great Brl-
tain, was filled to overtlowing. The
service was the first Vespers of The
| great Christmas festival. The body oi
the little cnurch was tastefully decorat-
ed with evergreens hanging In festoohs
! from the beams of the roof, and the
sanctuary, which was lighted by Two
large standards of wax candles, was rich
| in the most exquisite flowers. Two inn
nlense vases filed with everything that
Horticulture can produce. or that can be
forced into bloom at this inclement sea-
son, stood on either side of the altar
while on the re-table there were two
magnificent pyramidal boquets of white
camelias, azu.eas, &C.. in two large me-
dieval brass vases. The altar, which
was lighted by two branches OF wax ia
pers, was vested i'll very handsome
frontal, beautifully embroidered, the
stolcs and sacred monogram being eX-
ceedingly rich, and the super-frontal
one mass of gold embroidery, with a
heavy French golden fringe. A few
| bars of prelude from the organ warned
the congregation that the service was
about to commence, apd then the strains
of the grand old Christmas hymn,
ssHark the Herald Angels Sing," qui-
city stole upon the ear from the choris-
| ter S vestry. At the end OF the hrst
! verse the procession entered the church,
headed by the cruciiier, in cassok and
Gotta, bearing the Professional Gross,
! followed by the choir boys, and four ta-
per bearers in scarlet cassocks and sur
| piices, then the choir men; and lastly
| the Priests, Father Morrill,. the rector,
vested in n very beautiful white cape,
all wearing their briettas. AT e con-
clusion OF the Professional LYNN,
| Evensong was s'sung; and we must say
| that Father Morrill, has, III spite of ma
nv obstacles. brought his choir up to a
very fair standard; though we would
suggest ssHelmore's Plain Song" as be-
! ing more suitable to congregational
singing. At the the termination of
Evensong, the hymn "While Shepherds
watched tieir flocks at night" was sung,
and Father Morrill, then proceeded to
deliver an eloquent address, founded on
the llth verse of the 10th chapter OF
| Deuteronomy.
1
| THE MIDNIGHT SERVICES.
At midnight. when the service CON-
mcnced, the church was literally jamm
ed. and to find standing room was a
matter of considerable difficulty. At
! l1:30 "the first acolyte,' clothed in
| black, brought from the Sacristy an
open prayer-book, and passing before
| the altar made q reverential genuileX-
| ion, after which be placed the book on
| the altar. He was followed by two 9TH
| ers. (these latter clad in close fitting
yrstrnents of scarlet.) bearing the sa-
cred utensils to 5e used in the ofiertory.
| These were placed on table at the left
| OF the altar. At a little before - o.
| clock the "First Acolyte" again ap-
peared, and having made his abeisance
| before the altar, proceeded to light the
tapers, lighting first the two. largest,
which tianked the CrucifiX on either
| side, then those at the left and right lin
'front.' )'of the altar, leaving untouched
those already mentioned as behind the
altar. Atprecisely II the solemn peas
of the organ burst forth i'm the Process
ional, ''All my heart this night rejoic-
es," and before it first bdr had been
completed the voices OF the chorsters
could be heard chanting the sacred song;
i'm an instant the head of the procession
appeared at the right hand door OF the
| sacrisry. In the van was a diminutive
acolyte. bearing aloft cross; next came
several men choristers and acolytes,
an emblematic banner, borne by an ac-
oiyte; more choristers and acolytes; an.
other banner, different in design from
the first, and finally, preceded BY more
acolytes, and two clerks, or deacons
came the Rev. DIR. Noyes, the celebrant
OF the services. He was attired in {
vestment of celebration, which is com.
posed of skirt OF white linen, sur.
mounted bya cloak of the same, border.
! ed st the edges with gold and red
| band, and ornamented front and back
| bv a broader band of the same material
which passed from the neck to the bot.
tom of the skirt. being crossed trans.
versely near the shoulder. AT his en-.
| trance he wore a cap, as did also his as
sistants. but these were removed and
taben away by an acolyte. As the pro,
| eession entered the chancel and faced
the altar, each member of it made Il re.
verential bow, and the bearers of the
cross and banners lowered them. As
soon as the acolytes had filed to the
| right and lett the celebrant of the ser.
| vipps asopudn6 the two stairs Of the a l.