New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-12-24

experience meetings. lovefcasts and after the holy
eucharist makes IN devotional feryor, and zeal
Ibe three masses of the Rnmsb Churches on Christmas
Eve. At least so they think and this may ne one
reason why the Methodlss have never observed i
mas Eve In their Sunday-schOO celebration OF Chrls
the MethOdsts, at least in this city, are adVog
zeal and generosity from year TO year since the re
belliOn broke out, no year has seen the MethOulst
Churches in such Christmas jubilee as the present
The Alenst. Church. OF which the Rev george Lansing
Taylor pastor. has just renovated ltS Lecture anu sun
day school rooms az large expense Inc internal
division OF the basement has been changed the walls
and ceilings renewed, fine iron cOlnihhs tsnpporung
elegant gasXtures displaced the venerable wooden
snddenly rradated that ancient fortress Few OF the
older churches in city have now better Easements
This work has been pushed day and night by the indie
fagabe S. S. superintendent, VIM Shears, and VIII be
thrown open To the public for the first time at 9f5 o'clock
on Christmas morning The Simpson Mission Sunday
school OF this church. which occupies fine rental u the
public school building in HOustOn-st, at the foot OF
Avenue A. also has pleasant programme provided by
their patrons for the day.
AMONG THE UEIvERsALISTs.
The Universaist denomination holds tire
Christmas Festival IN high regard, and it is celebrated in
all their churches by such observance most fifty serves
mark their Of the greatness Of the event which
it commentaries In common with other Christians,
they believe the advent Of Christ to have been the most
important and significant event IN the history OF the
world bur- going beyond all others their estimate OF
making the anniversary OF his birth Of reoic-
ing. To them Christ is being not simply essayng to be
Savior but able to TO the uttermost ana the sig
nhcant point in his mission Is not In his sacrhcial
death but IN his rea9n OF the DIVINE ,h tS
the chief religious festival OF the year AS Church
they observe by decorating theI places Oh worship
holding n special service OF commem0rauon Dy speclai
efforts OF charity toward the neglected and outcast ana
personally by an effort TO realize the deep spiritual
meaning advent. Christmas" says one OF their
greatest writer's Is not historical event, but
Spiritual conception TO be celebrated When Christ
the soul Ia spirit and power when we Ieel the
truth of what he am come that they might
fe might have IL aDundantly,
then indeed the dark soul there comes brightness
greater than that which Heated IN the nShtsKy anu III
up the lonely plains Of Judea."
Unversalsts oyfuy seize this annual occasion to dis
charge the time secartan and dogmatlo differences,
and Join with all Christians In common Worship ITO
day. says one the Christian world presents the specta
Gle OF a grand aud glorious unity The most diverse
OF Thought and moving In the most eccentric orbits Of
opinion Illuminated with the glory OF one great event.
innumera6le sects are all chimebolls to-day ringing in
sweet accordance throughout many lands and awaken
ing great Joy in the heart Of our common humanity.
The hard cold Winter season grows genial as though the
world in frosty felt the Quckening OF
that glad, mysterious hour when lhe INFANT ehliss was
born upon lts BOSOM His advent reflects It's gadness
and its glory upon the hour II a. time Tor the synpa
thies of common faith for the iseng OF common n nu
in those grand fundamentals upon which tho DfOaueSt
Church cOufessedly stands. .
the churches Ia this city the special service will be held
sunday The day Will be celebrated IN TINS cry III tns
Church of Our Savior the Rev. Mt Pulmans; Beecker-
Church, the Rev. Mr. Sweetsers Free Chapel MISSION
and Industrial school Dr. Geo. e. Needham SuPerinten-
dent; and Harlem UniyerSalist Church, the Rev. Mr.
Fuhrer's.
BROoKLYN.-First Universast Church, the Rev Mr..
BOlles Greene-ave,' corner OF Carlton second Inlver
sais Church. the Rev Mr. Canfelds FOurtht corner OF
South Third; Third Uniyersalst Chuieh the rev MT
Lees, NOblest. Services VIII also be held IN the tlSt
Second and Third Unversalst Churches, OF which the
pastors are the Rev Messrs Bodies Garfield and Lee In
an the churches Cristmas Festival and Christmas Trees
will be held generally on Christinas-eye.
AMONG THE UNITARIANs
The peculiar and distinguishing tenets of
Untaranism might lead to the superstition that the fes
val Of Chrsts Nativity would be quite ignored by that
denomination 1t and interesting fact that
this is by no means the case The religious observance
Of Christmas by the Unarans may perhaps be traced 10
the circumstance that many years the Episcopal con-
gregatOn OF Kings Chapel IN Boston dropped Its Tim
taan belief and yet retained all Its former usages ana
customs including Of course, the celebration Of Christ
mas The social between Unitarians and Epls
copaans IN the higher circles OF Boston society foered
still the Unitarian observance OF Christina while VI
this city, for some 80 years special religious Chsnas
service has been held jointly by the two congregations
| OF which DR.. Bellows and Mr.. Hepwortn are now the
pastors THIS year the service viii be held al All Souls
Church FOurth.ave &C IL O'clock on Christmas morn
ing. aud DR.. Bellows Will preach the sermon MT hep-
worth VIII also preach Christmas sermon TO his own
congregation on Sunday morning; MS church VIII DC
beautifully trimmed with eyeTgreehs ana MOVERS ana ue
The children Of the Unitarian sunday and Mis-
sion schools also duly INDUCED In holiday festivities,
| fhe children's festival Christmas evening has
| been a very fine ana highly enioyabie affair.
nrations and Christmas trees gering with nnmer-
GUS gifts has been the custom for the children to act
little play with all the accessories OF stage scenery and
attire and with the further attraction OF Juvenile or
chesTa playing on little flutes ana pipes ana bells
German composer expressly for such holiday Occasons
This year the play will be omitted but the chdrens ho'
dav festival with trees and gifts and dancing and gen
era merry making Will be held AT TreuOrs Lyric HAN
on Christmas evening,
AMONG TIE LuTHERANs
The observance of Christmas In the Lutheran
Church. during the years since the Reformation. has
been matter Of religious principle. quite much as
! with EpiscOpallans ana Roman Catholics. deyout
merning religious service, including Sermon is held In
honor OF the day. which is generally still further solemn
zed nv the administration TO the faithful OF the holy sac
Tanebt of the Lords Supper Since the Sabbath
schools began chidrens celebrations have formed In
the churches part OF the Christmas Obseryance es
bring with them from the Fatherand the warmest re.
gard for this festival Luther himself Was faithful and
Joyous observer only OF Christmas bn Of the other
holy days OF the Church year and his followers have
always initiated his example Ia TINS respect More thah
one Christmas Is Included among his works and
in the earyidays OF Luheransm 1t was even customary
celebrate both the 18th and 26th days OF DccemDer as
the first ana second Chrstmasesa practice which is not
vet Wholly extinct In Germany where evening religious
services very even on sunday II has been the
custom among the Lutherans 10 brilliantly illuminate
their Churches and hold grand service the evening
OF Christmas. well as OF the other holy days and IN
some OF the l6 Lutheran churches IN this city II is even
now the to burn candles during tire daylight
! Christmas services
IN THE REFORMED CHURCH.
| Among the adhcents OF this venerable de-
nomination Christmas formerly generally OBJ
served religious festival but IN later years It's cee-
ton has fallen somewhat into dsuse. The observance OF
the day was never regarded by them duty. but the
Christmas customs Holland naturally followed by
the early settlers Of Manhattan, who thus became
Christmas keeping people In the Collegiate Church, on
TWenty.nnthst appropriate services viii be held, and
DR. Thomas Dewitt will preach sermon at lOt a. M on
Christlnas day while a Christmas sermon viii also be
nreached on Sunday morning by the Rev. DIR. J.. Il.
Rogers OF the South Church on Fiftll-aye.