The Portland daily press., 1871-12-27
Ghrssrps.ns.

| until at last the sun partly broke through and
lighted up the scene with its golden rays. The
air was somewhat mild, but the walking was
discouraging to pedestrians. The warm wealth
er had carried off much of the snow and the
sleighing was hard but the good places We're
wonderfully improved. Congress street. above
| High was the scene of carnival in the after
noon The wide thoroughfare was crowded
with gay turnouts aud sober equipages, and the
| horses were put to their best gait for the ad-
| miration of the crowds of pedestrians that con-
gregated on the sidewalks to watch the busy
and varying scene of enjoyment
The tide of life swarmed into the streets at an
early hour Many had not completed their
Christmas purchases, and up to noon the stores
that had made speciality of holiday goods
were thronged, and the traders all wore smiling
faces. Many chose to observe the day by at
tending service at the different churches that
were open. The audiences were respectable in
numbers and the ceremonies were of the elab-
crate and joyous character BETTING the day.
| THE CHURCHES.
The decorations at st. Luke's Cathedral on
state street, were elegant and appropriate. A
beautiful rood screen, composed of three
arches, was erected at the entrance to the chan
eel, the central opening being surmounted by
cross The windows on either side Of the
church and in the rear, were wreathed with
evergreen. The arches between the granite
pillars extending along the entire length of the
cathedral were also decorated with the same
material. The general effect of the decorations
was excellent, and served to display the beauty
and symmetry of the church to the best advan-
tage. Two beautiful boquets of choice flowers
in elegant vases were placed at each end of the
altar, while the cross in the centre was wreath
cd with English ivy. At the early Communion
service at seven o'clock, quite large congre-
CATION was present, and the service was partic-
ularly solemn and impressive. As the morn
ing advanced and cast its first faint beams of
light through the stained windows, it gradually
neutralized the effect of the gas lights and of
the candles which lighted the altar, while it
fell upon the kneehng throng of communicates
and over the silent and attentive congregation,
like the benediction of the blessed Saviour
whose birth they were then commemorating
AT half-past ten o'clock, large congregation
was'again in attendance, and the entire service
was imbued with the joyous spirit of the occa-
sion. The choir never sung better, their glad
some notes seeming to be but the natural out
pouring of the hearts joy andlpraise in honor of
the festive day The opening Professional,
''Adsste Fideles," and Goods TIE Deum, were
perhaps the best features of the musical portion
of the service. 1t is needless to say that the in
strumentral music was all that could be desir-
ed, as it is well-known that Mr.. Goold, the
young and talented organist, always pleases by
his skillful and artistic performances Bishop
Nicely delivered an earnest and eloquent ser
mon appropriate to the occasion, founded on St.,
Paups first Epistle to Timothy, third chapter
and sixteenth verse-"And without controversy
great is the mystery of godliness: God was
manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit,
seen OF angels, preached unto the Gentiles, be-
lieved on in the world, received up into glory
The sermon was one of the Bishops best efforts
and was a clear, able and convincing argumen
in favor of the divinity of Christ and of the re
atty of the incarnation. A large amount was
received at the offertory for the relief of the
Cathedral from its burden of debt.
The decorations of ST. Stephens church on
Congress street, were very fine, and in quantity
and arrangement harmonzed with the peculiar
architecture of the interior. The pointed roof
-
ing from the center and sweeping to the timbers
of the aisle roof The wall of the western aisle
bore festoons of evergreen, andthe opposite side
was ornamented with wreaths of the same. On
the sill of each window an emblem was placed,
and the font and reading desk were made beau
tiful with running vines. The music was good
many of the selections being the old-time
Christmas melodies of the church. A rather
ornate TIE Deam was the principal feature of
this part of the service The sermon, by Rev.
Mr.. Dalton, the rector, was based on Isaiah tx:
II. 1t was an argument drawn from history,
in proof of the,increasing influence of Christani-
ty, and prediction, drawn threfrom, that our
social and political relations are yet to be reor
ganized upon Christian principles, and tho
leaven of Cnrist's religion is making itself felt
in the agtations now in progress in the world
At St. PauPs church the decorations were
quite modest, but in good taste. The service
was preceded by Christmas carol by the Sun
day School children. Rev. Mr.. Root delivered
a very effective extempore discourse on the Ad-
vent of our Saviour. The music was unusually
good one of the chief features of which was a
splendid Te Deun by Greatorex, and the famil
lar hymn,
Shout the glad tidings, exultingly sing.
AS early as midnight the people gathered
around the Cathedral of the Immaculate Con-
ception ON Cumberland street, anticipating a
grand mass at that hour, but they were disap-
pointed At the Solemn High Mass at 81 O. clock
the church was full, and when it was repeated
at 10i o'clock that great edifce was completely
packed. The decorations about the main altar
were most magnificent. On the left was a rep
resentation of the stable with the animals feed
ing, and the infant Jesus lying in the manager.
A halo of gas burners surrounded the Sanctu-
airy, and branched up in all directions, shedding
an effulgence of light upon the splendors of the
scene On the corners of the chancel rail stood
two angels holding an arch, from which sprang
out in letters of flame the legend Gloria in En-
celsis Dec; and high up in the arch, above the
great crucifix was the simple word "Jesus,"
formed of gas-jets. The service was rendered
with all the imposing magni6cence that be-
longs to the Romsh ritual. The music was
very elaborate. 1t consisted of Mozart's Sec
ond Mass, with some very fine soprano solos.
EVENING.
An interesting concert by the children of the
Sunday School of Pine street NJ E. church
was given at the church, which was filled by
an interested audience. The singing, dialogues
and Rotations gave great satisfaction. The
Christmas exercise entitled, ''The Star of
Bethlehem" was novel and attractive fea-
| ture of the evening
| The members of the Congress Square Uni
versalist parish and Sunday school, gathered in
I large numbers at the vestry on Christmas eve
ming, where tree, generously laden with pres
ents for young and old, was the chief attrac-
| ton. With the distribution of the presents and
| in social intercourse and conversation, the
evening was very pleasantly spent. Mr.. Crock
EFT, the Superintendent of the Sunday School,
received from the teachers a beautiful chromo
Mr. Trefethen, the assistant superintendent,
received an elegant and expensive book; the
Bible class made their teacher, Mr. Charles S.
Fobes, happy by the possession of handsome
pitcher and salver, and Mr.. Charles Gusts was
presented by his class with nice picture.
At o'clock the Sunday School of st. Paul's
church gathered around the Christmas tree
sang their carols and were pleasantly addressed
by their Rector, Rev. Mr.. Root. Afterwards
the contents of the tree were distributed
The Christmas Tree at the st. Lawrence St
church in the evening was, in every respect an
enjoyable occasion, and reflects much credit