New-York tribune., 1874-12-26

the Row. Dr. Samuel Cooke the Rector Of the church,
preached from Luke, H. 10: LET us now 20 even unto
Bethlehem and this thing which is como to pass'
At tho "Ofcrtory," Walers arrangement or "HarRI
the Herald Angels Sing was given by the choir ana
chorus. The Recessional," select composition OF
Karl Walter, concluded this portion OF tho service
During the celebration of the Holy Communion. sie
boih's cucharistc hymn, There's Song in tho Ar,"
was sung by the choir
CHRIST CHURCH.
In Christ Church. Fifh-ave. and Thirty tho
first Communion was celebrated at 730 m. About 100
received tho clements tho The second ser
vice, consisting OF morning PRAYER. sermon, ana con-
muD,on. began at o3O Thc music at these services Wis
follows MendessOhn's Professional Hymn, Thomass
"Te Deum." In fat; sulhvans "Jubilste," W. L.
Best's Kvrie." GOunods "sanctus," and "Agnus Dei
The anthems by Handel MendclssObn. ana Mts'rt
and the singers consisted Of male chorus and quartet
choir under tho direction OF James Poarce or OXFORD
England There is n surpced choir Of men and boys In
this church IN the chance and quartet IN the organ
loft The music is thoroughly ecclcsi,stc and classical
DR.. Tnompsous text Luxe ill., IL: "And this shall
be q sign unto you ye shall find the babe wrapped 10
swaddhng clothes lying In a manger"
The world he said keeps nsnctvely the BIRTHDAYS or
its deveres its heroes. and siints. Naturally 1t has
kept this the birthday OF the One Deverer the Hero
and the King Of Saints. IL has gathered round tile
manCer OF Bethlehem In adorlng love and thankseiVinR
Again as the shepherds to the sign Inc con-
trasts arc OvcrpOwerng. An Eastern kahn, p0rches
all filed Joseph and Mary, the Eour uf her trial at hand
find all places occupied ard driven to shelter
with the cattle and the travellers beasts in tho open
ccuicr Of the caravLnsary and tho maiden mother
swathcs unhelped in her extremity, her newborn child
and lays him I'm feeding-box or manger. Ana yet VIC
believe this child surrounded bv The most squalid ana
circumstances, tho Son OF God anu Son or Man
TIE church reads today this account OF the birth and
h,tn tain
our faerng faith, she reads that magnificent burst
from Isaiah, and that dognatc, unfaltcring con-
fesson OF faith Of ST. John: "In the beginning
was the Word, aud tho Word was God" and the
strong words from the Epistlo to the Hebrews.
I wont aSue on Cnrist's divinity. It would jar on
Christmas Day. We accept 1t. TIE Babe In tho manager
Is "the Wonderful, the Counselor. tho Everlasting
Father the Prince of Peace" Let us rather take the
lessons that ow from the manser seen by the eye OF
faith. Tho worlds King is " born In the purpc"-tho
purple OF sorrow, want ani pI-'or tho Imperial color
color Of mourning. To lit the worll tho worPs
Lord to the bottom Ho puts himself at the foun-
daon to raise hum ,nitv There sh al be no poor out
cast no most foJrn, ahjcct desplsed that shall not
feel that Christ stands beside him. he will sanctify all
childhood The poor Arab, the barefoot boy or
girl that to-day to ask for penny at street.
CROSSING shall have share In the King that lay cralled
in the manger. So all humanity, Decaus, He took hold
OF it the lowest lifted into the Divine level Every
OIL Marys bosom. Every cradle canopied by the love
Of the Eternal Father. Every huDblest roof Is con-
secrated the home that had neither walls rOr roof
but only love guard and cover it, 10 lts supreme hour
Ia the Syrian Khan ohg And the conviction that
into human life has como divine power, that the
Divine and human met and coaesced, how 1t has
changed all c and nodded all thought among Christian
men, The children OF this new land across thousands
OF miles Of barren sea, and the tears and toll OF
centuries look back to the World Chlld and His CRADLE
and are Christian children singing Christian hymns,
giving Christian greetngs, feeling themselves blessed
they not how, by the fact dropped from heaven
upon the earth one Winter Eight in Bethlehem. This
shall be sign" The humblest sigu nau can fancy.
poor PEASANTS child iD manscr, and yet sign that
has Il med In the worlds 1rmancut for generations
and is flaming yet. beacOnsiar OF hope, the very
day spring from on high to lead humanity to the
high levels where God walks with 1t and dwclis IN it,
The Holy Communion WAS celebrated, and largo
portion OF the very full congregation received the consc-
Grated elements. The church was richly ornamented
with evergreens and trees.
sT. ALBANs.
st. Adams Church, at FJrty-s'venth-st and Lsxiug-
ton-ave was beautifully decorated with ever9reehs
Tie pulpit was ornancnted with ferns and relieved by
Autumn leaves and the font was wrcaihed in natural
Iwers entwined with holly, resting Oh bel OF smilax.
In front Of the lcc,ern there cross of holly and
hemocK and the in tue chanccl were lighted
up by the candles the altar Beautiful bouquets
OF natural flowers arranged at the back Of the
altar and contrased with tho evergrecns. Midnight
Mass was celebrated and the ceremonies connected
with continued until nearly o'clock yesterday morn
inc A solemn Eucharist was celebrated at II a. m,
and the musical services consisted Of Professional
HYMN No. 49, the FIRST Introit from Psalm Xviii. tue
Second Introit from Palm viii, an original musical
version of the "Kyre," "Gorla Tbi," Creed," "sur
sam Corda" "Agnus Del" "Boncdlctus." and the
"Gloria In Exce.is" Hymn 40 was sung as sequence
40 pnof Gam MI
the 345tb Hymn was sung, and the Recessona con-
sisted OF the "Nunc Dmittis," Lord, now ettest
thou thy servant depart in pc ,cs" &C. Tie Rev Father
Morrill, preached from the text in John ILL.,, l6: "For
God 90 loved the world that He His only begotten
Son. that whosoever beoveth in Him should not perish,
but have everlasting lfe" Tho congregation was large
at both the midnight and the morning seIvIces.