The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-28
OBSERVANCE OF CHRISTMAS.
SERVICES aN THE CHURCHES
PRESENTS TO PAsTORs-AC-
ClDENTs AND INCIDENTS
OTHER ITEMS.

OF poor people was exquisite.
On Broad and Main streets, on Saturday
particularly. the sound was as Of the mus
kerry of two contendipg armies, sometimes
declining to suriy roar, then grandy SWELL
ing, as If The lines were closing W and every
man was using his ammunition, then again
dying out until the 'tpop," spop," made
exact limitations Of the shots of skirmshers.
The big crackers vibrated the air, and made
the noise of the heaviest field artillery.
Added to them, In many localities, were
small cannon that, in days not long by
gone, were wont to arouse the politicians,
and gave enthusiasm to ward meetings. Not
only boys Of tender age, out men who bad
arrived at the years of discretion joined the
saturnalia and seemed to enjoy it we'll.
There were quite u number of accidents,
great and small, but the wonder is that there
were not more.
Steamipg bowls of punch and foamipg
glasses of egg.nog tempted many wayfar-
iug.sinner to drink, not wisely, but too
much. The feeling of eXhilaration was very
widespread. Men of moderate means felt
and talked like millonaires. No more they
dreaded the earthquake. Forgotten were
hard times. Indifferent were they of the
future. Jubilation reigned supreme, and
drove away all dull cares and miseries. They
were the sort of fellows that proclaimed
Christmas comes but once year,
Let's enjoy 1t while it's here.
But for the fair reputation Of our city, it
may be said, there were no great eXcesses
committed. Those who fell beneath the
load they were Carrying were "gathered IN !"
by friends or policemen, and slumbered
peacefully and unconscIously while the
battle was raging around them. Many Of
these found themselves before the Police
Court yesterday morning. Their heavy:
looking eyes, aching heads, and
despairing looks pleaded their cause better
than the tongue OF the most eloquent adyo-
cate could have done, and the Police Justice
being merc,ful and remembering The season,
let them off with the minimum penalty OF
law. Aud the newspapers, in tender coDsid.
Grafton of their feelings, lay aside their rule
and omit their names and doings from the
court proceedings.
The weather Saturday was not altogether
| favorable for church-goers, but yet the con-
gregations were quite large. In the sanctu-
aries that quiet that seemed expelled from
other places in the city. was found. The
neighborhoods Of the churches were not in
| yaded by the fiends of the tin-hornS.
The scenes ia the Episcopal and Catholic
churches were inter esting and imposing.
| The decorations were all that good taste
could suggest and loving care and indus
trious hands could make.
The programmes foreshadoWed IN o.lr
issue of Christmas day were fully Carried
out. At the Monumental, st. Pauls, Grace,
ST. Marks, and the other churches, there
was elegant lnusc-such music as IS gaming
for Richmond an enviable reputation. IL
onty remains for US to notice some Christ
mas services not heretofore fully mentioned,
and 10 add u few notes of occurrences Sun
day and yesterday.
ST. JOINS (ErIsCopM).
This venerable and renowned church edi-
fee was filed with large audience on
Christmas morning who seemed delighted
with the services appropriate to he OCCASION.
| The decorations were UNUSUALLY pretty, and
received favorable comments from those
present. On each side of tEe pulpit, in ever
green, were the notices: "The Son of Man
| is come to seek and to save that which is
| LOST and "Tbe Son of Nlu vas manifested
that he might destroy the D vi" In another
portion of the church, worked in evergreen
| and handsomely eXeCu ed, were cross and
an anchor with the word "Jesus" between
the two. In the east corner was "star"
made by gas,jets, which was very pretty.
The old chln ch was admirably dressed, and
the ladies deserve praise for their faithful
services.
Too much cannot be said OF the excellent
music on the occasion, which was indeed fine,
and won warm expressions for the small but
select choir of the church. The opening
piece was sShout the Glad Tidings;" the
glorias were from Bialia, the TIE Deum by
Lloyd, Jubilate Dec from Thomas, and the
otfertory, SHARK what mean those holy
voices" from S. z. Warren ; all of which
were admirably we'll executed.
The sermon on the occasion was one Of
ability and elCquence. The pastor, Rev.
Mr.. Weddell, was in good voice and spirits,
and was listened to with deep attention. He
announced as his text the words of st. John,
found in the 1st chapter, 1st and Il h verse S
"In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was ,cith God, and the word eoas God.
II And the Word 1oas made flesh
and dwet among u.s."
The speaker opened with an allsion to
the elaborate decor atoms. 1t seemed reali.
zation of isaiah'S prophecy "The glory o
Lebanon shall cone unto thee; The tir tree,
the pine tree, and the box ioSet her. TO beau
tify the place of my sanctuary" But cold
utilitarians cavl and ohj'ct to the waste
Of time and energy. UtIitarianism in spirit
ual matters originated with Judas. "There
is mockery in the love that can be rcckOned.: !:
Love for Christ twined these garlanGs anc
, never plused to iIq lirc Is commercial value.
The quietness Of the Saviom'i coming
stands in surprising contrast With the mean
ing and results of that coming. No thur
derbolts shake the towers of the world:
palace. Jerusalem sis calm and white be
meath the starlight. The pillared temples o.
Rome cast their shadows in hush Of peace
! Quietly God is born child. How great tht
contrast. The birthday of that wonder
/ child stands red letter on the calendar
! Perchance we are running now into the op
posite extreme. Every body, saint and sin
ner, believer and iufdel, runs riot III em
phasizing the day. Christmas.tide is bap
tized with kind Of universal sentimental
ism. We are, therefore. tempted to forget
! the great, and mysterious, and everlasting
FACT which belongs to this day. Who is This
; Jesus What His nature: Whence die
He come?
The text describes Christ as tie WORD, q
term by which the Greeks were wont tt
eyDress any revelation from God to man. lr
regard to His personal word there are GER
tain predicates, each supplemestiDg the
other, aud developing to wondrous climax
l"In the beginning was the Word" Hence
4 the eternity of Christ. Nay, "The Word
was with God.'' Hence the mysterious In
iaimation of plurality of persons in the one
.godhead. Nay more. the intlmatioh grows
Idstoa direct announcement, Aud the Woro
lWas God"
The Divinity of Christ accepted, ana then
we read the Holy Scriptures without jar.
~ Christ divine pameS are given. IC
Christ divine attributes and works are