The daily gazette., 1877-12-26
; F4RST-EDITION.,
Christ mas (Day;) Oy
Bs lGsssrsi o6,s,lpsn@e., Religious
and Otherwise.

Bs General Obseruancs, Religious
and Otherwise.
. 'Christmas. 1877, viii long be rs~
membered AZ the most happy and
most generally observed occasion of
the kind since the opening OF the late
civil war. and as the same general OBJ
servance existed elsewhere, 1t may be
considered ss an evidence that the
people are at last arriving at the con
clusion that the entire country is now
at peace, and that the unhappy strifes
engendered by the war and continually v
fomented BY bitter partizans for ma
licious political purposes, are now
buried out OF sight and memory in
the deep grave Of the past. 1t seems
40 though Peace ON earth,s good will
to men" is engraving itselfin letters
of love on the hearts oflall people.an
that they seized on this Christmas
day as IA occasion TO shout aloud this
Divine utterance to each ether and 10
show by their actions that peace aAd
fraternsl feeling were once more fully
restored In free and united country.
In this city the observance was SO
general and extensive a. to cause
unusual comment. Stora>keepsrs say
that their sales for the two weeks pre-
vious to Ohrisamas far exceeded thoss
fer any corresponding period during
the past ten years. Money that had
been boarded carefully for months was
spsnt with q lavish haad in the pur-
chase Of such articles ~ would bring
joy to the hsAfts OF ths.littls ones and
give pleasure 10 those Of matursr
minds and older years. FC C|
The day WAS gtsstsd Ii The usual
manners by sersaading eAoirs, who
saag choice Christmas carols In uari-
Gus paris of the city. Among them,
the choirs Of Calvary, Household OF
RAi,h. Asbury &ad URioA Churches
wers eonspicuous for nns saleosiona
and sxosllent rendition.
| A fow discharges of firearms wers
heard, but the nsxt thing ON the pre-
grNmms of exercises was sAs eas
splitting Aolss of innumerAbls tin
horns In the hands of tho irrepressib bls
amAu boy. Tia dia was tsfriAc, bui
suffering people sOnseled ;tAsMsslves
with the rejection that IL tbs small
boys enth usiasm did not vent itself in
this expenditure Of wind, 1t weuld
AAd outlet in 0ven more annoying and
probably more damaging practiesA
A. an early hour the ssresAs wsEO
tAroAesA with DsoplS-sAhdfea run.
| nine from house ~ houAs 10 show
their pressnts,And older persoas woAd
ing their way 10 church, OF EoiAg "ir
town. To nAA the aiRhtA
In all the ohurchss. where sesvfcet
were held, elAAOrats OhrissmAs deoors
tions had been arranged. This wa
EpiscopaliAn churches AAd Also in ths
Swedenborgian euurch oa Del
aware Avenue, which was most bsAu
litully adorned. Hsre, alsS, was 4
largo Christmas tree, loaded from tor
to bottom with candies and presents
for the Sunday School children.
Az the Catholic churches early mas
was celebrated at s O'Clock In th,
morning, and each service WAS attend
I'd by large congregation.
The churches were beautified fra
gran, especially about the altaEs cross
es, wreaths and festoons of cedar, ivy
holly and box, with many flLe lilies
roses and other flowers, on the altar
burned many tapers, imparting mel
lowed brightness to the rich tints o
flowers. The choirs were full ant
the music excellent. A sermon wa
delivered at the 10 o'clock mass oil
subjects pertaining to the day and tn
event commemmorated. The lattel
services at st. Peters Church were col
Quoted by Bishop Becker, who preacl
ed sermon of unusual power and i'm
pressiveness.
AT the Episcopal Churches, service
were held at $50 ana 1890 o'olocl
and at the other churches the usus
10. 80 o'clock services were hled.
i While religious services were thu
being dispensed to the people, othe
influences were busy at work, an
the effects of free egg-nogg were 500
made visible in the shape OF dozen
! of drunken men reellng along th
, street. In this respect, the day re
sembled Christmas of the past, an
several old-fashioned fights enlivene
} Market street during the afternoon.
In the evening an immense aud
ence assent bled at the Opera House t
greet Miss CharClotte 1hompso
: whose performance was the only publ
p entertainment going on excepting th
I. Orphans Fair at Institute Hall, whie
was also crowded during the evening
: At Union M. E, church there was
r festival, at which each of the sma
= children received box of candy, an
p these entertainments closed the festi
tiles of christmas, 1877.
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