The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-12-25

| the Glad Tidings, nand on the right Mes
siaii is King" The pulpit and reading
desk are also neatly dressed with wreathes
and appropriate devices Of evergreen. There
will he interesting services nc 11o'clock,
and the music will be appropriate to this
Joyous festival OF the Church.
| ST. JOHNS.
The Young ladies OF st. Johns church
| have spent much time in decorating this
| time -honored edifce, not completing their
| work until 4 late hour last evening.
Entering the front door, under the bel
| fry, the first thing that strikes the eye OF
1.-THE visitor is the pulpit, font. and chancel.
The former of these, with its sounding
| board above, Is festooned with small
wreaths Of eyergreens in beautiful order,
while beneath the font is arched over with
eYergreens, with the figure OF dove sus-
pended from its centre and surrounded by
Gala lilies in bloom. These, with the ever.
greens twining in and out OF the chance!
railing, makes very beautiful and exquis-
| ite surrounding to the sacred desk.
To the right, in the space between the
| two windows on that side, are the words,
When Thou Iookest upon Thee TO deliver
man, Thou dd'st humble Thyself TO be born
| OF q virgin" In the first space to. the left
are, the words, "Thou art the King OF
Glory while in the next IS the passage,
"Thou art the everlasting Son OF the Fa-
thcr." Over the eastern door is the SEN
tence eve love Him because He first
loved u.s." intertwined among festoons OF
eyersreens. Running all along the eastern
wall are the words, :sGlory to God in the
Highest; on the opposite or western side,
"On earth peace, good will to man."
All over the church, falling in graceful
curves from the galleries, twiniGg around
the pillars, or stretching across the bullt-
ing, are wreaths and festoons OF eyergreens,
emblematic OF the faith OF the worshlppers
in this ycnerated 'House OF Cod" For
more than one hundred years, as this ami
yersary OF the birth OF The Saviour bas
warmed the hearts OF Christians all overthe
world, have the fair hands and strong arms
of the members of this church taken pleas
ure in thus adding to the ioyousness OF the
occasion, and perhaps never in its whole
history have the decorations been more
elaborate or arranged with greater taste and
skill.
CHRIST CHURCH.
The warm hearts and willing hands OF
the little congregation attending Chflst
church. in the Valley, have not been want
|
they have suggested for the decorations, or
in the labor OF putting up the eyersreens.
The work, it is true, was commenced late,
but the result is very creditable. Over the
chanceI, in semi-circuIar form, is the in
scription, "When the fullness OF time was
come, God sent forth His Son made OF q
woman" Upon the chancel-rail and around
it moss has been used to considerable en-
tent, and with pretty effect. The eas-fX.
lures are covered with wreaths or hoops OF
evergreen, and here and there in the church
are festoons and other similar decorations.
In the font there is handsome cross.
AT THE OTHER CHURCHES.
While the decorations ut ST. Andrews,
the Moore Memorial, and Meade Meade
Memorial churches were not ambitious ano
on the elaborate scale that characterized the
larger and more costly churches, they were
in excellent taste. The fair ladies OF these
CONGREGATIONS had adorned the chancel, lee
turns, and the walls with cedar, holly, ant
| other perennial plants, so typical and sus
| gestiyc of the SOUPS Immortality, and which
like. the natal day Of the Saviour, will bt
fresh and green until time shall be no more
These little churches by the waYside do moi
pretend to vie with their more pretentlou:
neiehbors in Christmas offerings, but, like
the widows mite, the fair lIandiwork o
their Christian daughters is none the les!
acceptable, and is gratefully remembered
by Him whose first churches were the greer
groves.
ST. PETERS CATHEDRAL.
I The ceremonies at the Cathedral will b.
unusually imposing. The services will b'
inaugurated with high-mass at O'Clock A
NJ, when Farmers mass will be rendered
bv the choir. To-day IN the Catholic
churches each priest says three masses, th'
only day in the year on which they can celc
brate that number except by especial dispen
sation, when missionaries have 10 do unusua
work. The first mass is in coDlmemoration
the eternal birth of Christ as God from al
eternity, the second the birth OF Christas maj
from the blessed Virgin in the stable a
Bethlehem. and the third the spiritual brit
of Christ in the hearts of the faithful b.
sanctifyng grace.
The ) O'Clock mass will be followed b.
low masses-one Immediately after its con
clusion, another at ! and at 8 O'Clock. RlSh
Rev. Bishop keane will commence to say lov
masses, followed by Pontitical high mass
half.past 10 O'Clock. He will be assisted b.
Rev. T. JansSens, Y. g.. as assistant priest
., Father William B. Hanley, deacon; Fathe
a. a. Hal,ets, sub-deacon; Mcssrs. Bowie
and Mercer, deacons Of honor; and MI
Charles Donohoc, master of ceremonle:
Rev. Father EabetS will deliver the sermon
and the choir will sing Haydn's Fourt
Mass. A celebrated "Veni Creator" wi
J be sung before the sermon, The "Adest
Fidelis' during The otiertory, and Die
! mans Christmas anthem, "Glory TO God,
as the congregation is leaving the church.
The decorations are very chaste and b
coming, and are, in accordance with tt
: rubrics Of the Church, confined to the SAN
. tuary.
: Over the high altar, which is Brilliant
lighted with a vast number OF lights
candclabras, artistically arranged wit
: vases of flowers and evergreens, is the il
scription: Gloria in Escelsis Deo"-
=. gilt letters, on green ground. just beneat
> this is larger inscription-dar blu
ground and white letters, " Pe,aite Ador
mas Dominant" The windows in the san'
: tuafy as well as those over the side-altal
!, are also prettily bordered around wit
. scenery, the whole giving fine effect TO I'll
: church.
!. JOINT SERVICE.
, There will be Christmas services at Ger
: tenury Methodist church at IL O'Clock II
= day, the congregations of Centenary, Broat
: Street, Clay-Street, and Park Place churcbt
: joining. Rev. w. G. Starr will preach.
FEED CONTRACT q vARDED.-The Counc
Committee on the Fire Department hay
awarded the contract for furnishing fee
. and provender for the horses Of the Cit
!, Fire Department until April /, 1879. 10 tt
u following persons and at the followin
figures Virginia timothy hay, to A. W. {
.skl~ p n