St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-01-03
Letter from Boston.
Christmas in the Churches.-Art, Lectures,
Gossip, Etc.
Do,-o~- Doa 1919
RICHARDS.
Jan. l, 1879.

Editor CdledOnian
Time speeds on, and has rolled round
the long expected, talked of day
Christmas. Anticipations have been
converted into reaizations. Santa Claus
was able to crafty the secret wishes
and hopes of many, disbursing his gifts
with an unusually liberal hand, glad
dening the hearts of many homes, both
rich and poor, as well as loOsening their
puse-strings. The festival was Observ-
ed in the Roman Catholic and Episcopal
churches by special services, and in
Others by appropriate exercises. At
Trinity Church, the well-knOwn rector,
Rev. Phillips Brooks, preached an eX
cellent sermon to large and attentive
audience upon the Life and Character
of Christ, from Matt. 2: |. The wealth
of OrnamentatiOn of the church itself
allowed of but little external decoration
in the form of evergreens.
After sermon by the pastor, DR..
Manning, ut the New Old South church,
there was Christmas tree for the Sab
bath School. The tree was beautifully
arranged and lighted appropriate
carols were sung by the children, follow
ed by the distribution of gifts, when all
the congregation were cordially invited
to adjourn to the dining hall and par
fl 4 Il
At the Church of the Holy Trinity,
German Catholic, there was Children's
High Mass celebrated at $50 IA. M,
when 500 children sang the German
hymns and rendered the responses in
German in clear, distinct manner
their voices blended beautifully with
the rich tones of the organ, and we
wondered if second Martin Luther
could be found among the number? In
representation of the birth and nativity
of Christ in miniature. In the fore
ground is IL small building, which con-
tains the Manager where the infant
Savior reposes, with May and Joseph |
on either side of it and angels lowering
near. The three wise men approach |
laden with gifts in the act of alteration
the various animals standing round
gazing on the scene with mute looks of |
innocent wonder; at some distance in
the rear, stands a temple in silent
grandeur; on the right, road leads
up to an eminence upon which the vii
lage of Bethlehem is situated the |
streets are lined with houses, and peo-
pie are passing along the streets; Il |
bridge connects the eastern slope with |
the western, and on the oblong ridges |
of the latter are flOcks of sheep and |
goats grazing, guarded by shepherds |
perched upon some high, rocky ledge,
with their long shepherds crook. The
idea is the most beautifully conceived
and executed of any that we have seen
in the churches. 1t embraces from 40
to so figures, and the attitude and looks
give it quite semblance Of reality.
The church is open for several days,
and hundreds of children visit it to see
the Crib" as they style it.
High Mass was held in the majority
of the Romanist churches at a. H.,
and Grand POntifcal Mass at IO.I5 a.
IN. in the new cathedral of the Holy
Cross on Maiden and Washington Sts.,
at which the Archbishop presided. In
the morning Beethoven's Mass of c.. |
was rendered by two choirs; the church
choir consisting of 100 men and women,
and the sanctuary choir numbering 20 |
young men and boys. The organist,
F. DonahOe, rendered sonatas on the
organ by Thiele, Hayden, and Men
delssohn. At the PontificaI Vespers at
4 p. M, the service opened with a
GregOrian chant, followed by the in
tonatiOn of Psalms, and the effect of
the music from the responsive chorus
In the front and rear of the cathedral
was quite grand, as the music of the
choir supported by the organ echoed
and reverberated through the arches of
the building. 1t reminded us of the
music at Trinity Church, N. Y.
We will only refer to one other, and
that is the Church of the immaculate
Conception. The building was beau
tlfully ornamented with festoons of
everSreens, and the music is usually
considered of higher, more classic
nature. The noted organist, George
Z. Whiting, is expected to leave the
first of January for Cincinnati, to ioip
Theodore Thomas. 1t will be a loss TO
Boston.
AT recent Quarterly Meeting of the
I. Nj. e. A. the committee on Sabbath
dissertation reported some of the causes
us follows: LIST, Secularization of the
Sabhath-day during the late war. End.
The immigration of persons observing
the Sabbath as day of amusement.
3rd, The Capitalization of our popula-
ton and the increased demand of bust
ness. 4th, Lax and unscriptural teach
ing concerning the Sabbath. They