The Portland daily press., 1881-12-26
CHRISTMAS.
It's Observance in the Churches.

Christmas falling upon Sunday, the cay re-
ceived special recognition this year in all the
churches. In many, besides the Catholic and
Episcopal the sacred edifces were beautifully
festooned with evergreen, and decorated with
wreaths and crosses of the same material. In
the Episcopal churches, holly and mistletos
were interspersed among the emblems with
charming effect, and in the Park street church
there were several lovely floral emblems. In
the Catholic churches the masses were attend
ed by such crowds that it was almost impossl-
Bile to get a view of the affairs. which blazed
with hundreds of lights, while the shrine o.
the Virgin was profusely decorated, and, in
some cases, the scene of the nativity was illus
trated by figures beautifully modelled. The
sermons in all. the churches were appropriate
to the day. The music was, of course, superb,
and the various programmes, as published in
Saturdays PRESS, were fully carried out. Be-
sides those, the following additional ones de-
serve mention:
ST. DoMINIc's
Yeni Observation-Disclosures Mass in Eb.............
Observation-Disclosures Hymn. .Lambilette
Psalms-Plain Chant by Male Voices.
Adeste Fideles .............'.. .rosci ~
Magnifcat ..-........ Em"oiiS
Alma. ..,-................... -.
U Salutar1s p,."i
Tantum Ergo ..............-.. ........,.... hossi
Laudate Dominnm. Lhinpiiotto
FREE STREET. 81
o 5gistm pss March in B5 Buck
0''' ''''' -''''' : MI Norris
Choir Voluntary. ......f.........,.:....;;
Christmas Anthem in Broad
o's God give ye Merry Christmas Tide. Howard
Caro-; Swestly Carol, '............j
song n0is Miss sn Long. 0ontraito.
Organ Postlude-Fug1e IN minor. sacn
In the evening there was a Christmas Sun
day School concert. The following music was
Sung:
Anthem-"Angel. bring to us Great JOY" ;vs;::
Sacred song-.sThe Nativity. Holden
Mr.. Chase, Tenor.
Shepherds Nativity Hymn. brewer
Soprano SOLO, Miss Bartlett.
Mr. Norris.
Mr.. Norris who has lately taken up his resi-
dence in. this city, gave great pleasure. He
has fine voice and will he quite an addition
to orr musicians. Mr. Chase and Miss Bart
lett also deserve especial mention.
FIRST PARISH.
In the morning, Roots "Beauteous Day"
was sung and "Now elevate the Sign Of Ju-
dah." In the evening the following programme
was given:
Christmas Hymn-'Depart while. .Kotzschmal
Pastoral Symphony-"Messiah'. .....-...'.'h anoei
Rejoice Greatly.
HalleIujah Chorus-Mount of Olives .....Beethoven
Miss Milliken took the soprano solos from
the Messiah" and sang them splendidly. In
fact the crowded audience and the breathless
stiffness in the church attested the effect OF the
music.
CHESTNUT STREET.
There was large audience of the children,
parents and teachers of the Chestnut street
Sabbath School at their Christmas tree gather
ing on Saturday evening, and bountifnl dis
tribution of presents, preceded by literary ex-
ercises by the children and an excellent read
ing Of the dinner scene in Dickens Christmas
Carol, by Mrs. Prof. Gould Of Williams Col
lege. DR. McKeown, the pastor, preached an
appropriate Christmas sermon yesterday fore
noon, on the Divinity of Christ. from Luke 2:
10, II.
PLYMOUTH GHUhCA-
There was large congregation at Plymouth
church yesterday morning. The church was
profusely decorated, festoons of green running
the length Of the auditorium and potted plants
lined the front of the platform. The music
was excellent and enjoyable. There is quar-
tette at this church, with chorusof twenty
voices. There was no sermon, but two ad-
10 ho ahi1drap nv fh9
pastor ON the theme of the day. At the s. S.
concert in the evening, Miss Ada Kennard, the
soprano, sang a solo with much beauty.
ST. PAUL's.
The great feast of Christmas was duly OBJ
served at st. Paul's. The church was taste
fully decorated. A rood-scresn of three arch
es, wreathed with pine and laurel, crossed the
chancel front The middle arch was sur
mounted with plain Latin cross. On either
side of the altar large floral cross was placed,
surmounted by a golden star. Beneath the
rose window was the text, peace on earth,
good will to men," in illuminated letters. The
memorial tablet of the first rector OF the par
ish-Mr. Root-was beautifully wreathed with
laurel and white flowers, upheld by cross Of
DElRQG lIuuCEt6llob. OAuCf hA'o-0 pou4oSS "a
fresh flowers was placed. A trefoil of laurel,
surmounted with star, stood upon the font
The windows were wreathed with laurel, over
each there being an illuminated emblem. Sev-i
eral windows were decorated in loving memo
~ of the dear departed, with wreaths, crosses
and flowers. The whole was very effective
The rector, Rev. Mr. Little, preached most
excellent sermon, appropriate for the day In
TIE afternoon holy baptism was administered
to infants. The text in the evening was that
most important of all questions. "What think
We of Christi" The music was we'll rendered
throughout the entire day.
OTHER CHURCHES.
The music at the Second Parish afternoon
service was very fine, and the splendid bass OF
Mr.. j. B. Coyle, Jr gave Faure'S PAINS :
with great dramatic effect. The choral
sSleepel, Wakei' with cornet obligato by
Frank Collins, was striking feature OF the
service.
There were special services at the Congress
street Methodist, and very attractive musi-
cal programme was presented.
At the Congress Square church, Mrs. Halves
beautiful soprano was heard to great advan-
tage in "Come unto Him. from the "Messi-
ah."
The music at the State street church was
among the best in the city, and Rev. Mr..
Thurston of Saybrook, Conn, preached very
able sermon in the morning.
The New Jerusalem Sabbath School celebra
ted its Christmas yesterday.
There was Christmas concert at Pine street
church in the evening.
The music at the First Baptist, under the di-
rection Of Kotzschmar, was excellent. sThe
selections inclnded the old Christmas song,
"Noel," by Adams.
AT the Free Baptist church, Rev. j. M. Low
den preached sermon appropriate to Christ
mas.
Rev. c. A. Hayden preached Christmas
sermon at the Church Of the Messiah last eve
ming.
At Woodford's Congregational church there
was Christmas service of song in the even
ing, with singing by quartette and by chill