The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1882-01-10
CHRISTMAS BELLS,
At Blackwater Chapel.
a Big Crowd-Generous People
And an Immense Time
Generally.


THE age OF chivalry is Ger" tits and
tournaments are simply the visions oi a
far of shado~y past.
King Arthur and his knight, of the
Round Table no longer redress the wrongs
81 lar ladies, and engage in impo.sible
conflicts with imaginary dragons
Coats OF mail and nodding plumes and
en.biazoned shields, YOU will find in the
pages Of Ivanhoe or the poetry of Tenny-
con, not in the busy thoroughfares OF our
prusaic times, and vet beneath the plain
Ntmerpun OF our realistic times there lies
: hcroism, nobler than that, which long
ego was sheltered by breastplates Of barn
ished brass.
History has written in letters al gold ON
the walls OF the temple of fame the names
st i lev warriors and statesmen, Whose
deeds live in the memory of their respec-
tive nations, and the < lad voices OF succeed
ing generations, will celebrate upon recur-
rlng SEASONS the achievements OF these
worldly heroes
The associations that cluster around
th.s1 gatherings If the living over the
graves oi the dead. are solemn and sweet
We cioihe them anew with radiant life: !
and how IN humble alteration Ia the genius !,
Of their work. And AS We thus learn 10
emu ate their virtues and initiate their acts !
our OWN lives are made trucr and greater /
connected with this review oi Others, come !
she ,rooping echoes of our o1 "a existence
3 And hence the people oi Blackwate
chapel, in a grand mauuer, celebrated the
recrrrenoe of another Christmas day.
This church is situated in tine north
western part of Pettis county, abont eight
miles south of Brownsville ami nine mile,
northwest of Lamonue, on the overland
route from Sedalia 10 Lexing-
ton, and IN the wealthiest and
most enterprising partof the county.
surrounded As il is by such citizens OF en-
terprise as Capt. Shanks, Vim. Winston,
Col. T. b. Price, Il. Y. Chapman, +. Ii. /
Bradford, T. VI. Triplet;, &. q Gregg and
others, things are bound To move.
Several DAYS ago the people met and APP
pointed committee, consisting OF Capt
Shanks, T. y. Price, I. {. Hcrnbuckle.
iaaiiee, TO provide matcrisI and cree, within
the church 4 Christmas tree, which should
symbolic the sociability. charity, friend
ship, wealth and generosity Of the coinmn-
nifty. Monday, the both, was appointed ~
CIe time for trimming the tree ard beauti-
tying the house with notices and other
appropriate decorations.
The dav dawned, cold and blusterv, hut
the elements OF nature was opposed by the
glowing hre OF transporting enjoyment.
which burned in the hearts ui our noble
people. BY Six O'Clock p. III the tree vas
completed and the house filled Ia overflow
lDg by the ever appreciative citizens vi our
community, and by people from Lamonte,
Brownsville, Dunksburg, Rpwletia and
other places for twenty miles around.
To say that the house WAS crowded. docs
Dot quite convey the idea, Tor il vas
iteral lam" The aisIes, vc,tibules. pull
pit, gallery and windows were packed till !
there was hardly breathing room, unless 1
aspirations We're made In very moderate 7
Quantities.
The tree Was stationed on the cas-, side OF &
The house, and reached within lew incke. 1
The ceiling. The base upon which the I,
tree rested WAS oi pvrsmidical form, the 9
lower part of which Mss about five feet in ! {
diameter, the outer part being cuvered i
IN the most magnificent manner and artis- '
tically decorated with apriys of evergreen c
ut stood forth 81 Gnc. the embodiment {
Of purity in design, loveliness in expires d
sion, and grandeur in execution" This r
DatcRiess specimen of artielc design v
which for beauty OF perfection, for elegance 4
vi u
masterpiece o! Capt. Samuel Shanks and =
wife. III
The tree was stationed upon the top of |,
his, fixed within q grove SO as 10 he v
easily r-volved, giving 10 the eager au- a
dience +splendent view vi It's magnfi- "
efnce as IL stood clothed in y.rnal besutv r
and incompatible loveliness Spanning @
the altar Ia the RICH; OF this, in Roman !;
esgue or Gothic beauty, designed with 1
conceptions Of symmetrical form and lowell o
eHs, embellished in floral reSDien.ience. {.
IoaGej with the richest and rarest articles .
OF an lngnite variety, stood an arch-'a C.
thing Of beauty and joy forever
The audience gaZod with ewes of delight
spon the scene of dszzling briIiisncy,
which seemed as some fairyIand -sn ely n
sinm Of delight ;,
At $50 the house Was called to order bv u
b. Y. Chipmsn. The programme which n
had been previously arranged WAS read bv -
> \. Wheeler, and 'hostilities'' com :,
Denced. The FIRST thing Oh the programme q,
was music by Prof. Teagne. Following this
was an address by DIR. Dunkly, oi Sigel; q
subject, Christmas Trees" After a few
preliminary remarks, the doctor launched
berth IN THAI eloquent strain. which showed Il
that be was enihu~ed with his subject. ie
lie commented extensively upon the origin -
81 Christmas trees, the Observance of ~
during the time of Alfred the II
Sreat. similar celebration at the winter I
soistice as lar back as the 9th dynasty Of !,
Egyptian kings, feast Of Saturn. etc. and ID
many otherexcellent things which space i!
will not allow us 10 mention. This All. "a
dress was followed by music, ''Joy 10 the "
World" etc. The choir executed this er
piece with the perfection Tor which il q
Il distinguished ma
The next was an able address bv Rev. ~
shaffer; subject Christmas Times" He On
ma lie many excellent remarks and closed W
With glowing eulogv upon the gener- VI
Deitv Of the people OF Blackwater chapel. D.
The audience was then favored by the sn
shoir y ilh another piece OF music entitled A