The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1883-12-27
CHRKsTMAs.
How II was Passed i'm Portland.

Christmas was a pleasant. II not very
bright day. The usual services were held at
the Episcopal and Catholic churches, which
we're filled both at the early, regular mornng
and vesper services. The Episcopal churches
were prettily decorated, and in some respects
differently from usual. The music was fine,
and especially that at the Catholic cathedral
and st. Lnke's AT the former church and at
ST. Dominic's the grand altar was ablaze with
lights
Tbs Christmas service at the st. Lawrence
street church was of special interest as an ap-
propriate commemoration of our Lords nativ-
ity, and of great importance as Indicating
return to true religious observance of the
day. There was large congregation in at
tendance, and the carefully arranged order of
the service was fully carried out. The music
consisted Of Christmas anthems and hymns,
aud was excellent in execution. Owing to the
illness of Rev. Mr.. Lindsay, Rev. Mr.. Daniels
assisted in the service. The following is
brief abstract from Rev. Mr.. Wright's sermon,
from Luke ii. H.
The birth of Christ is tie supreme event of
this worlds history, and the central wonder of
revelation. The narrative of st. Luke light
CHS luo mystery VI Lndt epeAt, DuL uoo5 not uls-
pelits wonder.
The fatherhood of Christ we are taught was
not Of earth. 1t was preannounced that He
should be called the "Son of the Highest
The history of His advent is simply peedful to
explain the existeGce of such an exceptional
character in the world. His character, His
life, His words and His posthumous influence
all combine to establish His claim to divinity.
The child of Bethlehem reigns today over mil
lions of hearts. We look back to His manger
aud over the intervening centuries of human
history, and the power of His name seems
no less wonderful than the mystery of His
birth.
How ought the accepted anniversary OF
Christ's birth to be observedHThis is a question
of far greater moment than the vexed ques.
ton of the actual date of His nativity.
Here followed a bIief description OF the
earliest Christmas observances, showing their
high religious character from the first, and
their degeneracy, which led our Puritan fa-
theirs to discard them altogether.
The Christian world has not erred in making
Christmas a season of joyous festivity. The
great mistake is in giving up the day to mer-
riment. would not have one jot or little
taken from the gladness of this day, but rather
make It time OF purer and more exalted
| joy. Never let it cease to be a time OF family
reunion and of household festiyity.
Christmas Day should be religiously OBJ
served. 1t is most fitting that at least one
| hour OF this great anniversary should be de-
voted to public service of Thanksgiving and
| praise
| What would be the result If in our CITY this
| morning at an appointed hour all the church
| bells were ringing out their joyous summons
for the people to bring their free-wIll offerings
| of praise to the house of God in honor of our
| Lord? What great gain to our Masters
| cause, what tribute to His precious memory
| if throughout Christendom on this day, all
| Christian churches were filled with THE melo-
| dy of Christian hymns.
| II ha
| wholly divorced from commercial traffic. Let
| 1t be for everybody religious holiday. Our
popular Christmas customs are selfish and
burdensome. They have reached the ex-
| treme Of folly. Christmas brings sore tempta-
| tion and the best of us are too apt to lose our
| heads.
1t is time that the current was arrested, or at
| least that its course was changed. The spirit
! OF the day demands that our gifts be those of
Christly love, of holy charity. I am not in
| noble phianthropy;l that it brings happiness
to the hearts of many poor children. Far
more should be done in this way of holy be-
nevolence.
From merely human and worldly point of
/ view there is every reason why the people OF
| Christendom should commemorate the birth
| day OF Jesus, for the pure doctrines of true
manhood, true brotherhood and true freedom
were proclaimed by him. He is politically
the worlds savior. But the anthem of the an
/ SClS Loo O AlEuci MceulHR. 1uoy blug OI 0OO d
| good will to men; they came to humble shep-
| herds and announced that Savior was born
| unto them. Unto you is born this day Sa-
| vlor, which is Christ, the Lord. We join to-
day to commemorate the birth Of our personal
| Redeemer
There was fair sleighing and the amusement
was generally INDUCED in. There was not SO
many private family teams seen on the street
as would have been the case on a holiday like
New Years, but still there was general in
diligence in the pastime. Out of town the
sleighing was not as good as in.
The Lyceum Theatre, and skating rink
were crowded. At Knowlton's skating rink
Mr.. Seeley drew pair of ladies' skates,
Clark Thompson pair of gentlemen's skates
and Maurice Shehan won the prize in an
orange race.
At Mr.. M. B. Gilbert's tho matinee and
| evening assembly were well patronized.
Good Templars' Hall was we'll filed Tues
day evening by the friends who had assembled
to witness the distribution of presents and
listen to the entertainment provided by the
Spirituslsts Society. The tree was, very
prettily trimmed and nearly two hundred pre-
sents were hung upon its branches, ranging
from gold watch to the small toys for the
children. The entertainment consisted of a
silver chain recitation by the Lyceum, de-
CARNATIONS and singing by members of the
Lyceum, piano solo by Miss Annie Libby, solo
by Miss Leila Farrell, readings by David
Moulton, Esq, and Mrs. T. P. Beals, duet by
Miss Leila Farrell and Miss Cora Woodmau,
duet for piano and violin by Mrs. N. M. Wood
man and Mr.. 81. B. Morse. Every thing
passed off pleasantly, the music, singing and
readings being heartily applauded by the ap-
preciative audience.