Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-12-23

THE OLD STORY THAT CONES LIKE FRESH
CREATION TO EACH GENERATION OF chill
DREN-PUrTING Up CHRISTMAS TREES AND
DECORATING THE CHURCHES, ETC

| DECORATING THE CHURCHES ETC
An important element in the modern cele-
| bration of Christmas Is the entertainment OF
the children connected with the Sunday schools
OF the different religious denominations. The
great army of children who attend the Sunday
| school have reached proportions in these days
that would surprise any one who has not given
much attention 10 the subject The Sunday
school ranks have been added to until millions
OF children are enrolled, and behind this repre-
sentatton Is the large contingent Of parents and
teachers who are deeply interested in the move.
ments OF this great assembiage Of the youth Of
the church When Christmas time comes extra
efforts are made to make the observance of this
holiday an occasion of enjoyment to the chill.
dren and q source OF pleasant association with
the day and the event, which is comment
GRATED. In order to do this q great deal OF pre-
paratory work has to be done, and II all falls
upon the teachers and the young people in the
consultations constitutes one Of the pieasantest
FEATURES OF the holiday season. The Christmas
greens bave to be bought, the church decorated,
anu tne program Of exercises rehearsed.
ACTIVITY IN THE CHURCHES
In consequence of all these preparations there
Is a hustle Of activity about every church Just
now, and the young people are so busily occu-
pied that they spend half their days and nights
az the church. The committees are so numer-
GUS mat there Is constant appeals to the super
intendent to know who belong to their commit
superintendent Is the man of power in the
churches at this season OF the year. Before his
aulnorlty the power of vestrymen, trustees and
oeacons shrink into fnsignihcance, and even
the rector and pastor are only stars of i'm
ierior magnitude In the ecclesiastical sky. He
details his forces Of teachers as the general of
army does the members of mis- staff, and from
MS authority emanate the orders which mar
shais the army of Sunday school children into
4aueriy ranks, trains them in the tactics Of the
oay, ana prepares the surroundings for the
great teld day of the celebration While his
reign OF such absolute authority is not a brief
he rules with a mild sway, for 1t is Christmas
t lme, ana the gentle influences of the season
pre- as,.n It is seen in the groups that
the church. The Christmas greens are en-
twined about the pillars, hung in graceful
clustering branches of the pine and cedar are
thickly massed in effective places with the
gieaming berries and leaves of the holly re-
hecting the light from the chandeliers To Sc
cure the proper effects there must be a good
deal of climbing OF step-ladders and going to re-
mote corners of the church to observe how the
much interested in assisting the young ladies'
ana the latter need great deal ofheip, There
laughter, which with the aromatic scent of the
green's pervade the church with an atmosphere
Whcn Is null OF the cheer and good will Of the
Christmas holidays.
makes light work Of what is really great
Undertaking, and If, in the midst Of the work of
decorating, the young people exchange tender
Chances and stroll off together occasionally, the
energy displayed is none the less, aud the work
churches decked out in their bright dress 'H Of
the ,hrongs which attend the services; but it Is
not often that much thought Is given to the
busy workers whose zeal and industry only has
made 10 possible. The children enjoy it all i'm
menssly: They an.e the lights and the greens,
and, above all. the presents Which they receive
and IL is with them the subject of talk for the
rest OF the year Perhaps 1t is for this reason
that the celebration OF Christmas in its essen
tial features remains unchanged, and wear
after year the same work is undertaken for the
pleasure OF the little ones. 1t is also n pleasure
illustrated in the effort to extend the ioy of
Christmas to those who have no Christmas in
The organization of Christmas clubs where the
poor children may also have an experience of
the festivities OF the season.
ARRANGING FOR THE CELEBRATION.
AS Christmas day approaches the activity in
the churches increases. The members of the
choir are busy in re'iearsing their beautiful
offerings of praise, and all, from the pastor
paratory work. From the standpoint OF expe-
rfence and age, one Christmas is like another
and perhaps the wonder is that in this age Of
new Things there are not some novel features
introduced In the celebration OF the day. But
TO the children everything is new and inter
cStilg. 1ue tree ana Inc church Qecked An
green are not to them exhausted sources of
pleasure. The Christmas carols, speeches and
exercises come to them with all the force and
freshness of original recitations, and not stale
repetfttons Of last year and the year before and
SO on In some churches new cantata for the
children is sung, or the Scripture exercises are
put In other forms. Perhaps something is added
to the decorations, or something is taken away,
and In that way enough variety is introduced
to distinguish the celebration of this year from
that Of the one Immediately preceding But in
all the churches there is a celebration of some
sort, and joy and gladness is brought to the |
he arts of the children, and the older ones share
with them In this pleasure.