Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-12-26
Christmas proper until the Octave of the
Nativity or Little Christmas as it is called.

Christmas proper until the Octave of tn
| Nativity or Little Christmas as it is called
The crib always represents the stable AM
| Manager, and the lights and other adorn
ments mean the gifts of the "wise men,"
The church will scarcely have removes
the signs of rejoicing over this great even
when she will commence to don sombe
colors in anticipation OF the great and sol
| emn scene Of the crucifixion on GOOD Fri
day preceded by the several weeks Of pen
ance known as Lent.
For upon every day during the entir
| year the church celebrates a feast in com
memoration of our Savior or one of Hi
| saints; as also all the visible signs in thu
church and the rites employed about th'
sacrifice of the mass tend to tinstructioI
| and to the commemoration of the deatl
and passion Of our Lord, Jesus Christ. il
compliance with His own command, "DC
| this in commemoration Of me-" Qst Cor
| xi "a, that is. do this in memory of NJ
passion. This is plainly to be observed il
| the altar and IT'S ornament, as likewise il
| the garments with which the priest is
vested.
The ceremonies of the Holy Mass are as
follows:
The Confteor denotes the repentance
and preparation we ought TO have when
we assist at the holy mysteries; and puts
us in mind of the many sins we have CON-
mitted, for which we ask pardon of God.
The Gloria in excelsis Dec puts US in
mind of the hymn of praise which the
angels sung at Christ's nativity.
The Collect signifies the prayers which
our Lord made in the temple when he
went with his mother and St. Joseph to Je-
resalem to worship his Heavenly Father.
The epistle represents the preaching OF
ST. John the Baptist.
The gradual. the penance which ensues
among the good people upon that preach
ing.
The holy gospel betokens the holy preach
ing of our Saviour Jesus Christ.
The credo in unum deum signifies the
great fruit which ensued from the sermons
of Christ.
The offertory denotes the great prompti-
tude and fervent affection of a delicate
will, when our Saviour had during his
whole life, Offering himself to God for our
redemption.
The orato fratas, with the secret prayers,
signify the retreat of our Redeemer when
he withdrew with his deciples to the desert
of Epraim, previous to his death and
passion.
The preface and sursam corda signify
his triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the
canon represents his prayer in the
garden, the agony and sweating of blood
he endured and how his disciples left him.
The sundry crosses that the priest makes
over the host and chalice before and after
conservation are mystical representations
of the many grievous torments which
Christ endured for the accomplishment of
the general redemption of mankind.
The elevation of the host and chalice fig
Ure the lifting up OF Christ on the cross,
and inasmuch as the host and chalice are
exhibited apart the ceremony declares the
of Christ's soul from his body
and his blood from his veins.
The division of the host into three dis
tinct parts doth show the three substances
in Christ, viz: The divinity of his person,
the spiritual of his soul and material of
hisbody. And as one of the said parts is
put into the chalice, and, as it were, buried
therein, thereby is signified Christ's body
in the sepulchre; likewise its mingling
with the blood demonstrates that the
divine personality was neAer separated
either from his soul in his descent into
hell nor from his body lying in the sep
ulchre.
The Pax and Agnus Del makes us call to
mind that our Saviour, being the innocent
Lamb without spot, has reconciled us to
God his Father by his death and passion,
accomplishing his triumph at the resur-
cection, being our true pashal Lamb.
The priests benedic;ion given at
he end of the mass represents the pecu-
lar recommendations wherewith Christ
lid recommend his church at the render
ng of his soul into the hands of his Divine
Father
ST. JOHNS
The rood screen of evergreens at st. |
Johns church is the admiration of every
BODY. Against the white dossal, with its |
egend, 1.-The Christ is Born stands |
cross of cut flowers and ferns. |
The white frontal and superfrontal of the |
lltar glow among the evergreens, and the
Exquisite pendiums of the lectum and the |
are delightful in the midst of |
he potled plants. The services began at
his church at s a. NJ, with well-at- |
ended early celebration. There was |
mother largely attended celebration at |
midday. At morning prayer, at IL a. m.
Dean Adams preached from: This is the |
rue light which lighteth every man that |
ometh into the world" (St John, l. 81
haau hacraJ nv that haxa
lere one of the many names of the Christ,
he Light" This light naturally eight
til every man that cometh into the world
lie called attention to what he thinks one
# the most polished and beautiful of poetic
i remarks, read from one of the proper
,salms for the day: "Out of the ivory
and remarked that each of us
las his home, whether a hut or a mansion.
Zach of these homes has its appliances for
lighting, but they must be lighted. Our
atures may be represented nnder the
gure of residence In the basement is
he home of our animal natures, our pas
ions and our appetites-and what lot OF
nimals they are, In the first story resides
ur intellectualities-a story in which
most of us are living in this day.
But there are higher stories.
n the next lives the moral man
rom the windows of the next, the spirit
al man looked out and sees the noun
ain after mountain in region of Gods
piritual entities. He is very foolish who
oes not live more and more on this floor,
7here he has the sweet sunshine and the
ure air of God, which gives temporal
ealth not only, but an eternal.
For our temporal homes we have had in
be history of man, rush lights and tallow
fps, and candles. and lamps, and gas. now
-e have that most wonderful result of but
l,o ol ntr;n li.rkt Al-la, ar,c .,r,,or /