Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1890-01-03
The Holidays in the Churches and
Sunday Schools.

The holiday season passed off very
quietly in this place, many of our peo-
pie spending the hours pleasantly with
families and friends. Services approprl-
ate to the season we're held in the various
churches and proved very interesting to
the large congregations. The early morn
ing services in the Reformed church were
particularly interesting and attractive, ,
the handsome church being beautifully
lghted with hundreds of candles. The
music WAS very fine and was greatly en-
ioyed by crowded. congregation. The
addresses in tho diff rent churches were
very Impressive, while the singing aud
the music was of a character to pleas
the most refined taste. The Lutheran
Sunday School assembled in their chnrch
and passed a pleasant time on New Years
night, most bountful supply of good
things being distributed to the scholars.
The Sunday School of the Disciples
church also spont most enjoyable even
ing on Christmas Day each of the schol-
ars getting a generous amount of sweet
things.
Anumber of social gatherings marked
the week among the young folks, and 1t
is thought that number OF lasting i'm
pressions we're made on tender hearts.
The beautiful Christmas service, ct he
Chimes of Bethlehem" Of the Methodist
Sunday School held on Friday night of
last week, drew large congregation to
witness The interesting proceedings and
Listen to the splendid singing. The schol-
ars marched into the church singing the
professional chimes. Ali of the pieces
under the leadership OF Mrs. L. S. Walker,
were beautifully rendered, aud showed
skillful training. The address by the
pastor. Rev. B. F. Ball, was appropriate
and interesting. The recitation by Miss
Mamie Gra6ill was very creditable to the
young lady. Daring the exercises four
handsome rewards were presented to
members of the school for the year 1882
two to Miss Jennie Litten for raising the
largest amount Of money during the year
and for securing the largest number of ad-
ditions to the school, and one each to
Miss Fannie Ball and John Locke for reg
ular attendance. At the closing of the ex-
ercises the Large white tent representing
a snow house, erected on the pulpit, was
thrown open revealing Mr.. and Mrs.
Santa Claus who distributed big lot OF
good things to the members of the school
after which the congregation were dis
missed, having spent a most profitable
and pleasant evening.
Thursday evening following Christmas
day the Sunday School of the Presbyterian
church engaged in a very appropriate and
pleasant Christmas entertainment. a
large Christmas tree that touched the
ceiling stood upoh the pulpit stage, its
green boughes lighted with numbers OF
wax candles and draped with pendent
oranges. Subsidiary decorations were
flowers and greenhouse plants grouped in
a pleasing combination. The services
consisted of prayers by the pastor, and
recitations and singing by the Sunday
School children of pieces appropriate to
the occasion. Misses OLIVE and Leila
Riddleberger took part in the exercises
Miss Olive as organis5, and Miss Leila as
a member of the choir. Messrs. Lee
Bargelt, William Morrison, Jr., and I. A.
Schaffer formed an ochestra that played
a fitting accompaniment. ur. Bargelt
played a solo alto, Mr.. Morrison a Eb.
Cornet and Mr.. Schafer accompanied
with the violin. The music, Instrumental
and vocal, was excellent the younger
children acquitting themselves creditably.
After theselexercises, which were brief as
pleasant, were over, simple and appropri-
ate presents from the teachers to the
younger pupils of the Sunday School were
distributed. The service, as a whole, was
delightful one, in keeping with the
sentimens intspired by, and the fractions
that linger around, the blessed Christmas
season.