Evening journal., 1892-12-24

Winds and Icyl Sidewalks VIII Make IL
averitable OId-Time Christmas-Elabo
rate Preparations in the City Churches
for o-AIorrow-Stocking the Larder.
The Kind of Christmas That Charles
Dickens Wrote About.
This is christmas eve" and the night
upon which the historic Santa Claus
makes his rounds. Christmas is holi-
day to which everybody looks forward.
1t is the landmark of hope in the life of
almost every living being. Profession
or social status interferes not with his
or her celebration of this great day. By
some, intense pleasure in the Christmas
dinner will be taken. Others will find
especial enjoyment in the reunion of
relatives and friends.
The American Christmas is a phrase
which is a picture of contentment and
peace. One seems to see the cornucopia
of plenty overturned above the country
and all the people caught in the golden
shower It has been far from being always
thus. Turning back in Jack O. lantern
memories and some Christmas days in
America will be found to have been
barren indeed, while some were bathed
in blood, fire and hideous massacre; 9TH
ers seemed hapeless for Gods worship
pers and for those who rocked the
tumultuous cradle of liberty in the sew
enties of the last century and the sixties
of the present.
At the first break of dawn on Christ
mas morning there is rustic of excite
ment in the household. Forms Of
ghostly appearance fit through the halls
and happy voices announce the greeting
merry Christmas The kitchen has
its share Of Christmas decorating and it
is a vertible hive of industry. The
mince meat has been prepared days ago,
and has been ripe in a great stone crock
in the cellar, but to-day the pies are to
be made-pies of many kinds, as BELTS
an American household. Crullers and
doughnuts are to be mixed and fried,
cranberry sauce to be compounded. the
materials for the plum pudding to be
prepared cakes, iellies, blancmanges,
tarts and other goodies brought to a
state of perfection.
The churches will have their own
festival with sermons in the morning
and evening, and the various preachers
will have very little time to themselves.
Christmas is probably the only festival
of the church that receives almost uni
versal recognition. The observance of
Easter becomes yearly more general, but
it still falls far behind the birthday in
popularity. Saints days are pract cally
unknown except to Roman Catholics and
to some Episcopalians; but from Green
lands icy mountains to lndias cora
strand, wherever the Christian religion
has been preached, Christmas is the Joy
time of the year.
1t was not always so. The memory OF
man goes readily back to the time when
Christmas was as nothing to New Eng
landers in comparison with Thanksgiv-
ing Day. In some hearts the Puritan
festival still holds the first place, but the
Christmas feast follows hard after it.
Presentation of Christmas Gifts.
One great consideration is that whicl
goes 70 make up of the value Of a Christ
mas gift. entirely independent of tn
price paid for it. One of this is tn
spirit in which it is given. A duty pres
ent-one that is made simply because i
is expected, aud not because Of rea
affection or esteem that flowers out il
the shape of a gifts valueless, NJ
matter how much money it has cost.
Another consideration is the appropri
ateness Still third consideration add
value to a gift. Something that is tn
work of the donors own hands almos
always possesses a value in the eyes o
the recipient quite beyond that of a pun
chased gift. The reflection that love an
thought had luxury of giving the none
she should preserve for the payment G
Just debts and for the purchase of neces
saries.
The preparations for Christmas 60 n
less vigorously in the country than the
do in the town, but they are less eviden
there. True, the country ''storekeeper
may offer collection of novelties tha
are in reality the antiquities Of last ses
son and of shops in town, and he will III
doubtedly lay in a double supply o
candies and other goodies. But nearl
every one goes or sends to the city fo
gifts, and children's toys, perfumer,
startling novelties and gay handkel
chiefs are about the only presents thG
can be found at the real country storI
Nevertheless the spirit of Christmas
abroad there as well as in town. Rel
tives come to the homestead for mile
around and the rejoicings are kept u
for days. Nobody thinks of work (
care or anything but themselves an
Christmas. There are games and driv'
and Christmas trees and dancing al
everything that is jolly and merry.
Christmas Church Services.
The Christmas services that will
held at Trinity church will be as follow
200 a. m, Holy Eucharist 9.45 a. m
Mathis Oplain); 1880 a. m, second eel
bration and sermon; 90 p. m, children
choral festival service; 7.30 p. m, eve
song and sermon by Rev. Charles
Hayden.
On each of the three succeeding Ho
days there will be a celebration Of Ho
Eucharist at a. m.
The services in St. Johns Church W
consist of the singing Of carols at g.
a. m. and a full service at 1890.
sermon by T. G. Littell, ID, upon t
subject sThe word was made flesh, a
dwelt among US. D" An anthem will al
be sung at this service The singing
the carols will be repeated at 4 o'clock
the afternoon and an address will
delivered to young people.
Services in the Reformed Episcol
Church of the Redeemer, will be c'