The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1893-12-29
SCHOLARS SEE SANTA
Christmas Festival at the
Bergen Baptist Church
Gift to the Pastor.
GOLD FOR PASTOR BRUCE.
Exercises of the Lafayette Sunday
schools-Work Of the
Lady Arions.
FOR PASTOR BRUCE.

lHe bergen DapGiSb SHuTcu never iooKeu
prettier than it did last night at the Christ
mas festival of its immense Sunday school
of i'll the neighborhood Of 400 scholars.
From the big chandelier in the center,
festoons of greens were strung to every cor
ner of the building; flags were hung over all
the doorways and at either side of the plat
form was a big Christmas tree. The infant
class sat upon the platform. Mr.. J.. Apple
gate, the Superintendent of the Sunday
school, sitting in the center of them with a
little tot on each knee. The body of the
church and the gallery, which must hold at
least 1900 people, were so crowded that
standing room was at a premium. A Christ
mas service, especially prepared for Sunday
school festivals, entitled, "Herald Angels
was carried out. 1t is interspersed with
choruses by the entire school and audience.
The principal features OF the programme
were as follows:-
Reading of the 156th psalm by Mr.. Apple
gate; prayer, Rev. d. j.. Ellison; recitation,
Miss Hangarty; responsive Scripture
reading by the Superintendent and school;
duet, .Glory to God in the Highest" Misses
Henriques and Gillen; recitations by five
boys; recitations, .'Why He Came" seven
little infant class girls; christmas Thanks"
Eleanor Yeandel; recitation, Florence
Wooley; song, Francis Smith; recitations,
six infant class girls; ladies' chorus and reel
%tations, Misses Lucy Benson, Ruth Tully,
Bogart, S. Isley, L. Vail, E.. Decker and o..
Watkins; dialogue, Miss Julia Raris and
Willie Way.
At this point Santa Claus was to have put
in an appearance and distributed the various
gifts, but Mr.. c. G. Strang took the platform
| and, in spite of Mr.. A~pplegate, said be would
hold it until be got through.
Old st. Nicholas, who wasn't informed of
the new order of things, got his cue and
started to play his part in the evenings en-
joyment. Sleigh bells were heard without
the church, and presently a side window was
raised and Santa Claus, sticking his head in,
wished the people q merry Christmas. He
then went around to the back door and had
started onto the platform when he was
stopped to give Mr.. Strang a show to talk.
Mr.. Strang said:-
PRESENT o MR.. APPLICABLE.
81 am disappointed in not having the
guests [ expected here tonight. Ireceived a
letter from Them He then. read a letter
signed Ruth.
He called Mr.. Apologize out, and, after
telling him of the esteem in which the Sun
day school holds him and their appreciation
of his work, presented him, on their behalf,
with a pretty little locket watch charm. AS
III Aiold UbC N CoOlAt1UlOl IL h1iOI ~OuuldJ
school and a great many Of the audience
waved their handkerchiefs.
Mr.. Applegate said;-"You have taken
me so by surprise that | scarcely know what
to say. have had many happy Christ
masses, but this is the happiest. O all
know what a red letter day means-well,
this is a red letter day for me-. thank you
and must ask to be excused from saying
anything more-my heart is too full"
Santa Claus here came in and made no
end of fun. He made a little speech and
then said he had a piano for the Ladies' Aid
Society, He took four men in an outer room
with him and they came in struggling under
the weight of a music box the size of a shoe
box. He asked Mrs. Prior to take charge
Of this and then darted out only to reappear
with a gate in his hand. He asked the chill
dren to tell him what it was and
then produced an apple and presented
the two to Mr.. APPLICABLE. Again
he dived into the real and returned with a
wooden post; another trip, and he brought
out a sign on which were T.V. W.-X, w.
He hung the sign on the post and gave them
to Mr.. T. V. w. Post. He scolded the peo-
pie for not having any snow for him, and
said he had brought some snowballs with
him. These, which were made of white
cotton, he produced from a bag and threw to
all parts of the audience. This delighted the
children immensely. Santa Claus after this
disappeared.
FOR THE PASTOR.
Deacon Woolsey took his place upon the
platform. He made Mr.. Ellison stand be-
fore him, and made a speech to him in
which he told him of the great love of his
congregation for him. He said that they
regretted that they had been obliged to let a
number of Christmases 60 by without being
able to offer him any token of their regard,
and begged hin to accept an envelope,
which he handed him, and which contained
a check for a handsome amount, as a gift
from a loving and appreciative congrega-
ton.
Mr.. Ellison said:-tI know that you love
me and | know that | love you. We have
been together now for nine summers and as
many winters, through sunshine and storm,
and | don't believe there is a clergyman
living who has received as many manifesta-
tions of love on the part of his congregation
in that time as | have. Lean only say God
bless you all.
A present and a box of candy was pre-
scented to each scholar and the pastor pro-
nounced a benediction.
Each of the children brought q package of
| vegetables or dry groceries. These were
| taken charge of by Mr.. Shuttle, President Of
the Sunday School Provident Fund, and will
be distributed today among the poor.
With all the giving of presents no one
remembered the sexton.
GREENvfLLE REFORMED SUNDAY SCHOOL
TIL Christmas entertainment of the
| Greenville Reformed Church Sunday school
was held last evening at the church. The
committee in charge had arranged to hold
the event in the chapel, but such q large
F, number of people attended that, in order to
/ provide seats for all, the church had to be
opened. There were not even enough seats
in the edifice for the audience, and chairs
had to be placed in the aisles. The pro-
| granme was an excellent one and each
number received hearty applause. 1t
opened with the song s'Ring
OUT by the school. Superintendent
w. j.. Clark then offered prayer, after
| which Miss Helen Ingersoll recited tHappy
Christmas" TIL singing by the primary
| class, which followed, was loudly applauded.
The school then sang THE Christmas Army"
after which six little girls sang 'sRock a-By
Baby Miss Helen Ingersoll then sang a
soprano solo in an excellent manner, and
the school sang the selection, "Child of Prom
ise." The entertainment came to a close with
the dialogue, How the Brownies Fooled
Santa Claus Mr.. II. N. Walker imper-
sonated Santa, and six small boys acted as
Brownies. The most interesting part which
Santa Claus filed was to present Pastor Rev.
w. P. Bruce with a purse containing $50 in
gold. Mr.. Bruce thanked the donors in a
neat speech. At the conclusion of the enter
tainment, the scholars Of the school received
boxes containing candy and toys. The adult
scholars received handsome books.