The morning call., 1893-09-25
FOR HARVEST HOME.
An Old English Festival Celebrated
at ST, Johns.

at St. Johns.
The LIBERATION of the services peculiar
to the old English festival OF Harves
Home attracted goodly congregation IC
the church of ST. John the Evangelist oil
Fifteenth street, near Valencia, las
evening.
Harvest Home" in England is festi
val celebrated by the church in the fall Of
the year. On the Sunday when this festi
val commences the Pensioners bring tC
the church offerings of the fruits of theii
toll during the year. together with cakes
pies. conseryes, etc. and these Offering
are consecrated during the festival ser
vice.
During the ensuing three nights the
festival continues, and bOuntiful Suppers
are furnished those in attendance at the
close OF each evenings services from the
provisions which have been gathered TO-
gether. The first night is devoted to the
Pensioners, the second to the church
offlcers and vestry, and the third to the
choir, and the whole occasion is full OF
rejoicing. Thanksgiving and good cheer.
In this country the celebration of the
Harvest Home" has not as yet become an
Institution Of the church. The nearest
approach which we have to the idea is the
national Thanksgiving, which is not ex-
cluslvely religious function, being cele-
brated as 1t is by many who are without
church ties.
The services which took place last even
ing at ST. Johns were Identical with those
which are held on this occasion In Eng
land. but the succeeding feastS will be
omitted. The entire service was choral.
under the direction of Henry Kirke White.
who has for two years been musical
director at this church. and 1t was im-
pressively beautiful from the beginning TO
the end.
The altar was artistically and profusely
decorated with flowers, fruits, vegetables,
sheaves of grain and gracefully dropping
stalks of corn, and the effect as seen from
the front was as charming as the scheme
OF the decorations was unique. DR.. Spauld-
ing, the rector of the church, conducted
the preliminary services, Rev. Mr.. Church
of the Irving Institute reading the les
sons. The responsive chanting Of the
three psalms for the evening was an es-
ecially fine feature of this part of the
services. The sermon, which was de-
livered by Bishop Nichols, was particu-
larry appropriate to the occasion. The
text was taken from the twenty-sixth
chapter of the gospel according 10 st.
Matthew: AND The took bread, and
blessed and brake it,"
The Bishop dwelt at some length ON the
meaning and scope OF the sacrament, pass
ing from that to the sacramentai use If
the gifts which God in his infinite kind
ness and generosity bestOws upon us. He
urged bis hearers to take a heavenly view
OF nature instead OF merely material and
worldly one. and to trace God in all his
works. Moreover. the Bishop advocated a
sacramenIal view of nature. and in this
connection spoke Of the institution of the
Harvest Home" which those present had
gathered to celebrate. and dwelt upon the
necessity of cultivating the virtues of gen.
erosIty and liberality. not only among
themselves, but toward the church.
The Bishops sermon WAS delivered in
his usual impressive but simple style, and
contained many suggestions, which he
hoped would be taken home by each men,
Der of the congregation. meditated over
and acted upon in future.
The musical part of the services. beside
the appropriate hymns and psalms, con-
sisted of the following: Anthem, "Ye
Shall Dwell in the Land (Slr John
Stainer), unison service (Sir John Goss),
choral service (fallis). responses, Henry
Kirke White.
The various offerings will be distributed
among different charities.