The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1894-12-26

| udys' ONeI Jnb CnOlr gallery an evergreen
| bell was suspended, giving thai corner OF
the church very artistic appearance A
noticeable and appreciated addition to the
musical part OF the services were the cor
net solos OF j. A. Parlin Of Boston, friend
| of Organist Scribner At the morning ser.
vice he played "The Lost Chord" and in
the evening Schubert's Ave Maria" with
| fine effect. Rev. A. N. Lewis, the sctor.
preached an able, thoughtful sermon from
the words found in Deuteronomy XXI a
THE Word Is very nigh" He called es-
pecial attention to the fact that tn ) word,
which is God with us, Is especially nigh to
those in trouble or suffering or poverty aud
elaborated the thought that, although Gods
ways seem to us unfathomable, and although
now we do not understand his providences
as the millennium dawn comes on we shall
find them out and all will be clear. Tues
day afternoon at five o'clock the Chris, mas
festival of the Sunday.school was held
Several carols were sung by the children;
responsive reading. A short address TO the
children was made by Rev. Mr.. Lewis, fol-
lowed by the awarding of prizes and pre-
| sentation of gifts. Tuesday morning, at half
past ten, morning prayer was followed by
the administration of the holy communion.
CHURCH OF THE MESSIAH.
We present the main points of Mr..
Wright's sermon, which had for its text
part of Matthew /: %" They shall call his
name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
not called Emmanuel by any of the evangel-
lists, and even here, and almost in the same
| breath, we are told that the name actually
given to him was Jesus. This illustrates
the free use of the Old Testament, custom
| airy in the New, in regard to the fulillment
of prophecy. And indeed, Icalliug Jesus,
Emmanuel would not have proclaim med him
to be the deiiy in hum IN guise, for such
names were often given to men among the
Jews, @. q. Eli, "My God -; Elijah, " NV
! Gn1 IabOvab ~. Top,ttal Co1 tba,
But, although not himself the deity, Jes Is
has by his teachings and life bridged the
gulf between God and man, and enabled
multitudes to say, as only the rarest and
choicest spirits before him could say, " God
is with as The deity, as revealed by him,
is ever where existent, everywhere active,
and everywhe re accessible. Teaching men
to call God Fdtber he brings him,as it were,
from naughty royal estate and far-of
lofty throne, into 'ery home. He portrays
ii macy with his children Instead of jealous,
austere and distant, dra wing near to- in
stead of retreati lg from, mankind A key.
noe to the yearning of Jesus is lis prayer,
THAT thsy all may be one; as thou, Father:
art in me, and / in thee, that they also may
be one in u.s." That whole prayer-a com.
munion with God, rather than prayer in
the common sense, a trustful outpouring OF
a child's heart t his affecti )nate father, in
the perfect confidence and freedom OF
!
realz ID that all barriers between him
and the Eternal had been removed
and he ardently desired that all OF
every age should share that blessed heart.
near ness, should know the benign truth
suggested by the word Emmanuel, "God
with u.s." Well may the world eel ,brate
the natal day of one whose words and life
have so illuminated that glorious truth. On
Sunday evening this church was again
crowded to its utmost capacity when q
4 a..
school. The programme consisted of respon
sive readings led by w. G. A adre VS., the
superintendent; carols, by school and choir
Rotations by Charles Stoddard George
Smith, Matte Demeritt, the members of Miss
Emma Cutters class, Miss b sssie Farwell's
Lawson; and brief address by Rev Mr.
Wright in which he urged the parents tC
bri lg Their children to the Sunday morning
services, portion Of which, each Sunday
is devoted to tn ,m The interior of the
church was very prettily trimmed with
evergreen trees, wreaths, and festoons
Last evening Christmas party was held in
the vestry, at which every member of the
Sunday chool who had been present every
Sunday during the year received gift.
ST. AUGUsTINE's CHURCH.
Midnight mass at this church. Monday
night, was attended by the usual large
number of devout worshipers. On Christ
|
half past ten. The musical programme al
these services was in charge of Antoine
Galaise, with Miss Nellie Kelleher as organ
ist The mass in G. by Louise Waterman
was sung, with solos by Mrs: Antoine Ga
laise, Alma Fisher, Eva Terriault, Evs
Fisher, Antoine Galaise, Henry Mooney
and Lafayette Jerome. For an offertory
"Adeste Fideles was finely rendered
Sunday morning, Rev. Father O'Sullivar
spoke on the gospel for the day which re
| Late ha ;uoin AZ Tnhn Do
fist. His mission was to prepare the way
for the coming of our divine Savior. He
performed that mission in a twofold man
ner; first, by preaching the baptism Of pen
ance, and also by exemplifying that life in
his own conduct and manner of living.
During the time of advent, few weeks
preceding the Chrstm ~ anniversary, the
church re echoes the word, OF st. John the
Baptist, who called himself " the voice of
one crying in t he wilderness, prepare ye the
way of the Lord, make his paths straight
This was undoubtedly that Christians
should prepare themselves for this celebra.
ton in the spirit OF the preaching and life
of st. John the Baptist; that is to say, by
works of penance mortid cation and prayer
The civilized world at large is looking for
ward to this great anniversary with senti-
ments of Joy, A portion of this world
whether Christian or anti-Christian, has
rejected Christ and his doctrine. Still they
seem to rejoice in anticipation of the pleas
The Christian who Processes to be a fol.
lower of Christ should not initiate the
world, but should look forward to Christ,
mas with sentiments of faith, love and
neutrality-suspicious. ants that should inspire
him with greater love for the virtues incul.
Gated by the Christian religion, and by the
practices of a Christian life.
TRINITY CHURCH.
The must at this church was a special
feature of the services Sunday morning.
The anthems, &" Hosanna TO Him that Bring
eth Good Tidings" with solo by Will
Smith, and 81 Had Dream of Bethlehem, 4"
wi h solo by Miss Gertrude Cochran, were
both artstically rendered. Rev. A. H
Webb the PASTOR spoke from the words
d" For the Son of man is come TO seek and to
save that which was lost" Festivals in
commemor alton of the birth of Christ will
be held this week in almost every city,
town and hamlet of the civilized world
Why are not the birthdays of Caesar, or
Alexander, or any hero of all the tho lsands
celebrated as well as that of our Lord Jesus
Christ? He whose birth we celebrate at this
time was divine, he came on the grand mis-
sion t. seek and to save the lost, and in his
divinity we see his power and superiority
o yer all earthly conquerors The reason
aNH 4. .saNl, ~.