The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-04-27
ANIMALS IN CHURCH.

1 remember in particular midnight
mass which l attended one Christmas
eve in the church of an old Breton viii
lage, where we were spending the holt
days. The sacred and storm beaten edi-
fee, when we entered it shortly before
midnight, was filed to overlooking with
kneeling and picturesquely arrayed peas
ants. On the right side Of the altar
bower had been made of fragrant pine
and fir branches, with great punches of
crimson berried holly and waxy mistletoe
glistening among the verdure. Under
this canopy there sat on low stool a
young girl of great beauty. with her
long black hair falling in silky masses
on her loose white garments. In her
arms she held an infant. Beside her
stood a young man, wearing a gold
embroidered robe, and leaning on a
heavy staff, while an OK, donkey and
four sheep were quietly munching corn
from couple of managers.
The celebration of the mass began. A
small chorister chanted the "Puer 1aatus
est nobis." For to us child is born.)
The deep bass voice of another grown
up chorister, hidden somewhere in the
branch bower above described, gave
the response of Ubis" WHEREBY A
tenor chorister, concealed near the sheep,
added the word Bethlehem" and then
a baritone voice braved "Eomus." Net
US go thither.) Thereupon the priest,
his acolytes, and the entire congrega-
ton, formed into procession and
marched to the fir tree bower where the
representation of the Nativity had been
arranged. The priest, having sprinkled
both the mother and child as we'll as the
animals, with holy water, we all followed
the kindly old rector to the chief en-
trance Of the church. The scene there
was one which shall never forget. All
the cattle and fiocks of the village had
been driven into the old churchyard.
and stood there crowded together in the
silvery light of full moon, around the
open portal. Standing on tho topmost
step of the porch. with his acolytes and
surpliced choristers around him, the
venerable white haired priest, who had
had charge of the parish for close upon
forty years. exclaimed: "God, in his
mercy. my dear children, has sent me on
this radiant night of the Nativity to bless
your cattle and your focks, because it is
only right that the animals who consti.
tute your greatest help and source of
prosperity should participate in the Joy
which fills all our hearts. Now lead
your hocks past me-"
The shepherds and cattle herds then
began to drive the animals past ue,
while the rector, dipping the sprinkler
into the silver ever of holy water. show.
cred the latter upon the oxen and amid
the clang of the bells around their
necks. their lowing and their ba'aing. as
we'll as the cries and words of their
drivers, ever and anon were heard the
solemn words of the priest: "Benedicat
DOS ona,aipotens Deus, Pater ct Filius ct
Spiritus Sanctus," the choristers bring
ing the blessing to a close with a re-
sounding amen" AS I watched the
animals vanishing one after the other
into the night, it seemed to me as if l
were carried back to the primitive times
of the early Christians, and as if our
matter of fact prosaical and materialistic
nineteenth century was not reality.
but only nightmare.-Nea0 York
Tribune.