The news & observer., 1896-12-25
Preached by the snaday school
Children Last Night
ar THEIR CHRISTMAS TREE
Christmas Exercises at -Four
OF the Churches.
SANTA CLAUS TaERE ~ PERSON
Peace. on Earth, Good Will 10 Men
That is the Lesson of To-Day Seed
Part of Your Good Things
TO a Lazarus.


much news-except that it is Christmas.
But the bare Of tin horns and the con-
tinual popping of crackers will not aiio"
you to forget that.
Christmas morn will soon dawn again.
The eager murmur of little voices, no"
hushed in sleep, will forerun the hnser-
ing day break, and in the hour before
light. curious little fingers will touch and
test the distended stockings with wonder
and JOY.
Most of them had foretaste OF Christ
mas and caught a glimpse of Santa Claus
last night at the various Sunday school
Christmas trees. Christ church, the
Rantist Tabernacle, Edenton Street
Methodist and Fayetteville Street Baptist
Sunday schools distributed presents
among their scholars
A tender and pathetic sight 1t. all was,
and beautiful. The poetry of 1t now
deep. how, wonderful, how suggestive. III
was the GOSPEL of Infancy, preaching
Peace on earth, good will to men.
The waxen candles cleaned softly forth
like so many stars of Bethlehem and L
could imagine the flowers with their deep
rich red or virgin whteness to be the very
ones that blossomed the PLANES OF Fales-
tine when the Stars sang together and the
angels announced to the shepherds that
Savior had been born unto them
Surely the picture of the holy child
Jesus was never more perfectly portrayed
than it was by these children yesterday
and last night. There was deep JOY and
-. f,Dtr nartS q yad
songs of praise on their lips. The plain
and terror, of mortality has never de-
scended upon them. Few have felt the
sting of human avarice and amDiuon.
None of them have yet been crushed by
cruelty in the wheels of the great world.
They are innocent, therefore they are
happy. :.
.Of such is the Kingdom of heaven.
A thousand blessings upon these little
ones in the name and for the sake of the
Christ child. They are Raleighs hope,
Raleighs future.~
Merry Christmas to all and to all a
good night"
CHRIST CHURCH.
The Sunday school of Christ church
held its annual Christmas tree celebra-
ton at the Sunday school rooms at D
D. N. yesterday. A large holly tree had
been prepared and was brilliantly and
tastily decorated for the occasion. The
devotional exercises were conducted by
Bishop Cheshire, who made very ap-
propriate address to the children on the
observance and meaning to us all of this
beautiful Christmas-tide. AT its conclu-
sion the superintendent, DIR. Her
bert b. Battle, announced that
1nnr a.
vented the proper display Of can
dies to light the tree, but that he had
telegraphed to Santa Claus to help them.
At this moment Tat Eakins, Of the
Postal Telegraph Company, was seen
entering the room with u telegram for
the superintendent, which was eargerly
read and re-read to the audience. Santa
Claus wired from Santa Claus Land:
Don't worry about lights. Am on my
way with Fairy Good Luck and Mrs.
Santa Claus" The curtains were then
seen to separate, displaying the decorated
and partially lighted tree The bells Of
a sleigh were next heard at the door,
and Santa Claus and Mrs. Santa Claus
were announced, who were eagerly
watched by the expeetant children as they
passed up the aisle to the tree. Mrs.
Santa Claus then called for Good Luck"
and this beautiful little fairy was seen
to alight, and after a few words Of af-
lection for the audience, touched the
tree with her wand. Immediately the
tree was ablaze with lights, equalled only
by the best modern electric display, and
with wild clapping OF hands and etclama-
tons of delight from the audience the
fairy disappeared. The presents were
next distributed by Mr.. and Mrs. Santa
nd haI han %ho 1x<I
duct OF all the children during the past
year that not single one was overlooked,
nor were the traditional ashes and
switches given to a soul.
Mr.. Alf. Thompson. Jr.. impersonated
Santa Claus, Miss Eliza Pool was Mrs.
Santa Claus and sweet little Lucy
Moore, the daughter of Mr.. Van B.
Moore, acted well the part of fairy Good
Luck" To Mr.. johnson and Mr.. Sapp,
Of the Raleigh Electric Company, the
fairy and the audience owe a debt of
gratitude.
THE BAPTIST TABERNACLE.
Christmas is always a great occasion
at the Baptist Tabernacle Sunday school,
and last night showed that its officers
and teachers spared no labor to make this
year equal to their best.
1t was Primary night, and Mr. Jo H.
Weathers and his wife, who are at the
head of this department, with their ten
assistant teachers, gave an entertain
ment to the large crowd assembled that
showed their great efficiency in child
training.
The little ones were seated on a raised
platform in their folding chairs. Miss
Evie Ellis presided at the piano. After
prayer by the superintendent, the opening
chorus, '"fhe Happiest Time was sung
This was followed by a recitation, Look
ing for Santa Claus" given by FIVE little
tots in night robes, bare feet, holding
a stocking in one hand and lighted taper
in the other. The room was darkened
and the scene was beautiful and strik-
ing. Rubie Davis led the search, follow
ed by Jennie Warren, Roselle Creighton,
Margie Haynes and Lula Cooper. Dur
ing their search Santa Claus entered and
the little tots scampered away. Mr.. A.
Il. Forest, represented st. Nick and had
with him Little Nick" in the person
Of Master Walter Crabtree.
Santa Claus made an address to tha