The San Francisco call., 1896-12-25
Some Beautiful Decorations
in Honor of the
Season.
The Worshipers Will Be Ap-
pealed To by Music
and Color.
The Catholic Cathedral and Grace
Episcopal Church Are Very
Elaborate1y Adorned.

Those esthetic features which appeal to
the ear and the eye more particularly will
not be absent from the services which
mark the advent of the Christmas season
in the churches of San Francisco.
a comprehensive list of musical pro-
grammes which will be rendered at to-
days and Sundays church services, &C.
cording to denomination, appeared in yes
terday's issue of THE CALL. and in logical
sequence descriptive reference to the sew
eral artistically decorated interiors, which
will form an environment in keeping with
such an occasion, is now appended.
Many churches other than Catholic and
EpiscopaIian will not have completed
their decorations before Sunday, when the
Christmas services will be held. The
Catholic and Episcopal churches will be in
readiness for to-day's services. 1t goes
without saying that no small amount of
artistic taste has been expended upon the
eminently worthy task of making the
sometimes austere interiors peculiarly
attractive at this season of peace and good
will. And where the architectural outlines
are intrinsically beautiful the fine taste of
ahe decorator has added touch of nature,
which has resulted in highly pleasing
com bination.
At the Catholic cathedral on Van Ness
avenue the Sisters of the Holy Family
have given noteworthy evidence of artistic
ability. The sober green OF ferns and
grasses has been so arranged as TO set off
In bold relief bright colorlngs. The CEN
tral marble altar may be termed the chef
'euvre of the entire design, and above
all the canopy surmounting the tabernacle
will, no doubt, become the cynosure OF
admiring eyes.
CRYSTAL vases filed with berries have
been placed at regular intervals along the
front of the sanctuary and the effect pro-
duced by these when exposed to the daZ.
zling radiance of the Illuminated candela-
bras on eiter side cannot be easily antic-
ipated. The dim, religious light" in
which the sanctuary was seen yesterday,
could give but an adequate idea OF its
appearance when the gorgeous accessories
of the Catholic ritual are added. Arch
bishop Riordan will preside at pontifcal
high mass this morning.
In the basement of the cathedral the
children's chapel has also been decorated
by the busy Sisters. Festoons OF ever
green extend across the opposite walls OF
the sanctuary and Christmas trees take
the place of palms in the body of the
chapel.
Grace Episcopal Church, on the corner
of California and Stockton streets, has
ably maintained tie dignity OF ltS repre-
sentative position among the religious de-
nominations of the City. The ladies of
the congregation are responsible for the
decorative design and have certainly dis
played artistic taste to the very best
advantage. These decorations are con-
fined almost exclusively to the chancel.
The altar rails are surm ounted by beau
tiful arch of foliage, and in this, as in the
majority of the decorative features, spruce
has been most frequently brought into
requisitlon.
The choir stalls are shaded by overhang-
ing boughs, and the massive stone pillars
on either side of the chancel, the reading
desk and pulpit are adorned with ever
green's. The altar of Italian marble will
be illuminated by more than hundred
wax candles, the effect If which cannot
fail to be OF the most brilliant description.
The First Presbyterian Church has not
yet put on the garb of the season. The
mem bers OF the Ladies Aid, however,
Have undertaken 10 look after this, and
expect to have the church ready for inspec
ton by tomorrow evening.
The same applies to the First Congrega-
tional Church, cofner Of Post and Mason
streets, so far as the interior OF the church
itself is concerned. Miss Annie Childs
and Miss Lizzie Hoffman, are the young
ladies who are expected to practically ex-
emplify the possibilities of color in time
for Sundays services
The remaining City churches are all sig
na.izing the advent OF Christmas II
manner equally similar and appropriate.