The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-12-29
SANTA CLAUS AT CHURCH.
THE MERRY OLD SAINT PAID AN
EVENING OF VISITS,

Children Entertained at the Second
Baptist Church, the Lutheran Sun
day schools, at st. MichaIe's Mis-
sion and the Church of Christ
Novel Celebrations by Some OF tue
Sunday schools.
Many children were entertained last
night with Christmas celebrations. 1t is
probable that not less than 1900, with
300 older persons, We're present at the cell
ebrations given by the Sunday schools of
five of the churches.
AT all of the entertainments the chill
dren seemed to have a glorious time, and
their pleasures were reflected in their
parents and older friends The popular
form of amusement for the young people
was the Christmas tree. In only one in
stance of the five schools that celebrate
the season, was the tree sighted. This
was at the Duffy Street Baptist church,
where lighthouse built of candy boxes,
resembling brickwork, was the central fig
ure of the entertainment. The other Sun
day schools that entertained their schol-
ers were those Of the Lutheran Church of
the Ascension st. PauPs Lutheran church.
the Bolton Street Church Of Christ and st.
Michaers chapel.
The entertainment at St. Michaers
chapel was held at o'clock. The small
building was literally filled with the many
children and their friends and parents,
who had gathered for the occasion. The
chapel had been handsomely decorated
with evergreen foliage the neighborhood
of the tree being particularly agreeable to
the sight.
A programme of songs had been prepar-
ed, and these were rendered with great
spirit by the school. 1t was not the wish
of those having the affair in charge TO
mar the pleasure of the children by maxi
ing them wait too long for the most in
teresting part of all, which, of course, was
the distribution of the presents. This was
al the close of the entertainment, songs
and an address to the children upon
Christmas by Mr.. Edward S. Elliott tax
ing up the time before the young people
were given the presents. Among the
songs that were sung were, "Oh, Little
Town of Bethlehem" when Christmas
Dawn Is Ger the Hills" and ''Hark the
Herald Angels Sing" The distribution of
the presents was superintendent by MIR.
w. F. Galloway the superintendent of the
concluded by the singing of the dox-
ology.
The young people began to gather early
at Duffy Street church for the celebration
of the Sunday school, and by the time of
the hour, 8 O clock, at which the festivities
were to begin, the seating capacity of the
church had all been taken up. 1t then be-
came necessary for the ushers 10 bring
chairs for the aisles for the accommoda-
ton of the visitors.
AS the seats were assumed the first
thing that met the eyes of the occupants
was the lighthouse, which was The promi-
nent figure. This stood on the platform in
the midst of decorations in evergreens and
presented handsome appearance even be-
fore the lights were turned on. When this
was done, the effect was very pretty and
the children were delighted. The light
house was an electrical contrivance that
stood upon the candy box brickwork which
was some six feet or more in hight The
light house was studded all over with va
riegated incandescent globes in miniature.
A flash light was arranged at the top, the
glasses of different colors turning in front
of the light, sending out alternate CLOVIS
of red green and violet.
The celebration was opened by the school
singing Joy to the World" after which
responsive scriptural readings were en-
gagged in by the school and the pastor,
Rev. James D. Chapman. Upon the con-
C-uSlOn OF TINS feddlnS the pastor OfIereu
a prayer. Fourteen little girls of the in
FAINT class then appeared before the audi
Cnce, forming the acrostic, merry Christ
mas" Little Miss Edna Swindel enter
tanned her hearers with recitation, "If
I Were Santa Claus" Another song,
while Shepherds Watched" was then
sung by the school, after which the little
children of the Louisa Porter Home sang
a Christmas carol.
The distribution of the gifts imme-
diately preceded by a song Let the Low
er Lights Be Burning" by the school. The
lighthouse was torn down. box by box,
each of them being given to a member of
the school The little people were great
ly pleased with the candy and the gifts
of fruit that were bestowed upon them.
The audience was dismissed with benedic-
ton pronounced by the pastor.
Every visitor to the celebration brought
with him pound of something that would
prove useful to The Baptist Orphan Home
In Atlanta. The occasion was thus a
pound party as well as a Christmas cell
ebra tion. Last year the Sunday school
of the Duffy street church sent three bar
re!s of pound packages to the home and
the indications were that the contributions
last night viii not fall short of that guam
tity. All the Baptist churches take up
come kind of collection at this season for
the home