The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-12-26
THOUGHTS At CHRISTMAS
EXCERPTS FROM THE SERMONS
PREACHED YESTERDAY.
At the Catholic Seryices-Entertafn-
rrents at MaennerchOr ana
TomIinsOn Halls.

The crowds at the churches yesterday
morning were sufficient in most cases to
pack the auditoriums for, besides special
music and decorations, the day was suffi-
GENTLY clement to permit people to walk to
worship. The light fall of snow which came
along toward daybreak saved the day from
being green Christmas. At night the
twinking of candles shone out through
many windows evidences that the children
We're having lighted trees The afternoon
and night services of the churches were
somewhat lightly attended with a few ex-
ceptions, as most families preferred to spend
the afternoon or evening at home around
their tree.
AT all the public institutions an extra
menu was furnished TO the inmates, and at
the jail and workhouse the prisoners were
made to feel just as merry they possibly
could feel under the circumstances.
From the appearance of the hotels here
yesterday the conclusion could be safely
drawn that nearly all the world spent
Christmas at home or with friends. The
Hobbies were deserted, and the few who were
unable to get home for the day looked lone
~. The registers were not filled to any ex-
tent and the majority of the names on them
were from Indianapolis and were of people
who took advantage of the elaborate dinners
served At all of the hotels extra efforts
were put forth in the dinners and in artistic
menus. 1t was an exceedingly quiet day
and evening.
This afternoon the stores and places of
business will be closed, so that employees
may not feel that Christmas, coming on
Sunday, deprived them of holiday TO which
they were rightly entitled.
In the Roman Catholic churches the OBJ
servance of Christmas began the earliest,
the masses before dawn being we'll attended.
At Christ Episcopal Church, on Monument
Place the day had been ushered in b.
pealing of the chimes.
The services in the Catholic churches were
of particularly impressive character. One
of the largest audiences of the day attended
the first mass held at o'clock a. m. at ST.
johns Church. The church was decorated
with evergreens and the large marble altar
was brilliantly lighted. A large collection,
estimated at between $500 and $500. was
taken by the pastor, Rev. Father GaYisk to
be applied to the support of the orphan
asylums maintained by the diocese At 1880
O'Clock Haydns Imperial mass was sung as
a pontificai high mass for the first time in
this city. Right Rev. Bishop Chatard Off
ciated, assisted by Reys. V. j. Brucker, S.
J. Donaghue and Francis III. Gavisk the
latter being master of ceremonies. Twenty
acolytes. being the best trained of the altar
boys, served at the altar. Other masses
were sung at g. $3.50 and 1880 a. m. by Rev.
F, II. Gavlsk. At 8 O'clock services were
held at which the music was furnished by
the children of the parish to the number
of one hundred There was of necessity
considerable similarity between the sermon
of the bishop and those delivered by the
rector at the other masses. All of them
dealt with the nativity of Christ and the
origin of the celebration of Christmas.
At $3.50 vespers were sung, the same assist
ing clergymen being present. The fine
effects of the illumination of the altar and
the crib representing the birth of Christ
was perhaps more marked during the cele-
bration Of the pontifca high mass than at
any other time during the day because of it's
contrast to the half light throughout the
back portion of the church. The music was
well rendered, although done for the first
time. The programme was as follows:
'kyrie Eleison" NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..