Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1898-12-30
The Roman Catholic Church.

Ihe hOmRn CathOl1C ChurCh.
Christmas day was observed at the Rom
an Catholic church in the usual manner.
| High mass was celebrated at II 40 Satur-
| day evening and at 1880 Sunday morning,
and low mass at 9 o'clock Sunday morn
| ing. At 7:30 Sunday evening vespers
were held The altar of the church was
prettly decorated with candles, and palms
and cut flowers were arranged in an at
| tractive manner An unusually good mu-
steal program was rendered at the high
masses by the choir. The music at low
mass was furnished by the children. Rev.
Father Cunningham preached Christmas
sermon.
Rev. Mr. Maxwell at the UniversRlist
Church.
Matthew 7:l6, by their fruits ye shall know
them"
The theme of the sermon preached from
the above words was: "What Jesus has
done for the Morals of the World" A
short study was first made of the moral
condition of the Roman world at the time
of the holy advent. Attention was called
to the declaration of an eminent modern
historian that ''there had been diffused
abroad in the civilized nation of that day
pronigacy which probably has had no
parallel, before nor since, in the annals of
the race" Cruelty, Righteousness, cor
ruption were conspicuous in every social
class. The gladiatoral contests with all
of their demoralizing features formed the
chief source of amusement. Every rich
man had a large retipue of slaves, the lat
ter being captives from conquered prov
inces. Labor was scorned by all free citi-
zens. The disinclination to marriage was
great; there was little home life, and the
greatest extravagancies of sensuality and
debauchery prevailed. Every part of the
empire was affected by this moral leprosY,
The pagan philosophers, while they pro-
duced some lives of high type of charac-
acter, were utterly impotent in the pres
ence of this deep and universal degrade
ton.
Into such world Christ and Chrstiani
ty came, and our modern life witnesses tC
their wonderful regenerating power. An
imalism, cruelty, and selishness have by
no means entirely disappeared from the
life of man, but they are not the FREEDOM
inant forces in our day that they were two
thousand years ago. The arenas anC
their inhumanities have passed forever
the world demands today that cruelty shall
not be practised on man or brute. Thu
emperors of Christ's time believed tina
they had the right to slaughter prisoner
of war; now we are fast outgrowing tn
very idea of war, and all civilized nation
| insist that, when it is resorted to, it shall
be conducted on a humanitarian basis, a
= far as possible. Slavery has been abolish
ed among the leading peoples of the earth
human toll has been elevated and dignihed
. and the man who earns his daily bread b
the sweat of his brow is counted one o
natures noblemen; not the worker bu
the idler is despised in this age. TIL
sanctty and authority of the home hav
been more thoroughly established throug
the influence of the religion of Jesus; tn
position of women has vastly improved
and all of the refined and refining ideal
and sentiments of the divinest religion
Imagination have come to exert an eve
widening power in the heart of humanity
When the simple, plain, honest life {
Christ has been preached evil has bee
overcome; when that message has bee
, eclipsed by theological speculation III
. righteousness has fiourished. In all thes
centu les Jesus has been very imperfect
understood, and yet his influence in tn
world has been tremendous. How niue
greater would have been the moral in
provement of man if the pure religion {
Christ could have held sway unobscure
by dogma or superstition! Much neart
would be the kingdom of God.
The regular Christmas concert was hel
in the evening and was largely ATTENDED
The program consisted of songs and rec
tations by members of the Sunday schoo
and brief remarks by the pastor. On MOI
day evening Christmas supper was serve'
Centre Congregational Church.
. Rev. F. B. Makepeaee preached upo
A "The Leadership of the Christ Child,
taking his text from Isaiah XI:6; Gan
little child shall lead them" He sal
in part: These words refer to him who's
birth at Bethlehem we celebrate toda
and to the ever widening influence of h
life. The prophet draws a beautif
picture of harmony and peace-wild an
4 savage animals losing their cruel instinc
and submitting to the dominion of chill
: These ferocious animals, whose spiri
grow docile and mutually agreeable, a
y types of cruel men, and robber nation
o the war loving, and brutal forces of h
i man life, made loving and lovable und
4 the reign of spiritual law. Christ's bir
4 has elevated, purified and ennobled Il
= home as no other event and no 9th
= teaching has ever done. He set the Sc
- of approval upon 1t by entering on huns
life throuoh lite unrtala nv himaalf daualo