Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1899-12-28
MERRY CHRISTMAS BELLS.
OBSERVANCE OF THE FESTIVAL IN
BURLINGTON CHURCHES.
Secular Exercises aud X rligious Services
saturday and sunday Make Children
Happy and Interest Those of Matur-
or Years Weeks Programme.

The celebration of Chris tmas in Bur-
lington's chuCches began Saturday and
was continued Sunday.The attendance was
everywhere large. The Sunday schools Of
two churches had their secular obser-
vance of the day Saturday, white Sunday
school couccrtS and elaborate musical pro-
Giammes by the choirs were features sun
day at nearly all the churches.
AT THE FIRST CHURCH
The Christmas social of the Sunday
school of the First church was held Sat
urdaN afternoon between the hours of 4
and at the chapel The Titles ones we've
made happy by many gifts. An ilustra-
ted lecture on the birth and life of Christ
was given Ivy Miss Lucy Torrey and Miss
Ada Plat. The stereopticon was opera
ted by Assistant Secretary iIowc of the
Y. NJ. e. \. supper was served and the
time passed in singing carols and in Il SO
cal way.
Sunday there was an elaborate mu-
steal programme at both the morning and
evening service and la the afternoon at 4
O'Clock the musical cantata, "The Prince
of Light" was Ccndered bv the Sunday
school An address was delivered hy Ecv.
Mr.. Scudder.
At THE UNITARIAN CHURCH.
The observance of Christmas at The
Unitarian church began Saturday evening
with exercises by the SUNDAY school.
There were three handsomelY-decora Il
Christmas trees. one standing "A nttle
higher and between thc other two, light
ed by many electric lights of various col
Ors. this feature being. ~ usual. in charge
OF ". f.. Ferguson. Tho exercises inclui-
cd Rotations and the singing OF carols by
members of the Sunday school and two so
10. I'm 1,
compartment At the close OF the ro-
grammc bells were heard and soon Santa
iClaus appeared at the door. With a voice
which rcscmhled that OF =. G.. Dodge he
wished a merry Christmas to all in tho
house and then distributed boxes of can.
dy to the children. while tho pastor, Rev.
j. II. MCtcalf, and the superintendent OF
the Sunday school, G. y. Smith distrihu.
cd the gifts, every one in the school he =
ing remembered.
Sunday evening an augmented choir rom
dercd Parkcrs Cantata, The Holy Chi.i W
the church being crowded. Tho trees,
which had not been removed. were again
lighted.
At THE METHODIST CHURCH.
At $3.50 o'clock Sunday afternoon the
choir and Bible school class presented Ga
briefs magnificent oratoIio Cartata "Shi-
Ion" to an audience that completely I'LL
high character of this beautiful compost
ton had been duly emphasized in the am
nOunCcm" mt of the exercises both III The
press and before the Bible school and con-
grcsdtion, yet it is not 100 much to say
that Sunday afternoon the mental coSldi-
tion Of the audience was one Of startled
surprise at the undreamcu of excellence of
the cantata and the splendid execution by
the choir and chorus From the grand or
gan prelude with which the compost, ion
opens % the thrilling Song Of Victory
of lis closing pages. not a slip or a hitch
of any kind married what to the audience
appeared to be "A fau,less rendering of Il
difficult but beautiful work, This success
is largely due to the Bible school chorster
Mr.. j. L. Cobb, who has spared neither
time nor pains to secure thorough prep
aration upon the part of the chorus. The
singers were freely supported by the
strong brilliant playing of the church or
ganist. Mrs. Evelyn Causcbrook. whose
rendition If Theo Dubois March OF the
Mapi Kings with its weird star note"
running through all the harUinries delight
ed eNerybodV The organ W#s reinforced
by Mr.. Waterman and Mr.. George
Baldwin ON the violin. much to
the advantage Of tAc support
given the singers 1t is difficult to
ed WHORE all was so evenly good In the
leading parts. specially iine work was done
ny Mr.. George -. Sherman in the bass
solo. lin the beginning God created the
heavens and the earth" by Nh. Arthur
NOctCh in the tenor : lie, And God slw
that the Nirk-ducSs of CI1n was great.
hv Mrs NJ. T.. church in the contralto
solo. behold Lay in Zion for FOunda
ton stone" and by Miss l.. NJ. Weller also
in a Contrilto solo. 'Luldby.' Another
solo, dainty as its snger was The ola
story" sung by little Alenc Hale one Of
the pupils in the kind, rsarten department
# the Bible sch, OIL OF other leading parts
special mentor Should D., made OF the
beautiful "Lullaby.' qudrtettc for Ia
dies voices. and so finely rendered by Mrs.
church, iirst soprano Miss Louise Russell
second soprano, Miss Weller first alto, ard
Miss Florence Wilder seculId alto MIR. t..
g.. Lyons rich clear tenor was heard in
the solo parts Of the rumter entitled "1nr
Guiding Star" and aglir with Messts.
NOetch and futile in the beautiful tfic.
The Shcperds' Evening Song fitting
moment in the cOurs" of the programme,
a beautiful electric star appeared in the
dark recess over the organ and c'ntrIDu-
ted something of a picturesque effect to
the back ground, an effect heightened by
the profusc decorations of hemlcch shrub
hcry with which the church VAS adorned.
The cleo rio star was the gift of Mr.. j. J..
Poland. tn, electrician. to the Bible school.
Summing up the whole matter of sun
! utN afternoon PRESERVATION or SIMON,
a gentleman who has been member II
/ the Burlington Methodist Episcopal
church for more than a naf century, de-
olared ii was the best thing hc had ever
/ heard given under the iuSpices of the
church. Many people expressed ii desire
to have il repeated and ths may he done.
| AT THE FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH.
/ AT the Baptist church there was SOME
special Christmas Music at the morning
service and i'm the evening occurred the
Christmas concert by the Sunday school
The annual Christmas tree for the sun
day school Of the Baptist church was held
! in the church parlors Monday night from
$50 until s O'Clock. The exercises were for
the primary scholars and their friends
and the programme was rendered by the
pupils OF the primary classes. At the front
/ of the room were 40 less than i've Christ
~
,c G<E :