Windham County reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1901-1906, 1901-12-27
WHAT BRATTLEB0R0 DID
IN OBSERVANCE OF THE MERRY CHRIST
MAS TIME.
Some of the Themes Taken by Our Local Pas
tors The Children and Their Festivities
A Succession of Concerts and Christmas

A Succession Of Concerts ana Chflstihas
Trees
The old. old story has been told
again. from pulpit and from mothers
lips at home: and by acts of loving
kindness which tell it so much more
eloauently than il can be told IN
words. 1t has been week of happy
greetings. merry fittings to family
reunions: surreptitious shopping and
preparation and mysterious packages
which nobody dare even glance at until
n certain delightful morning: 1t mas
been week encompasslng the hanging
mn of stockings: the wonderful but
weird visit of Santa Claus; the hllar-
ity of the gray dawn when the stock
ings, bulging grotesquely, are alscoS-
cred and week OF hrmer lrlehuI
ships, truer love, happier homes ana
Gods great love at its fullest flood:,
The birth of Christ was observed IN
the local churches by timely sermons
special music, decorations and Chrlsl-
mas trees and suppers for the chiidren'
In the Unitarian chuIch ReN. T.: "
S Osgood took as the theme OF ms
sermon "The Message of the Carols
based upon Luke IL: h. IA, The facI
of Christ's birth: the peace and good
will sung by the angel choir at ms
advent: and the necessity of humanity
( living today IN the spirit OF the son OF
man. were all emphasized as making
up the burden of this message. Az
/ the carol service in the afternoon MI
/ Osgood spoke OF how Christmas day is
/ celebrated at the present time at Beth-
/ lehem in Judea, and contrasted the
festival with the original coming OF
thp Master into the world, nineteen
centuries ago. Both morning and al
ternoon the music and singing were
especially beautiful and appropriate
and highly enjoyed by those, taking
mart in the services. The pulpit and
baptismal font were decorated with
bourhs of holly and cut flowers.
In the Universalist church Mr.. Mar
vim told the olden story of the finding
of the child Jesus, applying it to our
modern life: showing how Jesus may
be found in literature, in the churches
in humanity-the true goodness,
which, like golden thread runs
through the sombre patterns OF things
about us The musical program an
nounced last week was given by Mrs.
Pratt and Mr.. Brazor, and was de
lightful feature of the service. In the
evening the children of the Sunday
school gave an entertainment consist
inc of speaking and singing by the
smaller children all of which was vel.
and creditably done. Tuesday evening
the children of the Sunday school were
Given a supper, at the church, of colo
meats. sandwiches, cake, fruit anc
, chocolate; the supper being FOLLOWED
nv tree containing gifts for all Whlcl
, were distributed to the happy chlldrel
t Inv Santa Claus, sometimes known a
; Frank Brasor Baskets Of food lei
r from the bountiful supper were sent a
= Christmas gladdeners into numpe
of homes. -,
The Mission Circle connected will
= this church sent Christmas dinners t'
many needy families and coal to
2 family in temporary want. 1t ais
made Guilford home happier by tn
9 gift of needed bedding and Christina
! presents for the children, who havln!
] n sick mother, would otherwise hav
e missed much of the JOY that Christ
$ mas should always bring to chlldhood
e At the Methodist church Rev. Il. I
Lowe preached from the text: THANK
he unto God for His unspeakable gift,
He dwelt on the great love OF God a
EXPRESSED in the gift of His Son, ant
how much it has done in clvlllzln
and making better the world. IN
- choir rendered a Christmas antheI
and the Epworth League at their meet
o ING AT 6 p. N. considered the tlmel
subject ''Our Gifts to Our King;
The church and Sunday school ha
! a fine supper of cold meats, saIaas
rolls. cake, tea and coffee Nednesua
+ evening. The tables were decorate
o with evergreens and holly. After IN
q suppcr. a Christmas tree, well loaoe
), with gifts for all,was the center OF al
Il traction. Dr' I: u, NHteiei .,o "C'r;i ,,if+,
ii Boxes of food from the over supply .1I
the supper were sent out as Chrls
h mas riffs, to several families.
" The intermediate and primary q'
- partments of the Baptist Sunda
h. school enioyed a supper and social
T. the church Tuesday at F. m. Abol
4 1JO were present. The rooms wei
~. decorated with Christmas trees an
: Gifts of candy were distributed. II
refreshments consisted of cake, rol
Il and cocoa.
IN The Congregations church Sundt
~ ~ morning was prettily decorated wit
il hemlock branches about the pulpl
ID choir loft and on the gas glob,
st throughout the room Rev. II. /
q Miles preached timely and lmpre
IN siye sermon on"The Meeting of HeaVt
ns and Earth for which Chrlstm
nf T stands The special Christmas M
ot steal program announced last Wee
tn was rendered effectively py e one of4i 81 u
tho nf IN place Ol IL