The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1901-12-27

Christmas Day dawned upon HOnOlu-
Ia bright and sunny after the discour-
aging rain storm of the day and night
previous and with the change in the
elements came a change in the spuits
of all. Services were held in several
churches. in all Of which special music
was Il feature. the interiors of the edi-
fees being decorated with green's and
flowers.
At Central Union church the services
were held at IL a. m, where some ex-
cellent music was rendered, the pro-
gram being as follows: Anthem. "Te
Deum" FESTIVAL in @. Dudley Buck;
offertory solo. Noel (Gounod). Ms.
a. II. Otis; anthem. Glory to God on
High" CMozarD, Mrs. ]. w. Yarndley
and choir.
Rev. j. p. Erdman occupied the pui-
pit in place of Rev. w. NJ. Kincaid. and
delivered the Christmas sermon. He
spoke. in part. as follows:
The Lord Jesus is Immanuei-''Cod
with Us''-in "a very real sense. 1t is in
Him. and Him alone that We find our
Heavenly Father revealed in fullness
In all ages and among all peoples there
has appeared an eager longing for some
God in whom one might put trust and
faith. This quest mas been the dOminat-
ing motive OF multitudcS. il has not
been simply an intellectual and spccula-
tive search. but much more than that. II
has bc-c1 - search for something to sat
isfy the whole nature. for some God TO
meet personal needs. II has been a
search for the Father Of their spirits
longing was ever spoken than thar nearI-
felt cry Of the psalmist. My soul is a.
thirst Tor God. for the living God"
This omniprcseHt desire has been the
formative impulse OF every religion. pa
gan ana Christian. But though some
pagans have reached high toward the
goal. they have failed TO find the true
God because they have NOT known Chris,
For in Him alone is the true Fathct dIs-
covered.
Men have eNurriBcd nature. the mate
rial world about them and have searched
her through and through In the vain
endcaVur To ind "a God To- satisfy the
CRY o. their souls. But failure has been
,h..r r-ward Nature tells only Of great
forces. imp-rsonal and unconscious.
Thesr seem Indifferent 10. and often
m'~ opposed 10 man. TO his desires ana
b. Tss- Though in some aspects nature
i- beautiful and gracious. in others she
g., cruel ana mcrciioss. throwing aside
witltuUf concern some Of her nubleSl
works. Nature does not meet hut even
seems tn mock our quest with her baf-
fling enigma. a. Tcnnyson has put it:
II bring 10 life bring TO death. .
/ know no more"
It we turn To history. To- that sphere
whore human activity and human intelH-
gcurc have had play. shall We not find
an answer To our sous deSire2 But his
& nil Il MI a
murmur OF voices. There may be ad-
Va-ccnent from age to age. hut IT has
no intelligent answer for us. History
may be "a drama. men and women the ac-
tors but the author is unknown to the
actors. But If we leave nature and his
tory and turn to our own inner con-
seriousness. surely here We shall find the
living Cod" Yet on examination we
discover that even the law or conscience.
though commanding obedience. says no
more than that there is a moral person
atty who was the lawgiver. II l. scarce
~ more than a law of life making for
righteousncss. SO neither in nature nor
history nor conscience do we md our
living Cod" Behind all these imperson-
al principles and forces our souls still
seek the Father of our spirits.
II is only when We come To- Christ
Jesus as revealed in the Gospel that the
Heavenly Father is brought near US.
When Jesus said that NO man knoweth
the Father except the Son. or ne to
whom the Son Will reveal him" He spoke
an eternal truth and made known the
only way 10y which the souls thirst for
the living Cod can be- qucnchod.
AT ST. CLEMENTS.
The Christmas services AT 1T. Glenn
ents chapel were very beautiful anu
we'll attended. The Holy Communi, u
was celebrated mt seven in the morning.
and again at half-past ten. after morn
ing prayer. The offertury. which
10 sS4.S5 will be- devoted to-
wards tho erection Of the new school
room.
\ yer handsome solid silver com
munipn service was dedicated and used
for the first time. The chapel t,as very
prettily decorated with hemlock and
spruce. which had been sent from Van
couver. and reminded many in the con-
gregation of the old Christmases In
England. The music was of the pest
The service commenced by a voluntary
On the organ. accompanied ON tho ~ "a
b. Mr.. Love. who played win great
taste. This was followed by several
Christmas carols the frst of which AS
Noel composed by Edgar N-wcomb.
Esq. Of this city. The Te Deum ~ !
the anthem were very fine and "Vc"i-
entity rendered The service was cho~'I
throughout.
\ very beautiful illumination over
the east window was executed and pre-
scnted by VigEo Jacobsen. Esq. This
yill h. left as q permanent decoration.
Had the weather been fine -. Clement
would have been taxed beyond its seat
ng capacity. The music will b. repeal
81 on sunday and the decorations Will
lot yyither for week or two. Rev. A,r-
--sburne makes "a practice of not
preaching on Christmas Day. further
han To invoke the blessings OF God !
Ipon his people for their joyful season ,
md the New Year
Mr.. osborne was as much surprised 4
- H. was gratiied at being pres '1-'d |
~ the women's Guild With Very (
handsome cassock made OF the heavi ast !
md richest silk. No Offering could have !
,ecu made by this thoughtful Guild /