The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-06-09

One of the most beautiful customs
which have q part in the religious life
of this country is the observance OF
Children's day, when the young pcople
of the churches are given an oppor-
tunity to show their fealty to Christ
Exercises commemorating this day were
conducted in nearly all the Protestant
churches of this city yesterday.
Perhaps the most elaborate observ-
ance of Children's day was conducted
in the Second Presbyterian church in
the afternoon. The air in the large
auditorium was heavy with the perfume
of flowers, which We're heaped about in
riotous profusion. The platform which
had been erected in front Of the pulpit
was banked with them and the i'm
mense organ was intertwined with
understanding posies. Several dozen
cages containing canary birds were
hung about the church and the feat
cred songsters keep up Il continual out
pouring of melody throughout the en-
ercises.
There We're several hundred children
in attendance combining the Sunday
schools of the Second Presbyterian
church, the Adams avenue chapel and
the volunteer mission in West Scran-
ton. Assistant Sunday School Superin-
tendent w. j. TOrrey presided, and Il.
G. Coursen, an active worker at the
volunteer mission, led the singing in
conjunction with Prof j. Nj. Chance.
Charles Chandler. of the Adams ave-
nue. church. also assisted in the carry
ing out Of the programme.
HYMNS SING
The exercises consisted largely of the
singing of especially selected hymns by
the children and the augmented church
choir, accompanied by Miss Mabel Rem
ME on the organ. A number of wee
small tots from the primary depart
ment participated in Il beautiful little
exercise called THE Children for
Christ They ranged in age from 4 to
years, and presented delightful ap-
Dearance.
Each child recited Il verse from the
Bible, the initial letters of which formed
the words ",rhe Children for Christ"
Those who participated We're: Howard
Kinney, Eleanor Bevans, Allison Will
Jams. Cornelia Dmler, Grace Walters,
Helen Rue, Beth Godfrey, Katherine
Coursen, Ruth Lange. Ruth Daniels,
Gladys Walters, Anna Welles, Helen
Lange, Dorothy Williams, Doris Bry-
den, Marian McMurtrie and Willie JET
frey.
Marjorie Lister Il self-possessed young
lady. who has reached the mature age
of years, sang IL song with as much
composure as if she had been appear
ing before large audiences all her life
She had big bow of blue ribbon in
her hair, and everybody was talking
after the exercises about that little
girl with the blue ribbon"
One wee little miss had short reel
tation. In which she was required to
tell of the peep, peep, peep" of the
little birds. When she came to that
point she apparently thought it quite
too funny for utterance, for she burst
out laughing and shocked beyond de-
scription the little girl on her right,
who nudged her. and impressed upon
her the seriousness of the situation,
with many gestures. until she repeated
the verse through without smile. Rev.
Joseph II. Odell, the pastor. pronounced
the benediction at the conclusion of the
exercises.
ELM PARK CHURCH.
The exercises at the Elm Park Metho-
dist Episcopal church We're conducted
In the morning in place OF the regular
service. A number of infants and small
children We're baptized during their
progress by the pastor Rev. DIR. G. nj.
Giffin. The smaller children took the
principal parts in the programme, and
the most delightful feature of all was
the singing OF chorus of small chill
dren years old-the "babies' chorus"
To