The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1903-12-17


/ remember in particular a midnight
mass which | attended one Christmas
eve in the church of an old Breton vii
lage, where we were spending the holi-
days. The sacred and storm-beaten
editice, when we entered it shortly be-
fore midnight, was filed to overflow
ing with kneeling and picturesquely
arraNed peasants. On the right side
of the altar bower had been made of
fragrant pine and fir branches with
great punches of crimson-be rried holly
and WaXy mistletOe glistening among
the verdure. Under this canopy there
sat on low stool young girl of
great beauty, with her long black hair
falling in silky masses on her loose
white garments. In her arms she held
an infant. Beside her stood young
man. wearing a gOld-embrOidered robe
and leaning on heavy staff, while an
OK, Il donkey and four sheep were
quietly munchiny corn from a couple
Of managers. The celebration OF the
mass began. \ small chori,tcr
chanted the "Puer natuS est nobis. -
| (t'or to Us d child is born.) The deep
bass voice of another grOwn-up Choir
lister. hidden somewhere in the fir
branch bower above described. gave
| the response OF "Ubi:" (Wherc:) \
tenor chorister concealed near the
sheep added the word Bethlehem. =
! and then {, baritone voice braycd
Eamu>. Let us go thither.}
Thcreupon the priest, his acolyte>,
and the entire congregation formed
into a procession and marched to the
tjr-trcc bower where the representation
Of tn" Nativity had been arranged
The priest. having Sprinkled both the
mother and child as we'll as the ami
mails with holy water, we all followed
the kindly old rector 10 tie chief tn
trun.'r Of ,I,r church. Thu scent.
thcY" was one which shall nrv~;. for
get. All III" cattle and tiorho nj the
village had been driven into THE old
church yard, and stood there crowded
cog, the? in tn" >ilv"ry light OF u full
}!.UOll, around he UNrn portal. NtunG-
| Ing GA the tu}nuust step Of the porch.
with Ills aru]Ttc. and supplied vhu2-
lister, around him. the venerable white
! haired priest, who had had clla2@r Of
the parish for close upon forty Years.
cNtIa ilned 'GUd, in His mercy. my
dear children, has sent nc on thi-
radiant night Of the Nativity TO bless
your cattle and your docl1s, because
it j. only right that the animals which
ronstitut" Your greatest hell, and
source OF prosperity should participate
in the JOY which fills ali our hearts.
Now lead your tiocks past ne.
The shepherds and cattle h,rders
then began to drive the animal, past
Us. while the rector. dipping the
sprinkler into the silver ever OF holy
water, showered the latter upon the
oxen and the sheep: and amid the
clang of the bells around their necks,
their lowing and their ba 'aing, as we'll
as the words and cries of their driv-
ers. ever and anon were heard the
solemn words of the priest: ''Bene-
dicat vos omnipotens Deus. Pater ct
Filius ct Spiritus Sanctus" the Choir
listers bringing the blessing to a close
with resounding ''Amen." AS l
watched the animals vanishing one at
ter the other into the night, it seemed
to me as If [ were carried back to the
printing times of the early Christians,
and as ii our matter-of-fact prosaical
and materialistic twentieth century
was not a reality but only a night