The Savannah morning news., 1903-12-26
BY SPECIAL SERVICES
CHRISTMAS WAS OBSERVED IN
MANY OF THE CHURCHES.
PoNTIFIcAL HIGH MASS
CELEBRATED AT THE CATHEDRAL
OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST.

Mass Were Features of the Day in
All the Catholic Churches--AI
Collections Were Turned over to
Children in Catholic Orphan
Homes - Christmas Observed in
Episcopal Churches - MethOdIsts
Held a Union service mt EpwOrth
Church.
Christmas was. observed yesterday in
the Roman Catholic. Episcopal and
Methodist churches of Savannah with
more or less elaborate services. In
the Catholic churches the most i'm
pressive services were held, and the
most impressive of all were in the
Cathedral of ST. John the Baptist.
The day began with the celebration
of solemn pontifleal, high mass. The
church had been prettily decorated for
the occasion and the altar was re-
splendent with the light of many cam
dies. The service was most impressive
and the Cathedral was taxed to it's
utmost capacity by those who had as
sembled to usher in, the anniversary of
the founder of their. church with fit
ting religious ceremony. The follow
ing were the officers of the mass:
Celebrant. Rt. Rev. Bishop Benjamin
]. Kelley; deacon, Rev, Father Ken
nedy; sub-deacon, Rev. Father Boyd;
master of ceremonies, Mr.. Dan Nc
earthly; censor bearer, Frank Bey-
tagh; acolytes of the mass, Andrew
Ambrose and Frank +Cullom; acolytes
bearing insignia to the right reverend
celebrant as follows: First acolyte.
mitre bearer, Theodore Bell; second
acolyte, crosier bearer, Michael Nc
Carthy; third acolyte. book bearer,
James Mooney; fourth acolyte, candle
bearer, Frank Gleason; fifth acolyte,
regal bearer, James McAuliffe Thirty
altar boys assisted in the celebration
of the mass.
A Christmas sermon was preached
by Bishop Kelley, dealing with the
day itself, the event which it COM
memorated, and ethe best methods of
observing it. Especial attention was
called to the wide significance which
| the birth of Christ possessed, both to
the human race as a whole and to the
individuals. ~
AT this mass theypanal blessing was
| impaired Plenary9s Indulgence was
granted by the Holy Father.to all who
compiled with the sSusual conditions
going to confession, receiving com
munion, and praying sfor his (the Holy
| Father'S) intentions
Low masses were said at the Cathe-
| dral at Z, and 8 o'clock and high
mass and benedfeti0n with the Blessed
| Sacrament at 0:30a0 AT 8 O'Clock the
children's mass was solemnized in the
| Sundayschool room. A crib contain
ing the likeness esc the Holy Infant
had been erected aby9the ladies of the
Supday-school and near this most APP
propriate symbol of the day, the chill
dren's mass. was SAID.
Sacred Heart and st. Patrick's.
At the Sacred Heart Church at
Thirty and THabershann" streets
elaborate services were also held Al
$50 o'clock in the morning solemn
high mass was celebrated. Rev. Fa-
Their Aloysius was = celebrant, Rev
Father Bef'nerd deacon, and Rev. Fa-
Their Jerome sub-deacon. The church
and altar We're beautifully decorated
in appropriate greenery and with a
wealth of flowers.
Low masses were said at the Sa.
cred Heart Church at Z, 1880 and
O'clock. At 9 o'clock high mass was
celebrated and benedictiQn with the
children's mass was said. Here also a
crib had been erected and in it reposed
a likeness of the infant Saviour. Near
the crib were statues Of the blessed
Virgin and St. Joseph. This service
was one of the most beautifully SYM
bolic of any that We're held in the city
yesterday.
At ST. Patrick's Church the usua
masses for holy days were celebrated
by Rev. Fathers Mccarthy and Quin-
Ian. At 1920 O'Clock high mass was
celebrated and benediction with the
| blessed sacrament. "a The rendering OF
La Haches Corpus Christi mass in
was a feature Of this service. The
music in all the churches. the com
plete programmes for which have beer
published heretofore, in the Morning
| News. ~ ~
All the collections in the Catholic
| churches we're turned over to the or
phans. In a circular letter issued some
weeks ago by Bishop Kelley to the
clergy of the diocese he requested then
| 10 call lHG dlleilliOll VI lHGlI COhSIC-
cations to the fact that Christmas was
essentially the children's day and tC
exhort them to give literally for the
benefit of the little ones who were de.
pendent on the CHURCH for a home. III
is on Christmas" said the Bishop
that we all kneel in spirit at the crib
of the infant Saviour"
Among the other Churches.
The day was also observed with
special services in the Episcopal
churches. At Christ Church there was
a special service at 1Lo'clock. A special
| Christmas sermon was preached by the
| rector Rev. Rebb White, and Holy
! Communion was administered. Special
| Christmas music was. rendered by the
| choir.
At st. Johns Church there was also
| a special service at IL O'Clock. The
rector, Rev. Charles II. Strong, preach
| ed a sermon on Christmas. The Holy
| Communion was administered.
At st. Pauls Church two services
were held, one at o'clock In the morn
| ing and one at II o'clock.
The Methodists held a union service
at Epworth Church, at IL o'clock. A
large congregation, from the four
| Methodist churches OF the city, assem-
| bled to listen to the sermon by Rev
| o. B. Chester. pastor OF Wesley Monu-
mental Church. Rev. Mr.. Chester
preached on Christmas and its signih-
| cance from the text taken from Luke
Ill: For unto you is born this day
| in the City of David Saviour, which
| is Christ, the Lord"
S---- IN wNm - ~ M