Los Angeles herald., 1906-12-26
SPECIAL SERVICES
HELD IN CHURCHES
FLOWERS DECORATE SACRED
EDIFICES
All Catholic and Episcopal Churches
Emphasize the Sacred Mean
ing Of Christmas
Day

upon tne scenes the bells OF the Cath
olic churches in Los Angeles were
pealing forth the Christmas message
and large congregations had gathered
in the gayly bedecked churches. Hun
dreds of candles lent radiance to the
ever-moving panorama which was
frightened by the white and gold vest
ments which were worn by the priests.
1t was a decidedly California Christ
mas yesterday, the hills in green and
the yards filled with fragrant blos-
SONS. The churches reflected this
spring-like season of the year, and
many beautiful blossoms were used in
the decorations.
1t seemed peculiarly fitting that the
blossoms of California should be used
TO honor the infant Jesus, for it was
much the same climate in Bethlehem
that first Christmas morn when the
angelic song which echoes through the
centuries to all parts of the world,
was sung to the shepherds watching
their flocks. And again yesterday
morning, after twenty centuries, the
ever old, yet ever new, song of the
angels was sung and resung, until
Peace on earth, good will to men"
was the echo that was waited upward
by the balmy breezes Of the Christmas
of 1906
Nor was the Christmas cheer for
the prosperous anu SUCCESSFUL dlOue,
for charity was one of the main
features of the day. The unfortunate
remembered the sick and the lame,
those upon whom success has not
smiled, and many were the hearts that
were gladdened by substantial gifts
yesterday.
The streets presented a pretty sight
before and after the church services,
the gayly gowned women and happy
men making their way to the differ
ent edifices, all rejecting the joyful
season. In and among these the mol
ern Santa Claus. the prosaic mail
man, made his wawy with his heavy
bundle of packages and letters, and
brought cheer and gladness to homes
in the sunny southland from the frozen
east.
Hold Special Services
Christmas services were held in the
Protestant churches on Sunday and
yesterday the Episcopal and Catholic
churches held special services.
Bishop Johnson preached at the
service at ST. Pauls pro-cathedral
Dean Wilkins officiated at the service
and special music was furnished by
the vested choir.
At Christ Episcopal church an elab-
crate service was held, opening at 10
o'clock with the baptism of infants
The church was prettily decorated
Will llS HOlludy COlOIS vi Ieu anu
green. Rev. Baker P. Lee, the rector,
preached an eloquent sermon.
= AT o'clock yesterday morning the
first solemn high mass was cele-
brated at the Cathedral of st. Vibiana,
at which Rt Rev. Mgr. Harnett, V.
G., was celebrant, assisted by Rev.
p. ]. McGrathy as deason; Rev. Jo-
seph McManus, as sub-deason and
Rev. ]. M. w. Beaudry as master of
ceremonies Monsignor Harnett
preached the sermon. Bishop Conaty
celebrated pontifical mass at 1920 a.
m, at which Rev. Joseph McManus
preached the sermon, giving a contrast
between the world before the advent
of Christ and of today. The decora-
tions were very elaborate, crib hav-
ing been erected at the gospel side
of the main altar and Immediately in
front of the altar of the Sacred Heart.
Immense congregations filed the ca
thedral church at all the services.
Last night Rt. Rev. Mgr. Harnett
celebrated the vesper service. at which
Rt. Rev. Bishop Conaty assisted,
robed in cappa magma, and preached
the sermon. The bishop took for his
text, For this day is born 10 you
Savior, who Is Christ the Lord, in
the city of David" He said in part:
'The whole civilized world in spirit
journeys today to Bethlehem to pay
it's tribute to the child who is rec
ognized as the Son of God made man.
The world is full of the music of the
Christmas joy which finds it's source
in the manger at Bethlehem. The
hymn of the angels resounds today in
all Christian lands and the JOY of the
Christmas happiness is in every heart
Charity expresses itself in gifts to the
poor, in loving remembrances from
friend to friend, and the hymn of
grateful hearts is "Glory to God and
on Nth NI,A
promised for redemption is born and
the Savior has come to redeem his
people.
Who Is the Child
I'VE stand at the manger of Christ
today and ask, who is this wonderful
child of whom the prophets have
sung, for whom the world has longed
and upon whom depends the future of
mankind? Who is this child who is
destined to revolutionize the world of
thought and of action, to illumine
mems minds with truth that is to
remain and to change their hearts to
a deeper and more lasting love of
God? Who is this child who is to
reform society and build it upon the
doctrine which he is to teach? Who
is the child of Bethlehem? He is Jesus
Christ the Son of God, made man.
He is God in the flesh, the incarnate
word. He is God and man, the eternal
son OF Ine eternal FaIner VINO mas
assumed our humanity in order that
through it he might work out our
salvation and in union with his divin-
ity satisfy for the sins of mankind.
This child is the one promised in the
beginning of the revelation, when it
was foretold that the seed of the wo-
man would crush the serpent's head
He is the child promised in the seed
of Abraham to come from the house
of David, to be born OF a virgin in
Bethlehem of Judea, before the scep-
ter would pass from Judea at the end
of the seventy weeks of years, as
prophesied in Daniel. He is the Eman-
uel the God with us, who had been
promised, prehgured and prophesied.
He who was In the beginning, the
word by whom all things were made.
twas made flesh and dwelt among us"
For four thousand years under the
light OF religious traditions the world
had looked TO the coming of this child
"a nj IN, TtrH "a