The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-12-26
THOUSANDS AT
EPISCOPAL
CHURCHES
Bishop Lines breaches in
Jersey City--Rev. Mr..
Osborne on the Day.

Christmas was observed with relig-
ious fervor and reverence in the
Protestant Episcopal as well as the
Roman Catholic churches yesterday,
for those two Christian denominations,
observe the day of the birth of the
Saviour as a holy day, not a holiday.
1t was estimated hat more than 10000
persons attended services in Newark,
Harrison and Kearny churches. n of
that number fully 100. 900 went to the
twenty-seven Catholic and seventeen
Episcopal churches in the city. Special
Christmas sermons were preached in
churches of several other denomina-
tons.
The Right Rev. DR.. Edward S. Lines,
bishop Of the Episcopal diocese OF New
ark. as for some years past, officiated yes
terday morning In st. Mary's Church,
Jersey City. He confirmed twenty-four
persons, addressed them and preached n
Christmas sermon from Revelation xxi, g.,
Il heard a great voice out Of heaven, say
ing, behold the tabernacle of God Is with
men," The bishop considered the ways in
which God had revealed Himself, made
His presence known. dwelt among men
IN the days before Christ came, and then
passed to the presentation of the quietness
and blessedness OF the incarnation. The
place Of the great truth which Christmas
Day commemorate and proclaims in
Christian teaching and in human life was
emphasized In many ways.
A plea was made hat the truth Of the
coming of the Son of God In human flesh
TO be the worlds savior be accepted, and
that it be not obscured or displaced by
~merrylnaking. He said in part:
In the truth for which the day stands
men are TO find help against az the lis
which afiict or depress them. Al the ms
and the Son of God has come to open for
US an inexhaustible source of blessing.
The taking Of our nature by the eternal
Son gave our nature its great dignity and
glory. The Son Of God came down to lift
ms up. The incarnation gives the power
for the realization Of brotherhood among
men which is worthy Of the tame, and 1t
can only come in the acceptance of the
Virgins Child as our elder brother.
I'VE shall only get together when, like
and forget ourselves and meet with child
like hearts about The Holy Child to wor-
ship and give Him of our best
The Rev. Louis Shreve Osborne, pastor
of Trinity Church, took as his text yes
terday morning Luke II, IA. Peace on
earth, coco will to men," He said that
500, 000,00 people In 400 different tongues
were yesterday preaching the doctrine of
the gospel of st. Luke, and trying TO
have an honest feeling in their hearts
for their fellows. He said that Christmas
was the worlds holiday and day of thanks
giving, as Thanksgiving Day was an
American institution, the Kings birthday
the cause of celebration In England, and
the other countries OF the world had their
special days, but all gave thanks on the
day of the birth of the Son of God.
He said that In all cities, from far away
India, through Europe and in Russia, IN
every hamlet and town, the grand old
-. - A., - I..rr MD No was hQ-
ing proclaimed by the people of the earth,
reviewing the history of the shepherds
who 1900 years ago listened spell-bound to
the message that came from the sky pro-
claiming the birth Of the Son of God. He
| said that so great was the joy at the birth
of the Son of Mary that to this day the
spirit Of heavenly enthusiasm Is trans
mitted to the people of the earth and
causes them to forget differences and cele-
brate the event with all manifestations
of JOY.
TT is useless to argue that most Christ
mas ceremonies had their origin at Christ
mas tlme." said the minister, "or credit
the mistletoe to the Druids, the good cneer
to the ancient Romans, the fir tree TO the
| encient Germanic festivals in honor OF the
pagan god Thor. No scholars can tell you
anything definite concerning these ancient
cults. except that they were radically OPP
posed to peace on earth and good viii to
men. Thor did not so love the world that
he was willing to die for 1t on a cross
Mr.. Osborne said one could go to all peo-
| pie of the earsh-to tho Indians, the Afrl-
can in his native land, the inhabitants OF
the far frozen North and ask them the
doctrine of the pagan god Thor or the
Roman gods and they would laugh and
stare, but speak to them about the Son OF
God and Bethlehem and Jerusalem ana
the stare would be replaced by a look OF
reverence. as the children OF nature tell
\ YOU that they know about him. for the
doctrine Of peace and good will has sunk
into the great heart of The peoples OF the
world with the offering of the life Of the
Son of God on the cross to expiate the sins
Of the creatures OF human mold. He said
that this was a happy era and told how
in the fifth, sixth and seventh centuries
but few could read: how In the several
centuries that followed the Turks overran
tho earth and carried the doctrine of the
prophet OF Allah into Christian countries
with fire and sword.
lie told Of the stormy periods of the
Dark Ages. when the gallant crusaders
watered the sands OF Asia with their blood
to wrest Jerusalem from the hands OF the
unbelievers so that the sepulchre OF the
Son Of God would be I'm Christian keeping.
He asked his hearers if they would like
to have lived in these times or In the six
teenth century. when Catholics and Prot
cstants murdered each other over a differ
ence in the manner OF worshipping God,
and told OF the persecution Of the English
during tho times of Cromwell. of the burn
ing of persons as witches by the early
New England settlers and of the age Of
treason and Revolution in France when
an evil woman was enthroned as the God
dess OF Wisdom in the high altar of
Notre Dame. %. my brothers" he con-
tinued, 'the twentieth century is good
enough for us, when, the doctrine of peace
on earth is being lived up to sufficiently
TO allow all creeds to worship their creator
In the manner they see fit"