The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1909-12-25
CHRISTMAS SEASON
IS OBSERVED
EXERCISES APPROPRIATE TO THE
YuLETiDE ARE HELD IN
LOCAL CHURCHES.


first official public appearance for the
Christmas season ending at midnight.
December IS. 1893 Several hundred
children saw the genial old saint dur
ing the evening and each Of the several
hundred children were remembered by
him and helped him by giving to the
poor the substance of happy Christ
mas. There is only one institution in
the world which can persuade st. Nick
tn appear in public before the hour Of
midnight Christmas Eve. That insti-
tuition is the church. For the churches
Santa is always willing to put in the
early hours of Christmas Eve i'm his
pleasant labor and to over-run the
bounds of tradition by showing his be-
loved face in public.
Last night Missoula saw him. for a
few minutes. In three churches he
made his appearance before the chill
dren who had gathered there to cele-
hrate the birth of Christ. OF course.
ii might not have been Santa himself,
for the old saint IL unusually busy at
that hour of the night in packing up
his yearly load and preparing for his
long dash with his reindeer from the
northnorth pole over the world, but his
specially appointed deputies did his
work for him. dressed in Santas own
costumes and dealing with Santa's own
liberaiity. Some of the DISCUSSES We're
not quite perfect and in some cases the
children recognized in the supposed
saint the form of their school super
intendent but the work was always
good and Santa had no reason to he
ashamed of his representatives.
Presbyterian Church.
At the Presbyterian church DIR. Asa
Willard acted for Mr. s. Claus. DIR.
Willard is not of quite the same build
az the only known resident of the
north pole. but when 1t comes to per-
forming Santa's duties 1t would be
hard 10 find more conscientious or
more successful representative. The
church was beautifully decorated with
evergreens and holly and there was a
big Christmas tree in the center of
the hall to add to the holiday appear
ancc.
Before Santa Claus appearance the
children celebrated the happy day with
exercises and songs.
Tn. Baptist Church.
One of the prettiest programs of the
evening was given at the Baptist
church. The exercises were carefully
prepared and were peculiarly appro-
pirate to the Christmas season and to
the Foreign Mission day which shared
honors with the Yuietide for the even
Ing. The program was delivered as
Song. Sing. Oh Sing This Blessed
Morn the school
Song In the Fields with Their
Flocks Abiding school
Reading. Miss MacGregor
Song. Little Town of Bethlehem"
school.
Prayer, Rev. Henry Van Engelen.
Song, school.
Then came the exercise which was
the feature of the evening. Four young
ladies' took part properly costumed. !!
1t was entitled My First Christmas"
and was typical of the first Christmas |
of the inhabitants of the countries |
nhieh the different young ladies' rep
resented. lnaia. Africa. Korea and the /
Philippines We're the countries typi- !
fled and the following Young ladies /
took part: Misses Florence Iebkicher,
Stone, Florence Bats and Jen-
ME Van Engelen.
Recitation, Miss Charlotte Stone.
Song. oh Little Star nf Rethle-
hem"
Song, the primary class
Recitation, Paul Pearson
Song. In the Wintry Heavens" /
school
Address. Rev. Henry Van Engeien. /
A collection was then taken for for
eign missions. after which the closing
hymn. Come All We Faithful" was
sung.
Christmas presents We're distributed
from the big tree to all and the even
Ing closed as soon as all of the good
things had been given out
The South Side Methodist.
The Sunday school of the Methodist
sshnreh South enjoyed "A very pleasant
Christmas celebration in the Garden
City business college last night An
appropriate program was rendered and
Christmas tree gave the occasion A
'estive air.
At the Congregational