The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1913-11-01

ed by h club, its transportation was
donated by the railroad company, it
was erected by an interested New
Yorker, the wiring was a gift and the
illumination was provided by the
lighting company. Even the soioists,
the choral societies. and members OF
the band gave their services without.
cost to the committee.
Late in the afternoon of Christmas
eve the tree of light was ready. Long
before the appointed hour, Madison.
Square park was thronged. People
had come from all over the city to sec
IT,, n hundreds paused on their way
home There were Christmas shop,
pers with their arms filed with bun
dies and tired girls who had waited
uopn them. but they all stood patient
ly until the t~rumpeters. sounded the
fanfare from Parsifal, when high at
the ton OF. the evergreen appeared the
RANT glow of a star, symbolical of the
Star OF Bethlehem, of 1000 years ago.
Slowly, as Its message seemed borne
upon the throng, the star gained in
hrililancy until at last 1t burst forth
In al it's glory. For several minutes
1t ruled the darkness, and then the
great tree seemed to spring:to life as
cluster after cluster OF vari-colored
globes shed their radiance from the
branches. ~. r. ""..
"At first the crowd stood in an
awed silence, then q burst of applause
swept over the throng and as the
oil was taken up until 1000 voices
were united with those, of the singers
on the platform. h programme con-
tinued until ] o'clock when the lights
were turned off. Each succeeding eve-
ming until New Year day. the tree
CLEANED from dusk till midnight. /
Eight c~andlepower lamps were
used for h illumination. At first it
was thought 1900 would be sufficient.
but at a trial Illumination it was found
THESE hardly did the tree justice so
1900 more were added the next day
by he electricians. Some wise head
and loving heart conceived the idea,
throngs, and especially to the desolute
and thoughtless part Of the population,
the real meaning and spirit of the
season. The response to a call for
help in the way Of appropriate music
was swift and abundant.
AT $3.50 on Christmas eve, an i'm
mense throng had gathered in the deep
which, 1T is believed. marked an epoch
in the public festivities Of Christmas
week. The clear notes of @ dozen
trumpets sounded the beautiful Parsi-
tal CALI and at the sound the star at
the top Of the tree shone family in red,
gradually becoming more luminous
with the cresendo of the music, until
a last 1t was a radiant glory. Then
the tree began to flame with light from
top to bottom. And the large chorus
of christian singers sang with indie
scribable tenderness and power that
marvellous hymn, Holy Night! Silent
Night! Carol after carol rolled out
upon the air, the sweet Christmas
hymns of the church, until the Welsh
choir of boys and young men reached
a climax in All Hal the Power of
Jesus Name. Some noble patriotic
songs mingled with the stately hymns.
AT 9 o'clock one of the finest bands
in the city with reed and brass instru-
ments kept up the stirring music, with
brief intermissions, until IL O'Clock.
Sacred music and patriotic music, the
hymns and the songs of all the ma
lions, were a feast to the soul. The
martial strains Of Onward, Christian
Soldiers, the joyous movement of
Adeste Fideles, the tender call of the
great hymns of the nativity and ad-
vent. never sounded more sweet, never
carried more strongly the appeal of
the divine event in Bethlehem to the
human heart. When, at the stroke of
midnight, the band sounded the open
ing notes of America, and the great
throng Joined fervently in the words:
Our Fathers God to Thee, one felt
that an elect remnant was singing
Gods harmonies amid the harsh dis
cords Of a sinful earth.
Every night of Christmas week
that tree kept Christmas for the whole
people a light shining in a dark
place. AND on New Years eve, which,
in the great metropolis, was a season
Of riot and revelry and profane excess,
at this tree n at other open squares
of the city, Christian men and women
gathered in large numbers to speed
the old year and to welcome the new
with Christian song and music.
Back of it all, in the hearts of
these modest, noble leaders, is a faith
in h Gospel of our Savior, a reverence
for His NAME, and a purpose to make
His presence felt n His loving voice |
heard in this thick maze and loud din.
New York City may be wicked-as
alas! what spot on earth is not?-but
it a a mighty host of saints and
servants of God. keeping the faith and
holding forth the wore of life"