Omaha daily bee., 1915-12-27
sing HALLELUJAHS
ON BIRTH OF CHRIST
Most Churches Hold Their Christ
mas Celebrations Sunday with
Yuletide Music.
IN SOME CANrATAs ARE SUNG

Jubilations and hallelujahs arose
in sermon, song and prayer in the
churches of Omaha yesterday in cell
ebration of the age-old but always
new story of the Babe of Bethlehem.
Some Of the churches held their
Sunday school Christmas tree cele-
brations Saturday evening. but many
held them last evening. And in all
the churches the music of yesterday
had the Joy of Christmas as its chief
motif.
Rted, nearly every one having a Christ
mas tree. either left over from the Sun
day school Riddles celebration or pre-
pared for it. At Emmanuel Lutheran
church. Nineteenth and Cass streets, two
big and finely decorated trees occupied
positions at the front Of the main audi
forum. Arches spanned the space be-
tween each of the pillars In the gallery
and arches were arranged above the chan
Gel rail. TheseN were hung with holly
leaves below and fitted with scores OF
candles above. 1t was a most striking
sight when all the candles were lighted
and the choir of nearly seventy voices
sang beautiful Christmas carol Rev.
DIR. Adoiph HUT preached Christmas
sermon in the Swedish language.
Trinity cathedral was another elabor-
ately decorated church. The color scheme
was green. The pillars were wound from
top to bottom with green. The chancel
was a mass of verdure, giving a decidedly
pleasing effect. Last evening the choir
under the leadership of Ben Stanley gave
a special carol service.
Christmas Message.
THE Christmas Message" was Rev. G.
L. Peters subject at the North Side
Christian church yesterday morning.
Special music was rendered by the choir
under direction of ]. II. Davis. The solo
lists were Mrs. C. A. Mangum. Miss Ruth
Peters, Mrs. Wiles. Mrs. William Stewart
and Walter Cody.
Thomas ]. Kelly's choir at st. Mary's
Avenue Congregational rendered a very
comprehensive program of Christmas
music at D. M. including such old and
famous carols as Good King Wenceslas. %
sung by Mr.. and Mrs. Kelly and the
choir. Solos were also Eung by Mrs.
Kelly and Miss Vera lone Beats.
Some of the churches presented Christ
mas cantatas in commemoration of the
birth of Christ. At the CASTELAR, Presby-
terrain church 1.-THE Christmas King"
including 'Luther's Cradle Hymn" was
given. Solo parts were taken by Miss
Margaret Koopman, Mrs. Frank Brown,
Miss Esther Boggs, Miss Anna Breim
and Bert Krelle.
Christmas Music by CbOirs.
At Kountze Memorial Lutheran church
there was an elaborate program Of Christ
mas music rendered by the choir under
John s. Helgren. At st. Marks Lutheran
the choir under Arthur Melcher also sang
a variety OF Christmas compositions.
One Christian church I'm Omaha did moi
celebrate Christmas yesterday 1t was tbs
only one that took no notice cf the great
festival. This was the Greek Orthodox
church at Sixteenth and Martha streets
II Is the only church OF its kind In Ne
braska and there are only five OF this de
nomination in the United States.
The reason this church did not celebrate
the great day is that the Greek church
still uses the Julian calendar originated
by Julius Caesar. The year, according
to this calendar. Is a few minutes longel
than It is according to the dregorian cal
endar, now used by nearly all the world
and in the course Of nineteen centuries
the Julian calendar has fallen behind thu
IGregorian about thirteen days. Therefore
December Is on the Julian calendar doe
mot come until January Of the GregoriaI
calendar. The celebration Of Christmas b.
1.-THE Greek Orthodox church viii take plac'
January T.