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 CANTATAs 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.
ated, 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
torium. Arches spanned the space be-
tween each of the pillars in the gallery
and arches were arranged above the chan
eel 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 a beautiful Christmas carol. Rev.
DIR. Adolph Hult preached a Christmas
sermon I'm 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 decidedly
pleasing effect. Last evening the choir
under the leadership of Ben Stanley gave
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 j. 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 p. 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 tht
birth of Christ. At the CASTELAR, Presby-
terian church 1.-THE Christmas King,
including "Luther's Cradle Hymn" wal
given. Solo parts we're taken by Miss
Margaret Koopman, Mrs. Frank Brown
Miss Esther Boggs, Miss Anna Brein
and Bert Krelie.
Christmas Music by ChOirs.
At Kountze Memorial Lutheran churcf
there was an elaborate program OF Christ
mas music rendered by the choir undel
John s. Helgren. At St. Marks Lutheran
the choir under Arthur Melcher also SAM
a variety OF Christmas compositions.
One Christian church In Omaha did no
celebrate Christmas yesterday 1t was tn
only one that took no notice Cf the grea
festival. This was the Greek Orthodol
church, at Sixteenth and Martha streets
lit Is the only church OF its kind In Ne
braslSa and there are only five OF this de
nomination in the United States.
The reason this church did not ceiebrat
the great day is that the Greek churcl
still uses the Julian calendar originate
, by Julius Caesar. The year, accordin
to this calendar. Is a few minutes longe
than It Is according to the dregorian cal
endar. now used by nearly all the world
and in the course OF nineteen eenturie
the Julian calendar has fallen behind tn
Gregorian about thirteen days. Therefor
December 3 on the Julian calendar doe
not come until January OF the oregOria
calendar. The celebration OF Christmas b
the Greek Orthodox church will take piac
January Z.