New-York tribune., 1918-12-26
Christmas, Victory
And Peace Theme
OF Days Sermons
Crowd Outside ST. Patrick s
Cathedral at the Midnight
Mass KneeIs in Rain; Sol
diers Occupy Front Pews

The churches Of the city yesterday
celebrated Christmas, Victory and
Peace.
Last year New York assembled in its
houses Of worship to pray for the
triumph of righteousness. Yesterday
the heart Of New York was. lifted in
Thanksgiving. Crusaders in khaki and
blue predomnatcd in the churches.
Christmas celebrants began to as
sembe in scores of churches shortly
before midnight The principal mid
night service was in st. Patrick's Ca
thedral where $500 persons, OF all
nationaltes, attended high mass, cele-
brated by Monsignor Michael j..
Lavelle
Two thousand soldiers and sailors,
with twoscore OF knights of Columbus
secretaries, just returned from over
seas duty, occupied the front pcws. Here
and there in the great crowd could be
seen the uniforms OF Allied officers.
The high altar was flooded with light
The Gregoran mass was chanted by
the Cathedral choir.
At the consecration hundreds who
could not get into the Cathedral knelt
on the rain soaked pavement when the
toll of the altar bell, announcing the
conservation, reached them. Father
William B. Martin preached the Christ
mas sermon.
ave have witnessed the mighticst
conquest of all times" he said with
the true spirit of crusaders, bringing
democracy and liberty to all peoples,
our troops have gained great triumph,
They felt that the time had come to
carry these blessings to all the world,
and to-day, when we are joyful and
happy in this great Christmas triumph,
we must not forget that that principle
must be upheld"
The Rev. Dr. William T. Manning,
in Trinity Church yesterday, declared
that if America had stood passive in
the war and had refused to do her
part, this would not be d Christmas
of peace, but of unending shame. Dr.
Manning spoke Of the day as the dawn
OF new era of good viii, bringing hope
of fellowship and brotherhood to all the
world
This Christmas speaks to us as no
other Christmas has ever done, of the
blessed meaning of peace.' said Dr.
Manning I'VE thank God to-day for
the ending of a frightful war. but we
thank Him still more that through this
was He has shown us the real meaning
of peace.
ut is not the fact that hostilities
are ehoed, that Germany is defeated.
winch gives US peace. 1t is the fact
1hat, although late in entering, we had
a part IN the great battle for righte-
BUSINESS. Our brave soldiers and sailors
are the true peacemaker. In France
or wherever they are, we send our
Christmas greetings to them. They
are the soldiers of the Prince of Peace .
At leven o'clock yesterday ponti-
neal high mass was celebrated at St
Patrck's Cathedral by Bishop Patrick
hayes, assisted by Monsgnor Iavelle
About one thousand soldiers and
sailors attended. A full orchestra oc-
cupled the organ loft with the regular
male choir. The sermon was preached
by the Rev. Thomas j. McCloskev :
J., who said in part:
rms great feast day has an unusual
meaning for us in America. For more
than four years the countries of Eurone
have been deluged in blood. That
blood was shed because Of false
philosophy of government. That vile
philosophy failed when the Christian
instinct IN America rose in its mioht
and gave billions of its money and
poured out the life blood of thousands
Of its best and bravest and vonnnast
TO help the nations that were being
crushed to earth by that false phil
osphy." f''''-
At st. Andrews Monsignor Luke !
hvers said the mass for the printers
at 5 a. M, and the crowd was so great
that many were turned away.