The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-28
A TRIBUTE OF CHILDHOOD.

A loving tribute to the memory of
DR.. Clement C. Moore, author of the
childhood classic, Twas the Night
Before Christmas" was paid by sew
eraI thousandNSunday school children
in New York City on the afternoon of
December "a, when they marched in
procession. in the gathering twilight.
carrying lighted lanterns, and strew-
ing evergreens on his grave in Trinity
cemetery, at 18th street and Broad
way.
Doctor Moore. author of the world
famous poem. was a son of the Rev.
Benjamin Moore, second Episcopal
bishop of New York. 1t is on ground
in Chelsea Square. donated by Doctor
Moore, that the General Theological
seminary now stands. It was in the
home of his father, nearby, that the
poem was written under the title, "A
Visit From St Nicholas" 1t is the
custom on each recurring Christmas
Eve for the students of the seminary
to twine with evergreen the portrait of
the donor, which hangs in the refec-
tory. But a much more tender and
loving tribute is reserved for him in
the gathering twilight of Christmas
Eve by tn children of Intercess:on
Sunday school.
In mid-afternoon of Saturday. these
children, walking two by two, flied
into the nave of Intercession chapel,
before the altar of which high can
die, symbolic of the Christ child.
whose birth they had gathered to cell
citrate, was lighted as the voices of
the little ones were raised in singing,
1 "Oncs lin Royal Davids City" There
after in succession twelve other, can
| dies borne by children CARRIED as her
aids, and representative of the apos-
! ties, were lighted from the center
candle and grouped about it. Twenty
more candles for the twenty centuries
which have elapsed since the birth in
Bethlehem were next lighted and
placed upon the<pyramid, and finally
! twenty candles for the books IF
the New Testament.
These candles lighted. all sAAher IL
lumAhants within the church edifice
were extinguished, and with the voices
of the children mingling With the
tones of the grand organ, this Feast
of Lights" was terminated by the
| singing of ''Hark. the Herald Angels,
Silent Night, Holy Night" and "Old
Hundred" intermingled with brief
prayer service.
An interval of silence followed; and
| ~ 20 civ,o
Trinity graveyard burst the strains 81
Come All Ye Faithful, joyful and
triumphant" played by a group OF
trumpeters from the metropolitan
! Opera House. simultaneously the
4 children, led by heralds and follow
ing the bearer of a huge holly wreath
and carrying lighted lanterns
marched past two brilliantly illumi-
mated Christmas trees which stand
t6ruout the year in front of Interces-
hsion chapel, and proceeded across
Broadway in a joyous caroling line tc
Il that spot overlooking Riverside Drive
/ shrine of all children at Christmas
/ tide-the grave of Doctor Moore
Gathered about this, under the leader
ership of the Rev. DR.. Milo H. Gates
vicar of the Intercession, evergreen!
were strewn upon the mound and thu
5 Lords Prayer said. The singing o
"Sleep Holy Babe Upon Thy Moth
er's Breast" brought this loving serv
ice to an end.
: But not yet was childhood's tribut
fully PAID to those who have mad
Christmas real and dear to them. Di
rectly across the cemetery in a still
: unmarked grave sleeps Arthur Tehny
T. son Dickens, eldest son of the grea
English author of "a Christina
Carol" Marching in procession /
this spot, the children were Joined b,
= a delegation from the Dickens Eel
l lowship. There also the childrei
t strewed evergreens and in the gath
t ering night. trooped homeward t
fond dreams of the morrow.
D ---==
A Relief for the agricultural and live
stock interests from the plight int
uybicI, tfav have ham rI1inCed bxy dc