Evening star., 1923-12-25
Executive Follows Time.Hon-
ored Custom of Church, Tree
and Family Reunion.
UNION SERVICE is HELD
AT PRESIDENTS CHURCH
Several Denominations Join in
Ceremony-Many Prominent
Folk in Attendance.

the nation in time -honored Ameri
can Christmas today-about the gilt
tering Christmas tree, at church and
at the traditional family reunion
dinner.
with their two sons, John and CAL
WIN, Jr., home from school at MERGERS
ourg, Pa, for the HOLIDAYS, Mr.. and
Mrs Coolidge this morning enioved
the family custom of gathering about
the beautifully decorated tree in tba
plue room at the White House, where
they distributed and unpacked a large
assembly of gifts. Mr.. and Mrs. Frank
stearns of Boston and children. hoIi-
day guests at the White House. Joined
in the celebration.
Inc church service of the morning
AT the Presidents church. the Eirst
ooiS esational. was in the nature of
many pastors. The President and Mrs
IfooIidge We're accompanied to church
pS Mrs. Stearns. Many leading 40
ud uIes IN the life of the capital attend
Iaft: Secretary Wallace and famiiy
mats. Gnu ulpIo-
Government business was AZ
SldnGstlll, having ceased yesterday 81
49, 70 PROVIDE government en-
pIoyeS with a halliday shoppinr he
iofe the holiday, while several mon,
pers OF the cabinet We're out of town
Day Dawns Clear.
me day dawnedz cool and crisp
with beautiful rosy sunrise of nrop,
lse. but by early morning a cloudv
shadow had overcast the sun and the
prospect was for warmer weather
throughout Washington Christmas
!" aS observed merrily in the good old
ttasnloned way, with trees, gifts and
,'Et roSs, Whlie many families were re
united in the joys of the holidays
hundreds of little folks, awake with
the dawn, could hardly wait to see
what Santa had brought, while rnsnv
hovices stood in awe and amazement
at the sight of their first Christmas
tree, scarcely able to believe their
eyes.
Judging from the heavy business OF
washington stores and the record
breaking figures at the post office,
coupled with reports of prosperity
generally, Washington evidently en-
tered today into one of the happiest
ChrlstmaseS II has seen since the
world war.
Christmas observance by the White
House virtually began yesterday aft
ernoon when the President switched
on electric lights on the national
Christmas tree, in the Ellipse. This
was followed later in the evening by
christmas carols at the White House
by the Presidents choir from the
flfst congregational Church
President Visits Office.
President Coolidge went to his Of
fee for few moments this morning
before going forth for his customary
morning walk For about half an
hour the President and a secret serv-
ice man Were out in the cool of the
morning, returning in time for the
church service. The Coolidge Christ.
mas dinner is to- be served tonight,
with only members of the immediate
family present
Only about half of the members of
the cabinet are SPENDING Christmas
~ Washington. Those remaining at
their homes clude Secretaries
Hughes, Hoover, Weeks and DENLY.
Attorney General Daugherty and
POSTMASTER General New. Secretary
Mellon is at his home in Pittsburgh
Secretary Davis is with his father AT
Sharon, Pa; Secretary Work at
Evanston. Ill, with his daughter.
while Secretary Wallace is spending
the day near Washington.
Bishop william F. Mcdowell of the
Methodist Church delivered the ser
mon at the services at the First Con-
gregational Church. Other clergymen
taking part included: Dr. j. j. Muir.
DR.. William S. Abernethy, Calvary
Baptist, responsive reading; DIR. clio
Wis J. Chappell, Mount Vernon Place
NJ. p. Church South, scripture: DR..
Earle Wilfley, Vermont Avenue Chris
tian, prayer; DR.. Jason Noble Pierce,
off
er; DR.. George NJ. Diffe enderfer, presi-
dent Washington Federation Of
Shurches, announcements; DR.. James
Shera Montgomery, chaplain House of
Representatives benediction.
The musical prelude, by Louis A.
Potter. was an Improvisation on
Christmas carols, and the postlude
was played by r. Deane Shure. di-
rector of music, Mount Vernon Place
M. E. Church South; Christmas hymns
Heavens" 20. Come, All Ye Faithful
and angels from the Realms OF
Glory"
Comparison with Jesus.
Bishop Mcdowell called upon his
audience not to deceive itself into the
belief that because we are cheerful
and gracious and full of good will
today. we are therefore men and
women of the type that is in our
minds as we think of Jesus Christ"
Compared with Him." Bishop Nc
Dowell said, "the blight of ordinari-
ness is upon us. Compared with
Him. We are personally shallow and
average" The text of the Bishops
address was from John, IL, I'm Him
was life and the life was the light
of men,"
Opening his address with a quo
tation from a widely read book, "One
of the Weaknesses of the church to-
day is that Christians are not making
enough of Jesus Christ" the Bishop
said: This Christmas day finds us
in danger of fighting about Him. or
about our interpretations of Him.
rather than making enough of
Him."
Sermon Text In Part.
The text of the sermon in part fol-
"A few years ago the author of a
widely read book said these words:
One of the weaknesses of the church
today is--put bluntly-that Christians
are not making enough of Jesus
Christ And that sentence. oddly
enough, is seized eagerly by two
groups that do not agree with one
another at all. The highly conserya-
tive group, always sure of its own or
thodoXy just because it is conserva.
tive. heartily approves the statement
with many and loud aftirmati22s
A 4