Evening star., 1923-12-23
ITO CHILDREN GIVE
GREETING TO SANTA
Mission Guests at Keith's
Receive Presents, Hear
Bishops Letter.

Santa Claus abandoned his busy
north-pole workshop and made a
hasty trip to Washington yesterday
to entertain TO poor and needy chill
dren who had gathered in Keith's
Theater in anticipation OF his coming.
And the reception these children, who
| ranged from tho toddiing to the skep-
t!cal age, gave old Kriss Kringle when
he appeared on the stage about Ave
| minutes behind schedule was indica-
| tive of the happiness that he had
brought into their impressionable
lives.
As old Santa Claus stoppe1 in front
OF gigantic and artistically trimmed
Christmas tree and .troked his hoary
| rang throughout the theater and
reverberated in the lobby. A few of
the children cried in their happiness.
Piled neatly across the stage were
names of the 7io Children whom Santa
will not visit on Christmas morn.
Each contained gifts to fit the need
Of each particular child, in addition
single file the children marched across
the stage and received the gift from
old Santa himself.
Mrs. Coolidge in Audience.
Mrs. Calvin Coolidge and scores of
women of the Cooperative Society of
the Central Union Mission. under
whose auspices the entertainment
was given. occupied seats in the
mezzanine boxes.
Accompanied by their parents, many
Of the children arrived at the theater
long before the hour scheduled for
the entertainment When the cur
| tain was raised displaying the
Christmas tree and the hundreds Of
presents, virtually every seat in the
| orchestra of the theater was filled.
The choir Of the Church Of the
Epiphany opened the entertainment
with program Of Christmas carols.
| A letter was then read to the chill
dren from Rt. Rev. James E. Free
man. Episcopal bishop Of the diocese
!, of Washington. after which several
motion picture comedies were shown.
John s. Bennett. superintendent of
the mission, appeared in the role
| of Santa Claus. He was assisted in
! the distribution OF the gifts by Mrs.
Bennett and E. H. De Groot, jr.
Bishops Letter.
| The letter from Bishop Freeman.
which was read by Rev. r. l. Wolven
, of the Church of the Epiphany, fol-
lows:
Dear Children:
| II wish i might be with you today
! to enjoy the great celebration which
! Is so generously prepared for you by
your good friends in the Central
| Union Mission. Mr.. and Mrs. Bennett
are giving their lives trying to make
| people happy and better. After all,
| there is nothing so worthwhile in the
world. and l know you appreciate
haf lot fn
| wonderful how Christmas makes all
| our hearts more tender and compels
| us to be more thoughtful and gener-
| ous The world caught It's great in
| Christ Child born in Bethlehem. How
! strange II all seems as we think OF
| it today! No other child ever born
into the world has meant so much to
men and women and little children as
| the One that was born in q stable
nearly two thousand years ago Every
year we say: Let us now go even
| unto Bethlehem and see this thing
! which is come to pass" Rich and poor,
! high and low. kings and peasants,
! people OF every class and kind feel
! a new inspiration to live as they be-
hold Him who came to be the Savior
! of the world.
When the son Of the great Napo-
leon was born. the people of Paris
provided for him cradle made of
solid gold, and his great father
called him the King of Rome" When
Jesus was born, there was no room
| for his mother at the inn, SO He
came into this world in a little town
called Bethlehem, and His first bed
WAS a manger where the cattle were
| cared for and fed. What a contrast
between these two births. The world
| has quite forgotten Napoleon's son.
but II never forgets Him at whose
birth the angels sang: Glory to God
in the highest and on earth Deace to
men Of good will.
May / send you through Mr.. and
Mrs: Bennett my very. very best
Christmas greetings, and may you
one and all grow up to be devoted
and loyal followers Of Him who has
done more to bless childhood and to
| enrich the world than all the bene-
factors of our race.
"A merry, merry Christmas to one
and all!
Faithfully your friend,
JAMES Z. FREEMAN,
Bishop OF Washington"