The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1929-12-06

liz E/4)lLV6 Urn LrA{LXLA<SkA -
INzERE M7GET NTUW CHRzyuLaS"
particularly in the names of the rein
deer. "Viscen" of the original has be-
come vixen" and "Donder'' has been
changed to "Dunder" The title which
Doctor Moore gave to his verses was
"a Visit From st. Nicholas" but the
modern version, taken from the first
line, is 1.-The Night Before Christmas.
Its popularity. however, has been IN
changed throughout the 107 years, it
has been translated into many foreign
tongues and il has delighted the chill
dren of many nations.
Doctor Moore died In 1868 at his
summer home in Newport, r. l. His
body was taken to New York. which
was then in the throes of the draft
riots, and was placed temporarily In
a vault at ST. Luke's church in Hud-
son street. Later it was removed to
the churchyard of the Chapel of the
Intercession (Trinity parish) and
there ii rests today in a plot of
ground which holds also the bodies
of his wife and their three children.
In fact, this plot has been more of a
Christmas shrine than has the house
near Chelsea Square, where the poem
was written and very pretty Christ
was ceremony in memory of Doctor
Moore takes place there every year.
Rev.. Dr. Milo a. Gates, vicar of the
oh OF
and Fifty-fifth street, has long been an
admirer of the poem and its scholarly
author. In 1911 he held the first serv-
ice in Doctor Moore's memory. About
200 children gathered with him at the
grave at the foot of the hill overshad-
owed by the high wall which is topped
by Riverside drive. Since then the
number has grown to more than 1000.
The ceremony begins at four o'clock
on Christmas eve with the feast Of
lights in the church. Then the chill
dren gather in the cloister while a
fanfare of trumpets from the bell tow
er heralds the procession to the ceme-
terry. Led by the trumpeters they
move along One Hundred and Fifty
fifth street, carrying banners, lighted
candles, torches and lanterns, past the
huge Christmas tree in the corner Of
the churchyard.
All Broadway traffic is halted as
they cross, the swell of their music
rising above the noise of the street
and falling away again as they pass.
From the steps of the cemetery and
the road that winds around from side
to side down the hill, the voices may
still be heard on the busy street sing
ing Little Town of Bethlehem"
"Silent Night, Holy Night" 1--WE Three
Kings of Orient Are" God Rest Ye
Merry, Gentlemen" and many other
favorite Christmas hymns and carols.
Except for the lights in the chill
dren's hands, it is quite dark by the
time they reach the stone marked
Clement Clarke Moore, born in New
York July Is, 1779; died in Newport.
r. l.. July 10, 1863" final carol is
sung as a wreath is laid against the
stone and, before disbanding, the pro-
cession moves on TO a grave nearby
to honor the memory of Alfred Tenny-
son Dickens, eldest son of Charles
Dickens, author of another Christmas
classic, "a Christmas Carol"
Another ceremony honoring Doctor
Moore is held annually at st. Peters
Episcopal church on Twentieth street.
A tablet is erected to his memory
there because he was the first warden
OF that church and also gave the land
upon which it stands, as well as the
land upon which was built the Gen.
eral Theological seminary with which
1t has close connection.