CHRISTMAS DAY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14547, 26 December 1912, Page 8

CHRISTMAS DAY.

CHURCH SERVICES. Special services in celebration of ChrSs were held in various churches in Christehurch yesterday. Thero were good attendances at all the service* held in tho Cathedra ye,Lrdav and at the servico held on Chinas Eve. The sen-ice then was ?cS. It was the birthday of ono £ho was immeasurably more -tho birthday of tho &on oil od as well us of tho Son of man This day a the birthday of the best hopes of man. It reminded us moat popua sivelv of the greatness of men, of tho Neatness actual or possible of e%ery numan bom?. In looking at the world wTeaw strJnge sights-good and evil mingled in many ways. Hut behind it all was the fact commemorated by Christmas Day-the unquenched and unquenchable love of Christ, U ho came to strengthen and to aid. 'lhe day also commemorated tho birth of human brotherhood. We could now dare to look forward'to the tune of union ot heart with heart, and of nation with nation. If tho ideal was still far fi y being realised, and if the world .still .seemed like nn armed camp, it had to bo recognised that there was improvement in all ways from tho past. There were evident marks of the existence of this better spirit. In the evening a very large congregation again gathered. Tho service was .Martin in C, and tho anthem ''0. Zion, that bringest good tidings." Tho hymns were 62, 59, and 08, and at tho conclusion some Stainor carols were beautifully sung by tho choir. , ■ i ~ Special Christmas services wcro held at St. Michael's Church yesterday morning and last evening. At both services tho preacher was tho Rev. J), i Burton, who delivered eloquent sermons appropriate of Christmas. There were largo congregations at both services. ,The church, was beautifully decorated for the occasion, and at both services special choral nuiribers wero sung by a full choir. At All Saints, Sumner, tho services on Christmas day wcro in keeping with the Festival. Thero wcro celebrations of Holy Communion at 7 and 8 a.m.,'| •and also at noon. At 11 a.m. Morning Prayer was observed, with a sern.on by the vicar (the Rev H. S. Leach). The church was fory tastefully decor- i ated by several lady church-workers, j the chancel and font being very effective with a profusion of scarlet geraniums, manrueritca, Aniin lillies,otc, and ..on the wail above tho font was a largo cross of similar flowers. Tho vicar ■hold a service in St. Andrew's Mission Hall, Rcdcliffs, in tho evening. , Three services wero held yesterday in St. Barnabas Church, Fendalton, the Rev. T. A. Hamilton officiating. There were 'crowded congregations and 219 communicants. Tho church was prettily decorated with white and red flowers. The vicar preached from the words:—"The Dayspring from On High Jiath Visited us." Sfc. Luke 1., 78. Tno hymn "For Absent Friends"'was sung at tho early celebrations; and the anCom "Beloved I Bring You Good Tiditgs," ot the mid-day service. Tho Christmas Carol Service, held on Sun- • day last, was exceptionally well given. The Carols wero repeated by tho choir at "Quamby" on Monday evening. The whole of tho offerings on Christmas day wero given to tho Sunday Schools of the parish. • Special servicea, having referonco to , the Christmas season, were conducted in the Durham street Methodist Church on Sunday last. In the morning tho Key. D. McNicoll occupied tho pulpit 'and in tho orening tho Rev. C. H. I/aws. B.A. The text on the latter occasion was "In tho beginning was the Word . . . and tho Word became flesh," and thp sermon dealt with the Incarnate Christ as the revelation of tho character and will of God. The an- *« oms woro: "For Unto Us" and "0 Uorao all ye Faithful," and the hymns wero appropriate to tho day. Mr E. -ducted. On Christmas morning service was conducted by the Rev. C H Laws, ; who preached on "Immanuel— boa with us. o l^.v he et -'.A.lbans--Methodist Church t«n Y \? Y S M<} at 7 a.m., and was uell attended. A number of ChristHWf ,3^ 0 ?,, were SU «K. and tho Rev. U IVW^T , P^dwd'from lIZ,- ii aDd x¥" , The Preacher dwelt specially on the fact that wo owe to Christianity our noblest music and also Cathol?« m^ "«S V s Served in tho Catholic Cathedral with all tha utX* aDd «*«* mr of ceremonial us-ually Essocmted with tho great Chris- -- *«stival. Masses were celebrated continuously from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m., Jtt each of! which, especially at tho earlior •nours, there woro very largo numbers of communicants. Thero was Pontifical High Mass at 11 o'clock. His Lordship Bishop Grimes was celebrant, attondod by tho Rev. F. Barker, S.M., 'M.A., and tho Revs. Fathers Quinn an<l O'Boyle. Tho Key. Father Hanrahan was Deacon, and tho Rev. Father Murphy, 8.A.. Sub-deacon of tho Mass. Tho Very Key. Father. Price, D.C., Adm., -was Master of Ceremonies. The music was Haydn's "Imperial" Mass, capably given by the . choir, with Mr Alfred J. Bunz at tho organ. At the offertory Gounod's "Aye Maria" was sung, with 'cello obligate, by Miss L. Hemus. From the Gospel record which explained the mystery, his Lordship tho Bishop preached briefly on tho subject of the Nativity of tho Saviour. Tho Hich Altar and Sanctuary wore .tastefully adorned with flowers ,and -foliage, the altars of tho, principal Chapels in the Cathedral likewise being •beautifully decorated, tho devoted work of tho ladies of the Altar Society. The : approach to the south staircaso leading ' to tho galleries was occupied by a realistic representation of the Grotto oP Bethlehem, the tribute of the Sacristan and Sanctuary boys; tho "Crib" attracting the devotion of many during tho day. In tho evening, commencing :it half-past six, there were Pontifical Vespers, at which his Lordship the 'Bishop officiated, tho attendant clergy being mainly tho same as in the mornin<r. The occasional sermon was preached l\v Bishop Grimes. ,Tho day's ceremonies were concluded with * Solemn Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament. The congregations throughout the day were oxceodingi.v large. A squad of St Anne's Cadets, South Wellington, now in Christchurch for the Military tournament, formed a guard of honour at tho Cathedral at eleven o'clock Mass. At St. Luke's the festal services fco-gau with tho first evensong at 7.30 p.m. on Christ-mas Evo. The sanctuary was beautifully cTol corated with palms and whito flowers, the latter consisting chiefly t of Christmas lilies, which had boon brought from North Canterbury. Ther choir stalls, pulpit, and font wero also beautifully decorated. Tho ser- ' vices on Christmas Day began with an early celebration at 7 a.m., when thero was a largo number of communicants. There was a good congregation at 11 a.m., thepeople joining with the choir in the Christmas hymns with great effect. The vicar preached from Isaiah ,'x 6. He dealt with the mystery of the Incarmtion, its grent need, and its mighty and far-reaching effects. m A bright evensong, with carols, at , .30 p.tnC. brought the days services to a The Christmas services at St. Peter's,

Eiccarton, were well attended, there being largo numbers of communicants at each of tho services. The church, was tastefully decorated, chiefly with, terns, lilies, and Canterbury bells. alio services wero fully choral, and the anthem "Behold 1 Bring You Good Tidings" was well given. The vicar preached, taking for his text St. Luke li., 15: "Lot us go now even unto Bethlehem." ASHBTJRTON. Yesterday the Rev. J. It. Burgin ' conducted "two spec:a 1 services at bt. Stephen's Church, and there were two celebrations of holy communion. Over 100 people partook of the Sacrament at tho early morning service, and there was an" unusually largo number of communicants «t the eleven o'cloc* service. Special hymns and an antheni waTsVng, and the Rev Mr Burgm delivered an imnressive discourse. lne Erch was cicely decorated for the ocservices were also heW and Largeh attended at tho Roman Cathoho Church.