CHURCH SERVICES.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 78, 26 December 1907, Page 7

CHURCH SERVICES.

■ 'iChristmas' Day'.was' celebrated yesterday ■;;/. Special in.most-.of the Wellington -..:; wrcVs„.-'»«" .were largo congregations and ','-- cases liho'buildings were decorated '■> .: .th ilowors an-1 -foliage. ' The services were ; a,special,cha. Tac ter, sermons, hymns', an- ■:. 'emvand pra; re'rs 'havingpreference to "tho ."■ :ristmasfesti>fa].,;',■':,■. ■;-.- ...-, ' ■* ;\i,- : ./-'--"-ANGLICAN. ..v;.../..,._..'' St.;.Paul'ls Churchy ;which was most' » /--. decollated., .Holy Communion/was : •: _-lebrated at,/ a.m.; and 8 a.m., and also , :er ': tne , n ff'.clock service. - At all threo perl vices, the v;;car:-(the Rev. T.H. Sprott) bptw'.assisted by the/Revs. E.Tuckey'and P. elSve. Trls , s -. - 1 i. were: altogether about 230 WCK . tehed from. ,ssther,ix 19, to a vcry.large put | 'legation... that owing to.an-ex-kous ordinary _de asion some people.seemed, to succ- ■■'■s'* as a very gloomy affair, and' and' -3^%?>s™Q. tliat,..snch. thpughts should •p.,; postponed as long' %s possible, 'or until rA approach.pf.death. - These-ideas: wore,' ,-ei-ici'yever,- quite,opposed .;to...the'. teaching of carol tory, the ancient Greeks and etroi^?P s ' '"■ \ an d-'■ througliout Cliristendom, , ,'.'/k ! W,'eypry:..grjeat.popular festival and timo , general, rejoicing had a religious origin Bat J religious -'associations. ■He could- not »t"j-.nk;.'of r any great festival of this kind that. V,p.d';,stood '%. te ; st of-'.'timovwhich' had no . ■ lnection' with- -religion. -;Jt was true that w . dependence Day was.still,celebrated with'. - 3iderable: enthusiasm in America, but, ■!/-all, it'%as:a purely national affair. ' •'•' J'.'iigion : alone -seemed to-:bo, ablo' to touch of. human sentiment and w; ' potion. ■'■•■ One did x not" wish his friends a "''.erry Labour Day, a merry .Trafalgar Day, Rf-E^a-.-merry.- Dominion; Day, ; i"and many of Ta h c cm - Christmas was the festival of family, ■^, r ,je,'and'it-.w.ould'be a great pityi if this-as'-' ■»j a »t-ofi.the_day>was lost sight'of. - ' , ;!*■*'-The -special, communion' and matius scr- . well attended;.Tlie Snicdr, tho'Rev>G:;P;.Davys; in his sormon, ■ ;.>'.;jaid that itwas not tho manner of tho birth ~;.«: Christ that,was most"wonderful,' but His , \j coming :.to earth "at all;.:' Tho- church Was -. beautitully adorned'-with flowers, and special Chr)stma9.,hy.mng' were sung., ,' • .At; St. Mark's Church tho number of com- - nunicante; at tho ,f our' mornrng- services was much-larger'than.last year, and there were' ;ood:congregations .each time. Tho curato ■ (tho'Rev. G, S. BartletW-preached at the" . eleven,.o'clock ■servico from St. John i, 14 i- -. ..And; Worcljwas-m'a'do:'flesh/ and dwelt' : , among us, and wo beheld. His glory, tho glory , . ■ as-of.the only begotten of'tho Father; full of -'grace <. and. -truth; 7, :. ~ Ohristnias hymns wero' • '.sung inithp, morning, and at: an evening ser- ... /Tico,-atwhich there' was no 'sermon; special A'carols'-worfe-irendered-.-."- Tho- ori'tiro church' y. wasipharmingly decorated with white,' red,' .::;.and yellow-flowers.'■■' -.-;■: .-•■'': -, i - ~: ' ~-■ '.' '■; " Anglican churches there were' . /also special setyices. :-■-,■. •• ■■- n. , ; -■;

V i •■.. ROJIAN CATHOLIC.'.•;';.■ v : •':■■ " . At: ' t hn ; Basih>a'"of"tiio'"'Sacn:d , "Heart ; a -s ; '- Ifjin-lontincal Mass .was 'celebrated, at , . J^. yesterday-morning by; His Grace Arch- . ori . WPp, Redwood.; Tho. Rev.Tatlier .Moloney '" V i■ ■■!^ a n lst / a « lt o %™ st >~ : ■ tho : Itev - lf titer. '■'■ " (of ..Sydney)'was deacon, and the •; w»n : Father Bowdeh sulMleacon. . His: draco \-:: •■■'?! o -«.*l, n short; sermon-, .o'n tho of ■ 'nstmas. , . Inf tho evening' tliGro'^fwero .- : ,;^-'. and so'enm benediction;" Thero%cre '<bo. °.*"eregations 'at. both 'services.' ,"' ■■'. -l'ho. .Christmas services;.at,St. Joseph's .-hurchrcommenced at' 6 a.m. and,went on ■• ■; nmterruptcdly. until' 10,30,/ when 'Bolemn Igh Mass was .-sung, the llcvi A. Bcrring uig -cplebraA-, tho.. Rev.. Father.-Bartley "■•icon,;and tbj'.Rbv. Father Venning sub••acon.. 'Die ,V(ry v ßov.-FatherO'SMi', -V.G., /Toachod on tffi subject of the Festival. Tho W. Al'Lau'ghlin, saiig Kalla- • "Mass. with very ig reat devotian. fn ti;he;eveningtho ; sennon, : was preaclicd'-by tho -of rev/ father .Venning, and . the ' well-known jnstnms hymns were beautifully sung by thf ° ? hc ?r and. congregation.' All tho ssrvices ■ V )ro attended; by large : congregations, : a \ n eclal feature) being tho very great number ob io approached Holy Communion at tho ißr irly Masses. Tho high altar -aiia sanctu--Iα l ry, ; Jfero" artistically decoratctl by. tho ladies ',(■ tho Altar Society. ■■[■■■■ ■ gii.Christmas Day was duly celebrated at St. 'nnos Church,;. Now town. ..Masses wero . .i'lobratod; from- an early; .hour. At ten clock High Mass was 'sung'by'tho Rev. J. > insworth. iho choir rendered special n< ' us n c .. being'.'numerically strengthened- for p mo occasion, 'llio mass choseii:was "Turner's I.,»[ass'of-St. Mary Magdalen-.,"'- The soloists ,t wero Misses Murray and Gallagher '(soprano) --Miss. E. (alto), Messrs. Littlo and I Martin (tenor), and Mr. E. V L: Rcdde (bass). JNovello's setting of the '."Adosto Fideles" iwas sung at tho offertory;' Tho soprano solo *- /a£ siing. by Mip, Maggio ■'•Scgriof. " Tho .„. leavens are Telling" '(Croation) was at' .- e hoyconclusiori of tho miles. Mr. D.° J. B ii''Keefo conducted, and Miss HcndoYson pre-sj-ided-at the organ. After tlie service tho 7'viov. Father Ainsworth entertained tho mem- » bors of tho .choir at tho-Presbytery. :V ■ "■:- ' ; ',I?RESByTERIAN. :;, At St. Jdin's, on Christinas morning, Dr. Gilibs tbokfor his text..John xiv., ii., "My Father's Bouse." IThe application of tho /words was/ho' : saidi-not.limited to the hore-

after, though unquestionably that was what was chiefly in the Master's mind at tho time of their .utterance, but it. was perfectly harmonious with Christ's viow of life to regard this world as a part of the Father's house, and Christ's i supreme message to" men was that they wero God's, children. Prom this point of vioivDr.Gibl) went on to give certain counsels bearing upon conduct and character that' Christian pcoplb should display. If they were .really living hero and now-in their.Fathor's house, their lives should, he stated, bo characterised by child-like qualities, and ho specified tho following:—(1) •Freedom from fear; (2) the duty of being happy and:; promoting the hapoiness of .others: and (3) obedience.! Thero was a fairly large congregation, and special hymns were rendered. ' i''Christmas was ceJebratod at Kent Terrace Presbyterian Church on Suncjay evening, when tho Rev. J. K. Elliott preached an ap.propriato sermon, and special hymns .wcl-o sung; '..Miss. Mitchell and Mr Gowdiq rendered solps. " \ A special service was hold yesterday at tho Nowtown Presbyterian Chinch, hut thoro was ,no Christmas service at St. Andrew's. • - ; '■ ; : " METHODIST. A special ■ Christmas service was hold at .the Wesley Church, Tarunaki Street a't 10.30 yesterday morning.- Christmas hymns, carols, and antiiemp wero sung, and appropriate roforonces to tho ■ occasion wore made during tho.servico. . . •,. . ■ : - CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH," A most enjoyable musical service, including special selections, for..the organ,, was held on Tuesday ' evening in the Congregational Clriirch, Goristablb Street,'the pastor, Rev. W. A.^Evans',''presiding.' After two organ solos by. Mr. Etoraco Hunt, Mus. Bac, who displayed rare excciitivo skill, iwith;': complete mastery of tho instrument, which is a really fino ono, and admirably suited'to'tho'building,-- a':-special -setting of : "Sun of my' Soul " was' delightfully-sung by Mis 3 Lilian- Head, wlicso fine contralto -voice was' heard to groat advantage. A" duet • for "tenor 'and ■ bass, '■'Lord, ca-usoThyfacoto shiiio" (Costa's "EH")', was well sung by Messrs. E. Aukorand L. Johnson. Mr.. J. H. Johnson, 'conductor, 'contributed "How , willing my paternaTlovo (Samson) with fine feeling .and ability. ,-Jl«n--'delssoh'iiYsacrod'cantata' "Praise Jehovah," with orchestral accompaniment, is a work-of mnch beauty.'' It consists'of seven numbers, ono opening with a soprano' solo taken by 'Miss U.. Masc-ii in excellent style. Tho entirep&rformanco. reflected the greatest credit on all concerned, .and .bore- ; witness to tho capacity ini-.i iridustry "of tho conductor, Mr, J..H.. Jphnsoii. The choir, undoubtedly, is in tho. front rank'in tho city, and tho service of last evening :waa a , real musical treats Mr. Hunt's; performance .was so ;fino" as to elicit marked approbation. ...--.■ : • ■.■