The Churches: Christmas Day.

Kaikoura Star, Volume XII, Issue 1, 4 January 1893, Page 2

The Churches: Christmas Day.

St Michael’s.

The services at this Church were attended by large numbers, that at 10 a.m. being the greater, the Church being crowded. The interior of the sacred edifice looked very nice indeed, the decorations being exceedingly chaste, excellence rather than profusion being evidently the aim. The texts “ Venite Adoremus ” and “ Gloria in Excelsis Dei ” were artistically arranged. Miss Smith ably presided at the organ, the chief items rendered being the Kyrie from Mozart’s First Mass in C, the Adeste Fideles, and Winter’s Sanctus and Agnus Dei. Mrs R. R. Bell sang the soprano numbers, the other members of the choir being Mrs Mackie, the Misses Gallagher, O’Donnell, Smith and Curtain, Messrs Burland and M. Harnett. The Rev Father Madden preached a short, but an eloquent and very impressive sermon upon : “ And the word was made Resh.” He referred to the birth of Christ—the greatest mystery to man—which occurred in Palestine in a lowly cattle shed, on a midwinter night, when a young mother, of almost tender years, was delivered of her first born, the Saviour of man. He gave a graphic description of the lowly conditions and the surroundings, generally, of that great event, and proceeded to refer to its significance. Hundreds of millions were, like themselves, celebrating that great mystery in solemn wonder, with warm and reverent hearts, in thousands of cathedrals and churches, the finest buildings in the world. The birth of that infant, Christ, in a forlorn state, was not being celebrated by barbarians, uncivilised and superstitious, hut by the foremost people in the world. Those of the greatest intelligence and highest education. These were those who were gathering to again hear the story of the birth of that child, and what that birth meant for them and the world. There was nothing stranger than that event in the history of the world, an event which was the fulfilment of promise and of prophecy. He whose glory the Heavens are unable to contain had been given the world to teach man how to live and die. The mantfer in which that Divine hirth had taken place was a severe trial to some. God could have dazzled the world with a majestic birth, heralded by trumpet shouts, and the greatest pomp, palling the splendour of the most magnificent palace in the world. He, however, demeaned himself to the lowest stage of poverty, under the rudest shelter. The one flash of majesty was the chant of glory sung by the band of angels. That chant was heard by none on earth except a few poor shepherds who came wondering to see the child Christ and remained to adore him. That bumble birth had no fascination for the Jews, they expected something of an imposingly triumphant character. The preacher then proceeded to relate the story of the wealthy Athenian ruler, of great political power, who so long as he was lavish in bis hospitality was surrounded by troops of friends, and crowds of flatterers, but in order to test their sincerity, Rot creditors to clamour for what he owed them and then professed inability to pay. Thereupon he was deserted by his so-called friends, who refused to assist one who had been so good to them. At this he renounced the city and retired. That was a close parallel with the way in which people treated God. This world was a place of trial, and man, who did not see the wisdom of God's ways, must in faith submit to God. In this great festival they saw a fallen world lifted by a great mystery. If they wanted to honor God, they must serve Him faithfully. Anyone making light of sin, or being guilty of evil was frustrating the Divine mission. For such there could not be a truly happy Christmas.

Presbyterian Church.

Tn the morning the Rev Mr McAra took his text from first John I, verses 1 to 4. The subject was the Incarnation of our Lord and the blessed results of that Incarnation to the human race in general, and the true Christiahs in particular. The Incarnation w.is shown to be the framework around which the noblest hopes do gather and the substratum of the renewed life of the entire living Church. As well might men try, contended the preacher, to account for the stability of the framework of nature without the law of gravitation, or account for the life, and joy, and progress of Christianity without the Incarnation of Christ. Christ, the Eternal living One, came into our world and took our nature that we might have life, and that we might have it more abundantly. The only true succession

in the Chnrch of Christ was that of life. There can be no value in forms except as they express life. Through the Divine life that was manifested in the flesh, men are reborn to the noblest fellowship with God, and with one another. All were urged to accent Christ ns God’s gift to man, and God’s last remedy for sin. Those who accepted him would enter into life, and their joy would be full.

In the evening the text was taken from Isaih IX—6 and 7 v ; the subject being the names of Christ and the continuity and stability of the Kingdom. The names of Christ were shown to be always Worthy of the deepest consideration, for each reveal some portion of his nature—each exhibit some aspect of Him distinct from otherlaspects, and by meditating upon all we approximate to a full conception of Hts manifold excellencies. The preacher showed that the continuity and stability of Christ’s Kingdom rested on the fact that it is founded on righteousness and governed in righteousness, and that all who enter into it are made upright in their hearts.

Anglican.

The services at S. S. Peters’ and •fames* were of the usual festal character, a pleasing Feature being the increased attendance at the early celebrations of Holy Communion. Both churches were very nicely decorated, and evinced thoughtfulness as well as taste, for on entering both the buildings the eye was at once attracted to the altar as the point to which nil the decorations converged, thus bearing silent witness to the teaching of the Church. At the morning and afternoon services the Incumbent snoke on the Mystery of Christmas Day. showing the folly of objecting to Mystery in religion, aS all so called plain gospel truths centre round and are dependent on the greatest of all m vsteries, “ God manifest in the flesh.” During the afternoon service at St James the organist (Mrs Taylor, who has been of great assistance at the Kohai Church) gave up her place to Mr Mason (a visitor at Mt Fyffe), whose)rendering of the instrumental part of the service gave great pleasure to all present. Mrs Flower presided at the organ in St Peters, the musical services (choral) being well carried out by her. At the evening service atiSt Peter’s the Rev Mr Ensor shortly referred to the gifts of Gold, Frankincense and Myrrh presented by the Eastern kings, who were guided to the birth place of Christ by that wonderful star they were told of. Gold bad been given as an offering of the best they could present in acknowledgment of the Kingship of the Infant Saviour. Unless we give Christ ths first place in our hearts we were not seating him in our throne room. Some held that a throne room was a place of emptiness, of exclusiveness. It should be a place filled with things surrounding the throne. As the altar was placed on high, so must we place Christ high in our hearts, acknowledging His Kingship; prepared to make everything subservient to Him. The offering of Frankincense implied that the infant was hailed as God. Frankincense was always used as an ingredient in worship ; an emblem of adoration. We must in like manner worship, acknowledging Christ’s power to save to the uttermost. We should bring to Christ the frankincense of hearts in humble prayer, asking that we be kept pure and free from sin, God alone being able to save us from temptation. The offering of Myrrh was emblematic of death. The babe had come to lay down that life which He bad taken, by Ilia power, upon Hitnself, for our salvation. We must look upon Hirn ns the one atoning sacrifice for sin. He lieing all powerful to save. Good resol 111 ions had failed in the past because they lacked the offering of myrrh to God. Sometimes grief hid God from our but they must remember that whom God lovetb he chastenih. We must offer as myrrh beart-telt contrition for our misdeeds, and prayer for strength to enable us to walk in the narrow path of uprightness. A number of Christmas Carols were sung in a highly pleasing manner, one being taken as a solo by Miss D ,nc»n, the Choir and congregation tinging the refrain. The selections were very good.