WAS IT NOT IMPIOUS.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume IX, Issue 2547, 12 March 1887, Page 3

WAS IT NOT IMPIOUS.

"Undoubtedly one of the most extra- 1 ( ordinary Watch Night services known. Jn the history, of the; Church jjrdij iielii : on New Year's evo fti connection with : the Church of the Lavender Hill, Accovdhig to a corrtapotttlent w ho aupplies the following particulars to ' a contemporaiy, :'memberS ?9?firegation oi}lj; ,w®re invited,' jta?jmrnon Vaa.by, ticket,.! 'Watch'. ■ rej^rterg,shouldbo. but j several' "outriders" ; tb 'be '])r&ent, and subjoined; is Baort description of the proceedings ' by •:on9 i ;pf the, latter, ;,TJie 'sa-called'. .'.service was not.iieid- in the 'church Itself, but in a large hall adjoining it; . The hall presented a purely theatrical ; aspect. The platform was fitted up m' a stage, with the footlights itnd drop;, curtain. A pianist and chair composed, of.ladies and gentlemen were atone Bido of the stage, . hidden by a screen,. Immediately prccooding the •jnojSt of the- sorvioeUhe Vicar church, in the ooiirso of a few mentioned that it would consist 1 of a series oJ/'-Mcrad tableaux," rfipreseHtativo of the Fall of. Man»-thp Eroin-' iaed seed, and the Nativity, The':first* scene Wasa striking and wondetfiil'one.. ■The curtains rose'to reveal' Orit-utal' plants and flowers, and a beautifflly* depioted.background, representing the Gardon of Edon. Adam and Eve with skin coverings; appeared on the right, despondent and melancholy; whilo on the left, standing on a rugged ledge of rock, was the angel, sword.in hand,and .beckoning firmly towards the gate. ' At 'the bell-signal the curtain dropped 'amid tho singing of" But the Lord is. mindful of His own," Some instrumental musio followed, after which tho vicar quoted passages from Genesis descriptive of the birth of Mimae!, tho promise to Abraham of a son', and the /birth of Isaac.' To thiß scene the music iconsidted of two versos of' tho One, Hundredth Hymn, The third tableau 1 showed the reward of Abraham's obedience. In the front of an alter composed of rough stone stood Abraham, holding Isaac by the shoiriderj as - .if in the act of slaving him, In 1 .'the rear stood.an angle with the ..command, " Touch not the lad." InHho fourth scene, Isuiahstood before. King Ahaz by tho ''conduct of the upper pool." It also delineated the refusal ef the King to ask a sign, and pictured a prophecy, "Behold a virgin shall cancieve and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel," The scene, as told in Scripture, was carefully presented the vision of Daniel, iand' the angel Gabriel's appoaranco to.jiim. In the same! tableau there was shown the appearance in thb Temple of tho angel. Gabriel intimating tO;. Zachariaa, the priest of tho " order of Abia," the birth of his ion, J"pha the baptist, The seventh scene represented,': the kneeling to the angel Gabriel, of the Virgin Mary with tho annunciation of the birth of the proraise d Saviour. In the next scene was shown tho visitation of the Virgin to Air cousin Elizabeth previous to the .birth of John the baptist. The last' tableau exhibited the nativity, and the Adoration of the Magi, The babe lay ia a rough mafager, behind which sat the Virgin Mother admiring 'the child. Another selection of music brought this most.remarkableiperformance' to # .conclusion.' The stage, fittings were, elaborate: and the costumes of the'actors and; aotrera' wore really gorgeous.! The cost must have been very great.