Show JI h ma mattai tat HIS said nold the quiet voice olce of at af the young minister to his waiting audience might he be called A Christmas Meditation We shall try to give you m merely rely n a reverent rent Impression of ot the spirit of ot the season A bit of carol singing some some lighted candles a reading from the Bible DIble and one tableau There was a soft BOtt rustle of expectation tion throughout the church The lights snapped off otT All was dark and still Like the slow uprising of ot a n far tar wind came the time sweet subdued voices of ot u II hidden choir The beautiful notes w x floated over the heads of ot the time people like a benediction Noiselessly candle condie after candle sprang sprong Into flame at the windows each ench taper lighted d by the hand hond of ot a small email boy Then the screens about the stage under the pulpit were removed A And d there was the dear and treasured scene so loved and so BO cherished at this tills season The manger monger Mary over overt it Joseph standing standing near near by A soft ROtt glow from the rude cradle suffused the faces about It Mary all allIn allin allin in spotless white Joseph bearded and dressed In blue with a scarlet scarlet- carlet mantle over his shoulders a R striped and a u broad sash about hIs bis waist Th The music slid softly Into While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks ks by Night 1 From the front of or the tho church en clime came me a n a tall tail figure with a u crook A shepherd from the the hills hills who knelt In front of ot the manger ani and then stood near Then another and another rough meri with kindly awkward man mono nerd ners Two little fellows followed their eyes round with round with save awe Again the music rhan changed ed We Three Kings King of ot the Are Arc A thrill passed serl through the church The notes oj ot this In Inan n nan an un Impressive o I figure w who ho advanced toward the inui lIH lIer cr with royal dignity Ills dress gleamed richly lie ne carried a n gift tIft high in both hoth hands Then came the second king nIsI else bearing costly presents Then a 11 third who knelt with bowed bowd head hend In front of at the stable scene Tim The tableau took toot on n a deeper and anel more tender sl significance The young OUD minister rend the Christ Christ- Christmus mus story from the Bible His Ills voice was wall low luw j soul nd clear char keeping in perfect tune with wilh th the surroundings When ho lint had finished soft music drifted down from frum the choir choir loft Oh Little Town Towa of I. The notes seemed to caress the en entire eD- eD tire the pinco pince Ilore A hush Inrush of ot reverence enveloped enveloped en en- everyone Silently from the side of ot the church near the carne came a procession of or white robed children each ael bearing u 11 lighted Iff taper toper They arranged themselves them them- meles m- m solves selves In n a sort cot of ot frame about tho the manger scene standing one above o the theother theother theother other on the two flights of at stairs leading up II Into O the pulpit This was the final Impression The transcendent glow from from the manger Mary bending over It tt lost In rapt adoration i e J Joseph Josephat seph at her elbow the shepherds the wise men i and the frame of ot lighted candles Then the screens were again set up The church flooded with light the minister dismissed the people witha with witha a II short prayer and ancl benediction A simple service ns S be he said sold bill billone baone ba one which left an on unforgettable Impression Impression impression Im Im- of ot the true reverence and spirit of Christmas on all who at at- tended n 1 Q mi U Newspaper Union |