rose Oon Own Consesronoen Hungtung, Shansi, Jan. 2. The Christmas season was celebrated here last week with much enthusiasm; it seems evident that, however, completely the Chinese church becomes indigenous, one the traditions it will always maintain will be that centring round December 25. On Christmas Eve there a slight fall of snow, but long before dawn on Christmas morning some enthusiasts were about singing carols. The Bible Institute students planned "a service commencing shortly after 6 am., the hour before dawn being chosen''to carry out the "Service of Light", a failure pro-ably received. from Europe. The lecture hall had been prepared the day before with suitable inscriptions fon coloured paper, and on the platform stood a splendid Christmas tree, fully ten fect high. After the usual preliminaries a group of students came on to the platform each reciting a Scripture text about "ight" and lighting a candle, until the whole tree was aglow.
A church service followed at 11 am, when Chinese tunes and choruses mingled with such old favourites as "While Shepherds Watched" and "Hark, the Herald Angels Sing." It good to note that the Chinese church is becoming more and more singing church; each year seems to see some new chorus book or hymn book off the press compiled entirely by Chinese. "It must be confessed that local voices have to make quantity what they lack in quality, Dut still the students have got far as three part singing. In the afternoon there was still another meeting, and in the evening the boys the' Hoste Schools "had. their special service, so it will be con ceded that Christmas been properly celebrated in this city,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.