The Yazoo City Whig. [volume] (Yazoo, Miss.) 1844-1851, 1844-12-20
Christmas.


honorcd and festive day will have passed
away, and many youthful heart will have
been made glad by the receipt Of numerous
"Chustmas Gifts, and many an aged one
will have no doubt been made sad whilst
rejecting DER the scenes of its youth which
are now past and gone forever
Throughout christendom, Christmas is
celebrated as one Of the most interesting OF
the numerous religious festivals. 1t is
festival, however, not--as many suppose
cotemporancous with the Apostles. In their
DAYS, and for several centuries subsequent,
it was not customary to celebrate the 6trth'
but the death, of distinguished PeTsonages.
1t was this usage which induced the festi.
val in commemoration of the death Of Ste>
phen, and the inhuman slaughter Of the
infants of Bethlehem. Those events were
celebrated long previous to the institution
of the Christmas festival. Indeed, this fes.
tival was not instituted until the 4th cen.
fury; nor was i fully recognised as church
feast, until the 9Th century, when, we are
told, "the Western Church ordered it to be
celebrated for ever, on the 25th Of Deems
her," This day was fixed, less because
there was any certainty that that was the
day Of Christ's Birth, than because it was
the day of the celebrated Roman ''feast of
the birth of SOL"
In the East, for long time, Christmas
was celebrated on the 9th Of January. Sub.
sequently the day was changed, and as it
was known that the birth occurred during
the night, divine service was observed in
the night Hence, the word used TO desig-
nate Christmas in German, signifies "Holy
or consecrated night"
The feast is most strictly observed by
the Catholic Church. Their night services,
those at least which VIC have witnessed, are
peculiarly solemn and Imposing. Their
masses, we believe, are performed-one at
midnight-one at day break, and one in the
morning. In other times, history informs
US, the ceremonies were carried to a very
great and profane extent. The manger, in
which it is said our Saviour was born, was
wont TO be introduced, together with the
representatives, not only OF the Infant, but
of Joseph and Mary also. Some Of the
Converts in Rome, and, in some of the
Churches also, these exhibitions are still
continued.
Among the Protestan;s, in this country
the Episcopallahs are most strict in the OBJ
servance of this feast. In England, although
it is most strictly observed by the Episcopa
Church, it is nevertheless celebrated, par
TALLY, by nearly all the Protestant denomi
nations. 1t has, also, long been the Princi
pal festival day, in that country, aside from
the Church. By the young, its approach i
looked forward TO with extacies Of delight
And such, TO a considerable extent, il
the case here. The gifts Of St. Nicholas
are looked forward TO with exciting interest
This custom Of present making is derived
from a heather custom, practised at the feas
Of the birth of Sol; or, as some say, from
Germany, hom feast peculiar TO that ma
ton. But from wherever derived, its prac
tice gives the youth an additional zeal 70
, the return of Christmas Eve.
And now, gentle reader, with this brie
! history Of the origin of this festival, we havt
, only to say, that we wish you "Merr.
: Christmas" and hope you may find it
) bright prelude to "Happy New Year."
6r We have at our office, a memorial II
Congress, for a change in our Naturaliza
ton Laws, which has been sent to US 70
the purpose of procuring signatures. Per
sons DESTROYS of change in those Laws
can have an opportunity Of signing by call
ing at the office.
TRIAL OF SPEED.-We see it stated il
our exchange papers, that there is TO be
grand sailing match between the three new
, slOoDs Of war lately launched-the Ports