The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-12-24
MERRY CHRISTMAS.
THE DAY, CHRONOLOGICALLY, HISTORICALLY
AND SOCIALLY CONSIDERED.


December. But the learned have doubted
it and disputed about it, leaving the matter,
as learned people always will matters that
thes don't know anything about, lust as
they found it. Dr. Clark and other great
men objected to the winter Christmas, first,
from the diversity Of usage in the early
church. (Dr. Adam Clark and others have
said that the day has been claimed by eve.
ry month in the Year, Second, because
the shepherds do not watch their hocks at
this time OF the year in Palestine. The
second objection seems to have been found
ed in ignorance of the climate Of Palestine,
which corresponds to that Of our Gulf
states. and hocks are frequently KEEP. in the
field at night at this time Of year.
About the diversity of opinion, it did
obtain as said, but never at Rome, where,
and where only, they had the cans of
knowing the day. This is simply his
tor'c fact. The taxing Of Juda, or enroll
ment for the purpose Of taxation Census it
was officially called) was an act of the Ro
man Government. The official returns
were made to the Emperor, and the census
returns were laid >up in the Government
archives at Rome, accessible to all. So
Iertullan says in express terms, and no
better authority is needed He had evi-
IDENTITY seen the document himself; his
manner Of appealing to it and quoting from
1t would seem to establish such a conclu
sion. And according to this report or
State paper, the census of Bethlehem was
made on the eighth before the calendar of
January-that is the Goth of Dec mber -
This document remained open to inspection
till the sack OF the city il. the fifth century,
and was doubtless con ,Ulted by hundreds
OF Christians, for before the time of Te..
tullian, the name Of Mary had been diStin-
gu'>hed in the LIST by this marginal note
er qua nascitur Christus.
The day OF the birth was never drawn in
question at Rome. The document is not
appealed to by the fathers, to settle that
fact. In the East they were at variance /:
but in the time Of st. Chrysostom
latter part Of the fourth century-the
Greek Christians received from Rome the
true date, and rapidly came to unanimity on
the subject. St. Chrysostom, in arguing
the question-for it was question there
says, "lt is lawful for any one who wishes
to know accurately, to search the ancient
records, publicly deposited in Rome, and
there to learn the time of that enrollment.' "
Since that time, the diversity of usage has
b en- very limited.
Christmas was first observed as festival
A. ID. 9S; and ordered to he held as a sol
emn feast, and divine service to be perform.
cd on the 25th of December, by Pope Tel
esphoruS, about A. ID. 1877. In the time OF
the Roman Emperor Diocletan, while he
was keeping his court at Nlcomeda, it will
be remembered, he was informed on this
day that the Christians were assemble in
great numbers to celebrate the nativity of
Christ. lie ordered the doors to be shut
aud the church to be set on fire, and six
hundred persisted in the burning pile.
Christmas was the most movable Of the
Christian festive days, was often confound
ed with the Epiphany, and celebrated by
the Eastern churches in the months OF
April and May. 1t has become a common
tradition that Christ was born about the
middle of the night. The custom in Roman
Catholic countries Of ushering in Christ.
mas day by the celebration of three Masses:
one at midnight, the second at early dawn,
and the third in the morning, dates from
the Sixth century. The day was consider
cd in the double light Of holy commcmo
ration and cheerful festival, and was &C
cord'ngly distinguished by devotion, by
vacation from business, and by merriment
During tho middle ages it was celebrated by
the gay, fantastic spectacle of dramatic
mysteries, and moralitics performed by per,
sons IN grotesque mosques and singular
costumes. The scenery usually represent
ed an infant in . cradle surrounded by the
Virgin Mary aud st. Joseph, by bulls
heads, cherubs, Eastern Masi, and manifold
ornaments.
The custom, still extant in England, of
singing canticleS at Christmas, called carols,
which recalled the songs of the shepards at
the birth of Christ, dates from the time
when the common people ceased to under
stand Latin. The bishops and lower cler,
gy often joined. with the populace in carroll
ing, and the songs were enlvened by music
and dances. Fathers, mothers, sons and
daughters mingled together in the dances !:
# in the night, each having lighted taper.
Many collections have been made Of these
naive medi9val carols which filled the hours
between the nocturnal masses, and which
sometimes took the place Of masses in the
churches.
During the last days preceding Christ
mas, 1t Is still the custom for Calacrian
minstrels to descend from the mountains to
Naples aud Rome, sau,ing the shrnes of
the virgin mother, with their wild music,
under the poetical notion of cheering her
until the birth time Of her infant, At the
approaching Christmas. In a picture Of
the Nativity, by Raphael, he has Introduced
shepherd at the door playing on sort
Of bagpipe.
Preparatory to Christmas, the bells are
rung at midnight throughout England and
the continent, and after the solemn cele.
bration of the mass, for which the churches
in France and Italy are magnificently
adorned, il is usual for the jewellers to par
aake Of collation., that they may be better
able to sustain the fatigue Of the night.
In the Protestant districts Of Germany
and the North of Europe, Christmas is
often called the children's festival, and
Christmas eve is devoted to giving presents,
especially between parents and children, by
means OF the so-called Christmas tree
Formerly, and still in some small villages
of North Germany, the presehts made by
the parents We're sent to some person whu,
in high buskins, white robe, mask, and
an enormous fax wig, become the bugbear
Of the children known as Knectt Rupert,
goes from house to house, is received by
the parents with great pomp and reverence,
calls for the children, and bestows the in.
tended gifts upon them, according to their
character, which he hears from the parents
after some inquiries.
Christmas has always been at once a re.
lisious, domestic, and merry making festi.
val in England. sa -
On Christmas the bells rung,
On Christmas the mass sung
The only night in oil the year, ss. ....
Saw the stoled priest the chalice rear;
Then opened wide tb. Bsron's hall
To vassal, tenant. serE and oil
| Power laid his rod Of rule aside,
And ceremony, dropped bis pride.
The heir, with roses on his shoes, ....H'
| That night might village partners choose.
| All hailed viii uncontrolled delight
| And general voice, the happy night
| That to the cottage rs the crown,
| Brought tidngs OF salvation down.
Eso and Narrx, I'm land,