Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-12-25
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ECEMBERp25 1885, ,qId.
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found in ancient history are early in the
second century, at least prior 70, A. ~. 13e: |
In some churches the Epiphany and
Christmas were celebrated as one festival.
In the fourth century, after an elaborate
the 25th of December was
agreed upon, and has ever since been OBJ
served tlfroughotitp Christendom. EIbefdi
may be still moreltnbelieveIs, but the his
torical and astronomical evidences in favor
of3this day, amount to almost demonstra..
ton, it such language can ever be iapPHneedd
To that class of testimony. 90 ''''""
y wa VIZ 5eriye otif CHRISTMAS aciistoms more
from old England,j where it
was religious, domestic and merry-msking \
festival, for every rank and every age.
il On Christmas Eve the bells we're rung; .f
Ou, Christmas Eve the mass was sung;
That only night 10 all the year, iHl1u3 H"
Saw the stoled priest the clallce rear -. -
Then opened wide the Barons hall, ''- HH
~ To vassal, tenant. serf and all iEt v. .HrH..au
Power laid bis rod Of rule aside,
And ceremony dofed his pride. q ~ dbci 1aS|
The heir, with roses in his shoes.
That night might village partner choose. 80
u Anhailed With uncontrolled delight 2 MT
I'd AID general voice, the happy night ala ot +.-
That TO the cottage, a. the crown, -'
Brought tidings Of salvation d0yn. lniylf .Tr|
81 gland was merry England when
Old Christmas brought his sports again;
2 Twas Christmas bTOached the mightiest ale, p.
TWAS Christmas told the merTiest tale; T.
A Christmas gambol oft would cheer .7s4. 10
A poor mans heart through half the year.
The custom was to deck houses and
churches with, eyergreens, 70 remain Until
Candlemas-day February 2d). An Eng
lish substitution, alluded TO by Shakespeare,
declared that on Christmas eve, no evil
spirit stirred abroad, no witch or fairy had
power to charm on SO hallowed time. And
a famous hawthorn In the churchyard OF
Glastonbury always budded on the 24tlh
aud blossomed on the 25th OF December,
and refused, on the reformation ofthe cal
endar, to change from the old to the new
style. All our standard Christmas hymns,
some of them the best in our language, are
of English origin. In this country, the
New England Puritans made an indiscrlm-
mate warfare upon the usages of Christmas,
good and bad. Its pleasant and sacred In
stitutions, however, were too deeply imbed-
ded in the popular heart to allow them TO
be set aside by the logic of these cold, stern
men. Even the wOmenand children around
their own hearthstoness would celebrate
Christmas in spite of their frowns. II has
become legal holiday in most OF the STATES
lis observed by giving presents, and is
ushered in by religious service; churches
and houses are trimmed with evergreens,
and Christmas trees abound in all sections
of our country. Although our standard
Christmas hymns are, as we said, Of Eng
lish origin, we havetwo capital little poems
by American authors. The first, by the
Rev. j. w. Brown, an Episcopal clergy
man, appeals to tile religions associations OF
the day, and is called the Christmas Bells:
THE CHRISTMAS BELLS.
The bells-the bes-the Christmas bells. .
How merrily they ring!
Asif they felt the JOY they tell f| .' (
t. To every human thing. nam, ,
The sifvery tones, Ger vale and hill, 70. i.
b Are swelling soft aud clear. - .--.,.,. T
As, wave on Wave the tide of sound
Fills the bright atmosphere. y j.. .airl,T .
The bells-the merry Christmas bells
They're ringing the morn!
They ring wheG in the Eastern sky r.
The golden light is born ;
Iui They ring when sunshine tips the hillsl ras
ID And gilds the village spire- ..
When, through the sky, the sovereign sun -'
/. Rolls his full orb OF hre. e Inr #r.... T.
The Christmas bels-the Christmas bells,
How merrily they-ring!
| T0Weary hearts pulse of JOY, -.a
~ The poor man on bis couch Of straw, oft
lhtb tbe bTCa asS On sSSTd SSThy SsG Voices sweet
Iro' Of angels overhead, rt .1gis.igury /.
The bels-the siIyery Christmas bells, Ha
| r Ger many a mile they sound -.4. ,.-..,.....
| And household tones are answering them
| In thousand homesgound.
Voices Of childhQOd, blithe and shrill,G Z
La With youths strong accents blend,
I'LH And manhood's deep and earnest tones sNH
| With womSn's praise ascend, . ..r51s
The bells--the solemn Christmas bells. I.r
4 10 Az They're calling US to prayer; ts.
| And bark, the voice o. worshipers i9' $3.50.
IGm Floatson the morning air on !. ngs-. .
Anthems of nObleSt praise thereH be,
| And glorious hymns to-day, ."HT
| TB DEUMs loud, and GLoRIAs;
I.ra4 oCome to The church-away. fr.t--0
| The second is by the late Professor Moore
son of Bishop Moore, of New York, and Il
founded or an old Dutch legend, and, II
our estimation, is worth all that has eve
been written in that vciR;T r7.r ,,..-
Twas the night before Christmas, when all through
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings we're hung by the chimney with care
In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children nestled all snns in their beds,
While visions of sugar plums danced in their heads
And mamma in her ,kerchcf and inn cap,
Had just settled our brain for long winters nap
7 sprang from my bed to see what was the matter.
llAwAy 10 the wi1dow ,aew likes fash, r,l1 g..
Tore open the shutters, and threw up the SASH
\ The moon on the breast Of the new fallen 81 w
A Gaye the lustre Of mid day to the objects below.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
Buta miniature sleighRnd eight tiny reindeer,
| With little old driver, so lively and quick,
\ i knew in a nomenJ it must be st Nick45. ..
More rapid than eagles, his coursers, they came,
And he whistled, and shou ed, and called them b
FTNOwI DGshsrl now, Rspcsri now. PrGncsr! 2 an
on, Cd,sssi on, Gtltsal On, DaA6sfl and Blitssn
Toths top Of the porch, to the tor Of the WALL
AS dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
\ When they meet with an obstacle marlt to the sky
So, up to the house tops, thecoursers theylflew,
With the sleigh full Of toys and st. Nicholas, too.
Il And then, in q twinkling, heard on the roof, .
4 AsI drew in my head, and vas turning around,
Down the chimney st. Nicholas came with bound
He dressed all in fur FROM his head to his foot,
And his clothes were oil tarniahed with ashes an
A bundle Of toys he had flung on his back. .r-
And helooked like peddler just opening his pacl
His eyes7how they twinked! his dimples-hO
'Ni n tmerryttt-2 10 Acrra r--TTTT4Tt
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like cherry
His droll little mouth was drawn up ikea bow,
And the beard of his chin was white as the SNOW
The stump Of his pipe he held tight in his teeth,
Ard i sPIsd ss head fs vronth
THAT shaOlsswhen he laughed like a. bowl full
I He wSscSaBby andplump, right jbilyuld elf. :,
And laughed when s+g him IL hi sPIss Of myself
Soon gave me to know Ihad nothing to dceadsa =
And filled all the stscRhgs; entdraJd with JEDI
2 And having his finger asideo his nose bst9gI
He sprang to his Sleigh 70 his team gave whistle,
u And away they all hewlike the down of thistle,
But heard him exclaim, as he drove out Of sight,
Happy ChrtStuads to all and to nU good night!
A MaI d Hit. =,
'Fo Agen tlen1an recently returned from th
Z SOuth'called on the President, and told hin
u that at Richmond there were in singl