, 1867-01-04
santa Clau, on His Driaace.

EDIroR SrATEsMAx:-la common with many Of
your readers, | have read a Communication from
the peu of our worthy citizen, the Rev. Mr. Cham
berlan, on the 'OS.ervancs Of christmas,''
which appeared in your last issue. request
small space in your columns for q few remarks
with reference thereto, and the subject Of which !
it treats.
presume thatth can be but few persons Of
intelligence who have reflected upon the matter,
who will not concede all that is claimed in the
communication with reference to the origin Of
the festivities of Christmas. 1t is true also, that
there are just 364 chances against the 25th Of
December being Christ's birth day, to in its IA
vor. But venture little in stating that ot the
millions Of persons who observe Christmas as
"sociAi" holiday, as well as the few who OBJ
seIve it religiously, not one in hundred think
or care as to its being the time OF the yeai Of
Christ's birth. Nor does 1t matter with reference
either to the social or religious atpsct of the
question. Certain Christians codsider it right
and proper to celebrate the birth 6f Christ once
a year, and it m ltterI little whether they do so
on one day in preference to another, in view of
all the circumstances Of the case. Taeir right
to do so cannot be questioned. In this connsc-
tion, | may mention the fact that it Is feeorded
| by MAcauIy, in his history Of England, volume
1. page 1872, that Ia l644, the Puriians, who were
then ia powell gave orders that the 2oth OF De-
cember should be observed As fast only; pro-
scribing the festivities and social entertainments
usual on the occasion. To consequences "iorm'
idable riots broke out iu many places. The con-
stables were resisted, the ma ates in'ulted,
&c. think all such Puritauical Lotions deserve
to fare no better now thaH they did thn. But
with the religious phase Of the question, do not
wish to uisddle, farther than this: but it is to
be feared that there are many other ooserTAnees,
particularly Of a religious character, which
| could i'll bear so severe a test as the one which
would be applied to Christmas. And fear, al
so. that if all the delu'ions which exist IN the
world, were exploded, that we would have ou'
little left to make life desirable. And he tnat
would. even if be could remove them, would not
confer so great favor on minkind as, IN MS
zeal. he might suppose. Would we be any bet
ter OIL Tor ieellng,hnu SeeluR hS "e'i a. A"0"'Hh
that il is we and all the earth, and net the sun
that moves7 Would the pleasures of journey
on railway be enhanced by feeling and seeing
as we'll rs knowing that we were moving, and
not the fences, and that neighboring forest
vas not wnlrEing7 The illusions o. childhood
are the sources from whence many Of its charms
are drawn, and there are few, wno have not at
times, "wished that they were child again
But touching its social relations, would most
smphAtically protest az 'inst any change being
made / the IN ,tter. think there is little dan
ger. from what have heard, of tie people OF
this Valley becoming too sociHble. If there Is
d niger it lies in th- other direction. And Think
that it will be generally cOucrdtd that if the So
ia impulses which arise, or acquire new force
annually at Chri-tnis, were Of mlre general and
steIdy growth all the year round, the people
would be all the better for it. If we are u get
rid OF any deusiOus, let them Ue Ur urue other
kind than that which has reference to Cirisl'
mas. lNNoAlNATA'