Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-12-31

VICE T0S1ueuts, n. DOcheIy, IL. l. CAoAn
T. s. Memory, J. S. Woodland, T. G. Nc
Ilhenny, A. A. McKoy, D. Mcmillan, G..
J. O'Hagen, Alex. MacRae, J. G. McMil-
an, D. Murchison, T. D. Mcdowell, E. ".
Fonvile, P. E. Smith, ". S. Mullins, S.
". Cole, r. T. Fulgum and W. L. Atkin-
son; Recording Secretary J. q. Mann;
Treasurer W. L. Smith.
The official term of these gentlemen be-
gin on the first of January, and we have
no doubt but that they will bend every en-
ergy to improving the Grounds of the As
ISOLATION, and contribute to make the re-
turn of the Fair the great anniversary of
this section. Many improvements are con-
templated and needed. We have conf
dence in the officers that all will be done
possible.
FOLLOWING the usual and pleasant Gus
tom we devote most of our space this morn
ing TO articles suitable to the day. We
give below an interesting history of Christ
mas and the celebration attending it, for
which we know our readers will thank us:
CHR1sT1As-sANTA CLAUs-KRIsH KINKLE.
Santa Claus, whose traditional budget
of all good things, his journey with 1t
through the air, and descent down all
chimneys are radiant visions OF childhood,
which follow US into maturity and age, has
come again, and the replenished stocking,
the decorated Christmas tree, and the
gifts under manifold forms of surprise are
making millions of young hearts-and old
as well-hilarious and happy, as has been
the case on the annual return of the event
for more than two thousand times before.
Christmas Day, so called from Christi
MdsSd, the mass of Christ, was not cele-
brated on the same day by ali the print
tive churches. For two or three centuries
the Eastern Church kept the feast on the
9th of January, whilst the Latin Church
observed it on the 25th of December.
Pope julius l., who died A. d. $50, has
usually the credit Of transferring the feast
from January 9th to December Goth. lie
caused O formal investigation, and settled
upon the day now observed for the cele-
bration OF FeStorun1 Onaniuna Metropolis, as
he styled the event. Mosheim, however,
! calls in question this representation, and
by many good authorities the change is
attributed to Pope Telephorus, who first
instituted the feast, and who died A. u.
! 1873. The point is involved In much OBJ
security. According to Chrysostom, the
! day was fixed by tradition, and not by any
dogmatical decision of any Pope. About
the year A. D. 527 it is known that Dlony-
sius Exiguus, a Scythian monk, fixed upon
the 25th of December, in the year of Rome
! 1853, when Lentulus and Piso were Co1suls,
as the date of the birth of our Lord, and
this is both the day and the year which
| has been followed as the date of the Chris
! tian era up to the present time. The best
authorities in our times are very generally
agreed, however, that this IS neither the
| day nor the year in which the Saviour of
| mankind became incarnate, the date now
generally received being April 6, B. G. 4,
nearly four years prior to the date we cele-
brate. This circumstance detracts but
little from the exalted significance of the
festival. It is sufficient that this day has
been fixed upon throughout all Christen-
tom as the commemorative feast of the ap-
pearance upon earth of the Redeemer of
the human race. It has always been re-
garded in the two-fold character of holy
commemoration of the birth of our Blessed
Lord, and at the same time as festlvlty
of relaxation from labor and care, Of mer-
riment and Joy. In the middle ages the
day was celebrated by the gay, fantastic
dramatic spectacles Of that period, the
scenery representing an infant attended
by the Virgin Mary, st. Joseph, the wise
men, and surrounded by cherubs, bulls
heads, and other grotesque decorations.
It is the tradition that Christ was born
about the middle of the night, and the
Catholic custom of ushering in the day
with the celebration of three masses-one
at midnight, second at early dawn, and
another in the molning-originated in the
! sixth century. In former times the cele-
bration of Christmas began in the latter
part of the previous day-"Christmas
Eve.'' The house was first decked with
holly, ivy, and other eVergreens, and IL
Illuminated with candles of an uncommon
| size, called Christmas candles. The GUS
tom Of singing carols, recalling the song
of the Shepherds at the birth of Christ,
arose when the common people ceased to
understand Latin. In these songs the
clergy, high and low, parents and chill
dren, Joined, combination in the merri-
ment the strains OF the organ, tambour,
guitar, and violin, each participant, if in
the night, bearing in the hand q torch
| The yule-log or Christmas block was laid
upon the fire, while the people sat around
RECALLING themselves with beer. In the
course of the night small parties went
about from house to house chanting these
simple popular d;tties. full of joyful allu
sions to the Redeemer; and it is still the
custom, during the last days preceding
Christmas, for the Calabrian ministries to
descend from the mountains to Rome So
of luting the shrines of the Virgin Mother
with their songs, under the poetical notion
cheering her until the birth time SO near.
| Raphael, in illusions to this custom, in
troduces into his picture of the Nativity
shepherd playing on sort Of bag-pipe.-
Throughout England and the continent,
and in some parts of this country, the bells
at midnight are rung to usher in the day.
The custom of Christmas gifts has its
origin in the Roman Paganalia, which
was instituted by Servius Tullius B. @.
$50 On these festivals, celebrated at the
beginning of the year, on altar was erect
ed in every village, and to the box placed
upon it every man, woman, and child was
expected to contribute coin. Aubrey
speaks of spot. in which Roman coins
were found, and supposed to be one of
these Paganalian vessels. The Christmas
OK naturally arose from this PECAN Now
Years box.
The custom of decking houses and