Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1869-12-23
Christ Spnus.

birth day of Jesus, and as such 1t la.
been celebrated by the Christian
Churches tor great many centuries
1t may be appropriate to briefly chron
iclc some facts relating to the history
OF this day, with its peculiar signif
canoe, as far back as we have any &C
count oft.
There are two periods Of our yea,
Of marked influence and significance
namely, the last week in June, called
the Summer Solstice, and the last week
in December, called the Winter Sol,
stice. At the recurrence OF the Sum.
mer Solstlcc, the Sun, having reached
its northern limit, has commenced to
march back toward the distant South.
Then the benefcent forces and infu.
ence of that great giver OF light and
heat begin to withdraw themselves
from those portions Of the earth north
of the Tropic of Cancer. Then Nature
has reached the fullness of its power
and growth, the days grow shorter and
the balance OF the year exhibits vegeta
BILE disintegration and decay. At the
recurrence of the Winter Solstice the
opposite results are exhibited. The
Sun has reached his southern goal and
commenced to move northward, the
days begin to lengtben and in process
of time Nature feels the rcvivifying
influence OF the return OF the great
Ruler Of the Day.
In most countries the return of this
last period is = cause of rejoicing and
celebration. In China, alone, testivi-
tics and religious ceremonies are per-
formed to commemorate the Summer
Soleticc.
In Egypt, whose beginning, as IA
ton, antedatcs all record, and who Sc
civilization IS older than any histories,
a festival was held, on the twenty-fifth
of December, III honor of the birth
day of Horus. Horus was, to the
Egyptians, the symbol Of rcsuc,tstion.
and a new birth. and the figure of him
as child was used to express the
Egyptian idea that there can be no
humiliation and to die was only to
pass into new form.
The Hindoos, very ancient people,
celebrated the twenty fifth OF Decem-
Der, from time imme mortal, decorating,
on that day, their houses with gar.
lands and gilt paper, and UNANIMOUSLY
making presents to friends and relatires.
Among the Chinese, at the winter
Solstice, the last reek ~ December, as at
the Summer Solstice, all places OF
business, including Courts OF Justice,
were closed, and no person was per-
nitted to begin long journey. The
religious ceremonies of these seasons OF
the year were called Festivals of Graf.
itude to Tien.
The Persians held an annual festival
Of rejoicing on the twenty-6tth of De-
ccmber as the anniversary OF the birth
day OF Mithras, the Spirit of the Sun,
aud their Mediator.
In Greece and Rome, double fes
tival was held on the twenty.fifth OF
December, in honor Of the birth day
Of Bacchus, the God of wine and
and to commemorate the
annual return of tho Sun to revivify
the vineyards and give flavor to the
wine, in which case it was called Dies
lVa.als Inrie!i Soils, the Birth Day
Of the Inyincible Sun. In late years
when many of the customs and cere.
monies Of the Pcrsians had been intro
luced into Rome, the same day was
celebrated in honor Of Mithras,
Telisphorus, Bishop Of Rome, insti-
.uted the festivals in honor Of the
birth Of Jesus, some time prior to 1873,
The date of his death. Before the Ro
man religion had been supplanted by
The new, the observance of day as the
OF the birth day of Jesus
was not only very irregular but held
On very uncertain days. Sometimes
it was observed in April aud some
times in May, while the eastern
almost unanimousl, seld their
festivals on the 9th January, the day
Of the Egyptian festival to rejoice over
the lost Osiris found. The twenty
9Th of December had, for years. been
one Of the chief holidays and festival
days OF the Roman people, and when
the old religion was supplanted by the
new, decree OF the church designated
the Roman Die Natalie Invieti Sola
as the day for celebrating the birth
day of Jesus.
Jesus was represented as born At
midnight, and it was, therefore, custo-
mary to have the churches lighted and
public worship performed At midnight
preceding. These midnight ceremo-
MES were called Mass, aud hence the
festival day came to be denominated
Christmas.
AS all nations have held ceremonies
of the annual return
OF the Sun from his journey to the
South, and have joined in festival glad
ness at the renewal Of those influences