The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-25
THE NATIVITY.
THE GREAT CHRISTIAN FEAST
Anniversary Of Christianity-Its History, It's
SuperstitiOns, lis Domestic Observance.
AROUND THE CHRISTMAS TREE.
Observance Of the Day in the Me
tropolis.

"Me1r Christmas ~ lisa cheering salutation Often
er uttered by the Christian world than any other ex-
preston in all the multiform languages OF man.
Not like the daily courtesy and the empty formaities
OF social aud business lfe It seldom passes the lips
with vacant and meaningless accent Pronounced
but on one day in the year it has all the gathered
force 40 generally exempiaed In the good FEELING
and lavish generosity brought out during the holl-
days. and comes home to every one a. the nearest
embodiment Of an ideal fellowship. In this commu-
nlty where the vast population Ia addicted to money
getting, to wild speculation and bold business enter
prises where money mas little value with the classes
who commemorate the custom OF giving presents.
Christmas has wider observance and is deeper
drain upon the purse than any other occasion OF
the year. This IS well, for selnsnness was not born
eighteen hundred and sixty-nne years ago this day.
The Saviour IN all his marvellous purity and humility
then looked upon the earth the perfect man. There
was no quality then, no nl-timed envy, no super.
cious hauteur.
Sand sne brought forth her first born son, and
wrapped him in swaddhng Clothes and laid him IN
a manger; because there was no room for them In
the inn
And 10 the Angel OF the LORD came upon them,
and the glory Of the Lord shone around about them;
and they were sore afraid.
For unto you Is born this day, In the city Of
David, Saviour, which Ia Christ the Lord.
And this shall be sign unto you; We shall find
the babe wrapped In swaddllng clothes lying IN
manger."
Christ heralded by the prophets, conceived OF the
Virgin Mary, born into life IN the cold aud comfort
less manger nearly nineteen centuries to-day ''be
cause there was room for them In the inn;"
ushered before the race 1t was His mission TO re-
deem by the angel saying, Fear not, for behold
hrir IA
to all peope;n lie, the Messiah the Mediator, the
IntercessOr, the Lamb OF God, Ia the Supreme
reality from whose grand nativity is derived the
feast Of Christmas Here then, is the fountainhead,
the divine source whence comes so much that is
good and noble during Christmas week All classes
can drink deeply at the springs OF religion, "Aud
let him that is athirst come and wnosoever VIII,
let him take the water OF life freely for the little
rvulets and twigs OF piety trickng and quickening
through the world OF sacriege and sin, while Christ
and his Apostles wandered prosecuted and scorned
trackess deserts and through forests have
swollen INTO The and OF life OF which John
writes in his W ondrous Revelation. But Christmas
embraces wider range OF meaning than that purely
commemorative OF the birth OF Christ. 1t is domes-
ito feast historical FEAST among other countries
national feast and the world over the most cosmo-
poiitan Of all ieasts az well as religious FEAST
to Pope Teesphorus,s who died A. d. 1885, For many
years there controversy respecting the actual
day upon which Christ wss born, by theologians of
tue Eastern and Western Churches the former locat
ing the most important event in the worlds history
variously In the months Of April and May. After
dispute In which aroh,v.. of ch~r-h wore
explored, the Urgency OF St. Cyria, OF Jerusalem,
obtained about the fourth century, an order from
Pope julius l., nxing the date OF the nativity OF
,~fre fAn n4nn
the mutual decision Of the Eastern and Roman
Churches. The former, however. was not convinced
that the day set apart for the celebration OF the feast
was the correct one as indicated by its chronology:
and the whole question seems still to be involved In
that historical Obscurty surrounding MANY sacred
events. There is tradition that Christ born In
the middle OF the night and therefore, In the Roman
Church the day is ushered in by the performance OF
three masses, one at midnight one At early dawn,
and the third In the morning. In MEDIEVAL
times the celebration OF the festvity was marked
by curious and interesting features. There was
scenery In the rude outlines Of the DAY
Dulls heads, Eastern magi and ornaments OF all
kinds and In grotesque figures. Songs and carols,
even now In vogue had their origin in these dark
days OF the Middle Ages. The Calabrian mnstrels
descended from the mountains and filed Naples and
Rome with their sweet melodies aud overpowering
day England and the Continent continue a similar
custom in the bells and chimes that peal forth on
the midnight air, to remind the multiplied and
enlightened peoples that the birth OF the Saviour
gains rather than with most events loses import
ance in the eyes OF men. New YORK has been accus-
toned to hear the Trinity chimes ring In the fes,ai
day, and as usual, the music VIII be produced this
year.
The practice OF using evergreen with which TO deco.
rate originated with the Druids, who had superstt-
ton that the Sylvan spirits conld not be irostbtten
In such company. From such curious custom
came the adornment OF our churches. In some
countries. holly rosemary, laurel and mistletoe are
employed, and these are not removed TIL Candle
mas, on February 2. Holly ana ivy remain still In
England the style Of decoration, though laurel Is
much in use
The religious superstitions attached TO the history
OF the festival are numerous. They come mostly
from savage sources, but have been deyoutly cole.
prated by their believers. BY many II has been
believed that an OK and an ass were present the
Holy Nativity, and august ceremonials have been
the consequence representing the manner OF the
beast in suppiant position AZ Raleigh the people
OF the city gather yearly over the remains OF what
they consider buried village, buried hundreds of
years ago by violent earthquake, o listen to the
ringing OF bells, which they assert sound forth OH
The most remarkable, even miraculous, incident
ever recorded Is that OF the celebrated hawthorne
tree In Glastonbury Abbey, England, which
budded on the oath Of Decem6er OF each year and
blossomed on the 18th. II has now ceased to per-
form this wonderful freak OF nature, and for some
years before the cessation IN this particular cvolu
ton 1t was regarded by tho religious world as nm
evidence OF divine VIII, pointing out with emphasis
the exact day on which Christ was born. Ceasing to
blossom on the 25th OF December, IL continued TO
bloom for long time on the 5th OF Jsnuary-another
Significant day In Christian annals Who knows but
there are thousands OF such marves In nature
which, grouped together, would write out, In unms-
taxable characters. the mission OF Christ aud the
aims OF the supreme Being' Throughout England
Christmas IL AZ much an Institution the Church.
"A historical feast Christmas IL the Oldest
bearing direct relation TO the Saviour. Aside from
its religious aspect II has for many centuries been
observed In England, Germany and other civilized
nations with unDounded merrment. Take Ger
many The family gather together The children
are all home, the numerous relatives have come
from afRr OF, and II there IL a prodigai son ne Is
seen A. a great distance. and his father kills the