The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1870-12-30
Christmas.

Christmas was not celebrated as the
feast of Christ's birth in the first CEN
turies of the Christian Church. When
first celebrated, different days were set
apart by different authorities for that
purpose--the Eastern Church fixing the
9th of january. In the 9th century,
the Western Church ordered it to be
celebrated forever on the day of the old
Roman feast of the birth of Sol, the
10Th OF December, though no informa.
ton respecting the day OF Christ's birth
existed. "Amoug the numerous festi.
walls of the Roman Calendar, that one
called the Saturnalia, or feast in honor
OF Saturn, was by far the most promi-
nent and important. 1t occurred on
the 18th of December, and was celebra-
ted much after the fashion of our pres
ent Christmas. II was originally an
Etruscan holiday, and borrowed evi.
IDENTIFY from the nations who afterwards
under the name of Goths. played so i'm.
portsnt part in the history of the
world. The Etruscans, or Etrurians,
were doubtless from the same stock as
the Goths, as is evidenced by their
many resemblances to that people.
When after the formal declaration by
the Roman Senate in favor of Christi.
anity, the birthday of our Saviour was
made general holiday, and from a
variety of causes the 25th of December
was finally settled upon as the anniver-
sary of His birth, all the general rejoic-
ing of the Saturnalia was incorporated
| into Christmas, and thus the widest
honors paid to heather Deity were
transferred to the worship of the Son of
God. When the Gothic and Teutonic
nations conquered and dismembered the
Roman empire, they Incorporated their
own observances of this season with the
customs of the Saturnalia, and the va
| rious ordinances attached to the day
from the Greek and Eastern phioso-
phies. And thus the Christmas of
Christian nations became a mosaic of
many customs and ordinances.
But it was in England in old days
that the observance of this season was
most celebrated. An Abbot of Unrea-
son and Lord of Misrule were appoint
ed to conduct the festivities. The big
punch bowl was brought out, and the
wild bells of the birthright rang out
their merry peans to the universal joy.
The sacred mistletoe was put over the
door-post, under its mystic seal the kiss
of love was given by the merry revel-
lers. In the days of the Roman Satur.
MALTA the slaves were allowed the most
perfect liberty, and.for the time being
the relative positions of master and SER
want were changed. In England and
among the Gothic nation3 almost the
same license was allowed, and on the
25th of December the proudest and fair
est heiress of the naughty lines of
Neville, of Clare, and of Cholmondely
did not think it beneath her dignity to
dance in the great hall with some hum.
BILE retainer of her family. Peace on
earth, good will to men, spoken 1870
years ago, has been on this day univer-
sally observed"
The excellent custom of making pres
ents on Christmas eve is derived from
an old heather uSage,in vogue amongst
the ancient Germans, but it has become
concecrated by ages and contributes a
great deal to make this festival an in
teresting event to families. In Ger
many the custom prevails most, per-
vading all the classes and relations of
society. In some German churches,
sermons are delivered on Christmas eve
for the benefit of children who attend
carrying each a little taper. In the
Catholic church, the ofciltm pastorun
is sung, in which a chorus of children
respond to the priest.
At the present time, Christmas is OBJ
served to some extent, in some manner,
by all Christian churches and wherever
the Christian influence is felt, by nearly
all people. To this, however, the sour
souled Puritans were, and to some ex-
tent still are, an exception, they regard
ing as sinful every thing that is pleas
urable except their own desire to see
punishment inflicted. "On earth peace,
good will toward men"--or as the
Catholics have il: son earth peace to
all men of good will"-is a sentiment
which peculiarly governs the obser.
vance of Christmas every where, and
from which ia dnri yad ita titIa nf