Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-06-06

pity it is that the Puritans should have
destroyed the religious turn which was
Characteristic of this festival in the olden
time ere men, like Hudibras, rode out
a-colonelling
For Dame Religion as for punk;
Whose honesty they all burst swear for,
Tho not a man of them knew wherefor;
When gospel-trumpeter. surrounded
With long-ear'd rout, TO battle sounded,
And pulpit. drum eceeslastle.
Was beat with fist instead Of stick.
Looking to the history of the time Of
Elizabeth, we can readily perceive how
soon the masses, bereft of their spiritual
guides, lost all sense of courtesy and de-
cency, and fell into ways worse than
those of wild animals. Sir Walter Scott,
in one of his historical novels" The
Abbot gives this picture of Whitsun-
tide sports in Scotland in the sixteenth
century: They 1.-THE revelers] fumi-
gated the church with burnt wool
and feathers instead Of incense, put
foul water into the holy-water basins, and
celebrated a parody on the church ser
vice, the mock Abbot officiating at the
altar; they sung ludicrous and indecent
parodies, to the tunes of church hymns;
they violated whatever vestments or yes
sells belonging to the Abbey they could
lay their hands upon, and, playing every
freak which the within of the moment
could suggest to their wild caprice, at
length they fell to more lasting deeds of
demolition, pulled down and destroyed
some carved woodwork, dashed out the
painted windows which had escaped
former violence, and in their rigorous
search after sculpture dedicated to idol
airy, began to destroy what ornaments
yet remained entire upon the tombs and
around the cornices Of the pillars. The
spirit of demolition, ike other tastes, in
creases by indulgence; from these lighter
attempts at mischief, the more tumul-
tuous part Of the meeting began to med
itate destruction on a more extended
scale Let us heave it down altogether,
the old crows nest, became a general
cry among them; it has served the Pope
and his rocks too long and up they
struck ballad which was then popular
among the lower classes:
The Paip. that pagan full ofpride,
Has blinded US over lang.
For where the blind The blind doth lead,
No marvel bath gaze wrang.
Like prince and king,
lie led the ring af
Of all iniquity.
Sing hay trix, trim-go-trix.
Under the greenwood tree.
The Bishop rich. he could not preach
For sporting with the lasses;
The silly friar beloved TO heech
For awmous as he passes:
The curate his creed
He could not read
Shame IA the company
Sing hay trix. trim go-trix.
Under the greenwood tree.
The Friars Of Fail drank berry brown ale,
The best that e'er was tasted;
The Monks Of Melrose made guide kale
On Friday, when they tasted.
Saint MOnanee' sister,
Riend save the company
Sing hay trix, trim -trix,
Under the greenwood tree.
From haunted spring and grassy ring.
Troop goblin. elf. and fairy;
And the kelpie must fit from the black
bog-plt.
And the brownie must not larry,
To Limbo-lake.
Their way they take. .. H...H
I.. With scarce the pith 10 fee.
Sing hay trix. trim gO-trix.
Under the greenwood tree"
In contrast to this demoniacal demon
straiion and spirit Of hatred, so charac-
ieristic Of the Puritans, how pleasant il
Is to witness a number of men Of various
nationalites and forms Of religion enjoy
ing themselves tremendously with harm
less sports and gamesin Humboldt Park.
There is something more than mere fes-
tiviiy in this reunion to-day; it looks as
il the Puritan spirit had been tried in
the balance and found wanting; as if the
spirit Of charity and Kind Christian feel
ipg were about TO return, and bind men
together 10 friendship. faith and love.
In the procession 70 the Park this morn
ing IT vas not only very pretty, but
very happy, sight to see the flag Of the
United States surrounded by the flags Of
. Ireland, Germany, Italy, England, Scot