Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1874-12-24


tell the girls about the .holi' ones
Il shall then call the Sabbath or Sun
day one of their holidays (I speak HOW
Of the institutions of ROmanism.) The
early morning mass occupies but a
short time. The rest of the day hangs
heavy, unless it can be whiled away in
amusement; OF course, then, the next
day the workmen are not fit for work,
or expected 10 do much. There Is q
Monday in January commemorative OF
the day when Jesus, st twelve years OF
age, was lost in Jerusalem. tits called
'Lundi perdu,' or Lost Monday This
day in France and Belgium is wholly
given up to folly. All servants and
trades-people collect their dues 'poure
6oire'
Then comes Circumcision day; the
eighth day after Christmas. Six days
after this Epiphany. 1-- .
What does that mean, grand pa -
asked Isabel. MY teacher asked me
in Sunday school, und told her Pres
byterians had no days.
Right, my child; but many Chris
tians think it proper to observe days
devoted to Christ. The Epiphany cell
ebrates the day when the wise men
from the east came with gifts to the in-
fant Saviour. think, if remember,
they had sort of theatrical ropresenta-
tion of this scene in Italy,
After, that came Candlemas, in Feb
ruary, the day of the purification Of the
Virgin
'Oh, know cried Bell, you know,
Lucy, Biddy had candles she called
blessed, and took such good care Oi
them, she would not let us touch
them.'
After this is the Carnival contin.
ued Mr.. Stone, more like a long ca.
rousal. 1t is held just before Lent, and
abounds in all sorts of gayety, balls
soirees, festivals, until finally the whois
city is given up to jOilitication and
ifrolic; ali restraint is thrown of, every
one is at liberty to surfeit himself with
pleasure, if he can, and you may be
sure the scene generally closes mid
uproar and confusion; yet this precedes
the mournful season Of Lent, the sol.
iemnity of which time is usfered in by
Ash Wednesday. You all know the
meaning of the Lenten season in COM
Inemoration of the forty days-Christ's
fast. The AnnunciatiOn, or Lady Day,
occurs in March; then Easter
Don't we have lots of eggs, then,
grandpa interrupted little Mary. Il
want some red ones, as well as purple
ones, next time.'
Have they any more days?' said
Lucy. 1t seems 10 me they ought to
! be very good people, praying so much.
'One would think so, indeed. AS
look over this book, see Ascension
Day; then Penticcost, st. Paul's Day,
and ever so many saints days. This
brings us up to August. Assumption
Day, which is kept on Sunday, where
all the world can join in the procession.
They celebrate high mass in the open
air, and at midday.
why is it called Assumption Day,
grandpa?'
! The Assumption of the Virgin into
Heaven; and as the church worship her,
of course, this period is intensely inter
esting, and presents much that is at
traetiVe; splendid music, lovely flow
ters, gorgeous habiliments of the priests,
banners flying, ringing of bells, lighted
candles and lanterns. ] can shut my
eyes and see it all over again.
sDon't shut them then, sir, but tell
US some more s---sGk
Il will only say a word about the
keeping of days in our own land; there's
Christmas, New Years. s1.s1 $50
Yes, indeed said May, 'Mr. Kriss
Kingle is going to have an awful big
stocking for me this time, and mamma
! is going to make mince pies, plum
pudding, doughnuts, and {don't tell
paps) the biggest turkey; oh, my, but
"a :"
Il believe my little girl keeps Christ
The English of that means feast /;
don't it, grandpa?' g
Yes, pet; but as we are looking at all
sides of the question, 1 may say, ,Sin
passing, the Episcopalians regard it
doubly: fast first, and feast after
'Holy-day' in the morning, Holiday
in the afternoon. Now, Presbyterians
consider it by no means certain. The
25th day of December was Gods natal
day; therefore do not observe it relig-
Iiously, but accept the great. gift for all
time, or any time, ,endeavoring to prove
by the faithfulness of their lives, a con-
lstant commemoration of the day.
Therefore, as Christmas is coming, we
will not forget His glorious birth, and
be as happy as we can. Both mind and
body require rest from the monotony
of toll and sober duties; but in all re-
llaxations, let us be rational, in order to
be invigorated; not be slaves to any
Indulgence, pleasurable or exciting,
that will drag US downward, incapaci-
tate US for labor or indispose US for
sober living
And, now, my dear Lucy will under
stand why grandpa don't like numer
GUS holidays; they often prove curse
instead of blessing; furnish tempta-
tions to evil, and are altogether demor-
alizing, especially solemn mockery
before God, when combined or associ-
ated with religion