Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1874-01-01
New Years Day All Over the World.

The new year has almost univors,
ally been ushered in with gayety
and merrymaking. Men are so
thoughtless of the sure approach of
parting with Time, that his flight is
only a matter of amusement to them.
The commencement Of the year is
by different nations fixed at different
seasons. The Jews reckon it from
the first day Of their autumnal month,
Tisri. or October, and celebrate it
with considerable ceremony. The
Feast OF Trumpets among the an-
cient Jews was observed at this
time. From all parts of Palestine
they assembled at Jerusalem, and
sacrifices were offered, silver trum-
pets blown from morning till night,
the laws read, and the people in
structed 1t was considered an aus
picious time for the commencement
Of any undertaking. Among the
modern Jews there are some curious
customs. The blowing of a trumpet
which is required to be made of
rams horn, IN memory of the ram
which was substituted for Isaac >on
Mount Nc riah, is an important fea-
ture in the service of the synagogue.
The old Roman year began in
March, and on that day was celebrat.
ed their feast Ancylia, IN which they
offered sacrifices to their gods and
walked and danced through the
streets, making fantastic gestures,
striking their bucklers musicIy, and
singing hymns. 1t is possible that
the modern carnival may have taken
ito rico from the ancient Anoylia.
The Roman also counted it lucky
| to begin a new enterprise, or enter q
new office on New Years day.
When the change took place in the
Roman calendar, which made Janua-
| ry the opening month instead OF
March, the same sacredness attached
to the first day of the year. The
people wished each other health and
prosperity, and exchanged presents
of gilt, dates, figs, honey, cakes, ard
copper coins having on one side the
double head of Janus, and on the
other a ship. The emporers reoeiv-
ed valuable presents, and this con-
st;tuted an important source of their
revenue. The people gave them
selves up to riotous excess and va
rions kinds of heather superstition.
The early Christians having great
hostility to these Roman saturnala,
appointed public feast on Now
Years day, "to bewail those hea-
thenish interludes, sports, and lewd,
idolatrous practices, which had been
used on it," 1t was designed thus to
protect Christians against the conta-
gious influence of pagan debauch-
cry and superstition
Three days Of penitence were thls
| opposed to the pagan observance,
until the festival Of the circumcision
of Christ was transferred to this sea-
son. The bestowal of gifts upon
New Years day was not peculiar to
the Romans. The Saxons distribut-
ed presents amidst great jollity and
feasting. In spite of the DEGREES of
ecclesiastical councils, the practice
continued through the middle ages.
Kings and queens received valuatle
additions to their jewelry and their
wardrobe. A British record of 1892,
speaks of the custom Of the English
nobility to send a purse with gold in
it every Now Years tide to the King
After that time the practice of gift
giving became more general and
popular, ard the English and Scot,
fish peasantry gave each other sub
stautial tokens Of good will.
On the 10th of March, or the COM
mencement cf the year among the
Druids, was performed the famous
ceremony of culIing the mistletoe.
prepar atoms for sacrifices and a ban
quot were made beneath the oak on
which it grew Two white bulls, the
sacrifcial victims, were for the first
time tied by the horns. Then one of
the Druids, clothed in white, mount
ed the tree and with a golden sickle
severed the sacred emblem, recey-
ing itin white cloth laid over his
hand. Then followed the sacrifices,
a prayer to God for lessing on the
w gift, and the plant was distrb-
uted among the people.
The Hindoos call the first day ofI
the year, "The day Of the Lord of
creation" and celebrate it by saeri-
fees, iIluminations and general re-
joicings. 1t is also Rabbinical no.
ton that the world was created on
that day, and that God then sits in
Judgment on mank .nd.
The Chinese begin their year about
the vernal equinox, and the festival
observed on that occasion is the
most splendid of all their feasts,
The emperor minglos with the peo-
pie without regard to ciasa or dis
tlnctions, and all unto in thanksgiv-
ing for past morcics and prayer for
propitiou9 season.
The Japanese spend the day in
visiting and feasting.
OF the ancient joyous customs in
England, the ringing IN the New
Year from the belfries of the church.
es is now the only relic Germany
retains many ceremonies derived |
from old superstitions, but through
out the continent Of Europe, all
though the day is universal holiday |
congratulations and good wishes
have been generally substituted for
the more substantial tokens offriend-
ship formerly interchanged among |
friends. This form Of celebl alton is
perpetuated in the custom Of New
Years calls which the Dutch intro
duced into America, and which il US
worthy of oommendation when it is
made the occasion for the reconoilia-
ton of old feuds, and the renewal of
forgotten friendships, as it is 20 be
DEPRECATED when it is employed in
festivities that repeat the revelries OF
ancient Rome.