The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1875-12-25


which the earavansary was provided, aud
which belonged BY right to the first conner
But the inn was full of travellers and
merchants; not vacant spot remained
gold perhaps might have obtained an Gu
trance, but Joseph had none to offer
With detected look he returns to Mary,
who receives him with smile Of resigna-
ton; and again laying hold Of the bride
Of the ass, he wanders up and down the
streets Of the little town, hoping, but in
vain, that some charitable Bethlehemite
would offer them nights lOdgingfor the
love Of God. But one noticed them, or
noticed them only to deny their prayer;
and presume, more than once Joseph
saw the very door which had been rudely
closed against them, opened to some richer
applicant. Seeing themselves thus reject
ed by the whole world, and abandoning
every hope Of procuring place Of refuge
for the night; they left the town aud passed
out into the open country. Darkness was
closing fast around them; but through the
thickeniug shades they perceived the open :
ing Of cave that had been hewn out Of a
solid rock, and served as a common stable
to the Bethlehemitcs, and sometimes as a
place Of refuge to Shepherds during stormy
nights. Here it was that more than
eighteen hundred years ago Mary drought
forth her first born son and wrapped Him
in swaddling clothes and laid him in a
Manager luke II-vn,) The 25th of
December, commonly called Christmas,
from CAristi Massa, the mass of Christ, is
the day on which we celebrate this great
event. For more than eighteen hundred
times this day has been celebrated through
out all Christendom as the commemorative
feast of the appearance upon earth of the
Redeemer ofthe human race. have often
thought that the celebration of Christmas
day, by which the memory Of this event
has been transmitted from age to age, or
rather from year to year, and by which
our minds are carried backward in one
unbroken series of years, to the time when
the birth Of Christ occurred, is one Of tho
strongest proofs Of the fact that "Jesus
Christ is the son Of God For example,
let us conceive person attempting to i'm
pose upon the world by an account of some
wonderful or miraculous event, which he
alleges occurred five hundred years ago.
He, OF course, exerts every possible ingc-
nuity in fabricating documents, and FRAN
ing the appearance Of chain of testimony
in support Of his statement. II is quite
possible that he might deceive consid-
cradle number of credulous persons; and
that others who did not believe his state.
ment, might yet find difficulty in proving
its fallacy. But if the report were further
to bear, that ever since the occurrence Of
the alleged event it had been regularly
and specially celebrated by certain Pc
riodical observance, it is clear that this
would bring the statement to the test Of a
fact open to examination, and that the
fallaey of the whole would be Instantly
detected. On these principles it must ap.
pear that the statements Of the sacred
writings, respecting miraculous events
which are said to have occurred upwards
of 1900 years ago, could not have been
fabricated at any intermediate era during
that period. 1t is unnecessary to state
how much more improbable Il is that they
could have been fabricated at the very
time and place in which they are said to
have occurred and in the midst of thou
sands who are said to have witnessed them.
many of whom were deeply interested in
detecting their fallacy. This day has al.
ways been regarded in the two-fold char.
acter Of Holy Commemoration of the
birth of our blessed Lord, and at the same
time as a festivity of relaxation from labor
and care, Of merriment and joy. It's the
tradition that Christ was born about the
middle of the night. In former times the
celebration Of Christmas began in the latter
part Of the previous day-"Christmas
Eve" The house was first decked with
holly, ivy and other eyergreens, and illu-
minated with candles Of an uncommon
size, called "Christmas candles" The
custom Of singing Carols, recalling the song
of the Shepherds at the birth of Christ,
arose when the common people ceased to
understand Latin. In the course Of the
night small parties went about from house
to house chanting these simple popular
ditties, full Of joyful allusion to the Re-
deemer; and It is still the custom during
the last days preceding Christmas for the
Calabrian Ministries to descend from the
mountains to Rome, saluting the shrines
Of the Virgin Mother with their wild songs,
under the poetical notion Of cheering her
until the birth time SO near. Raphael, in
allusion to this custom, introduces into
his picture Of the nativity Shepherd
playing on sort of bag-pipe. Trough
out England, and the continent, aud in
some parts Of this country, the bells at
midnight are rung to usher in the day.
The custom Of Christmas Gifts Is said
to have its origin in the Roman Pagnalia,
which was instituted by scrvius Tullius
b. Q. $50. On these festivals celebrated
at the beginning Of the year, an altar was
erected in every village, and to the box
placed upon it, every man, woman and
child was expected to contribute coin.
L.