The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1875-01-02

ChrySOstOm, IN one OF ms cps ties, states
that julius, on the solicitation of Cyril
of Jerusalem, caused stricG inquiries to
be made on this subject, and
thereafter, following what seemed
to be the best authenticated tradition.
settled authoritatively the 25th of De
cember as the anniversary of Christ's
birth. making it, in Chrysostoms
phrase, FeStOrunl On1niltnl metropolis,
the metropolis of all feasts-and this
distinction it has since maintained.
Other authority, of doubtful value,
however, represents the fixing of the
dav to have been accomplished two
hundred years previously by TeIe-
phorus, Who was Bishop of Rome 1873
l39 4. ID. And towards the close of the
second century, III the reign of the En-
peror Commodus, a reference has been
found to the observance of Christmas.
4 century later, in the time of Diocle-
tian, the celebration of the Nativ ty by
Christians in Nicomedia was made the
occasion of an atrocious act OF cruelty
on the part OF that infamous ruler, III
that he caused the church I'D which
the festival occurred to be
set on fire, and, by barring
every means of egress from the
building, caused the agonizing death
of every worshipper. 1t will be seen
from the statements made that, while no
record exists whereby to fix with GER
tainty the date of the Saviours birth,
the day we now call Christmas has for
at least fifteen hundred years been uni
formIy observed by all the nations of
Christendom as the anniversary of the
Nativity. And it would be a libel on
humanity to doubt that, unless future
research shall stamp upon some other
day the certainty of being the true an
niversary of the Saviour's birth, the
world and the church viii always con-
tinue to hold consecrate the 25th of De
cember as commemorative of that mo-
mentouS event.
PRESENT GIVING.
Presents saysTgentle, quaint and
genial Ella, ''endear absents. True
enough so far as it goes, but only half
a truth, IN that it does not go half far
enough. Both those at home and those
at distance become endeared through
the medium of timely and judicious
gifts At this annual festival season,
which is peculiarly Il time of manifest
ing affection and good Will, no thoughts
are more Profitable than those which
carry the he IT beyond the narrow cir
Gle of self, aud permit it to Irvine the
tendrils of love, sympathy and liberal
ity around our fellows,
The heart that feels anothers woes
Shall lind each selfish sorrow less;
The mind that happiness bestows
Reflected happiness will bless
And Christmas is emphatically a sea-
son full of blessing, in just the degree
that we believe and act upon the assur-
ance of Him whose birthday we com
memorate, and who said, cit is more
blessed to give than to receive" just
rs home is where the heart is, SO IS a
gift that which the heart makes it,
whether the heart be that of the donor
or the recipient. 1t need not be thing
Of cost, or even of beauty, to make it
Joy, temporarily if not forever. Thou
sands of simple and Inexpensive pres
ents will pass between sympathetic
hearts during the com.ng week, and
bear in their train incalculable
pleasures; while, on the other hand.
many n costly gem and golden gift will
utterly fail to bless either the giver or
the receiver Moreover, gifts, even
Christmas gifts, are not necessarily ma
terial or tangible, for word, a smile,
kindly act, may prove, IN many an IN
stance, the most acceptable Of presents,
and become of itself the benson most
craved and most welcome. Even the
crumbs IF comfort which, in the alb
sence OF some more pretcntiOus or cost
Iy gift, even the poorest Of us may be
stow upon some saddened neighbor, may
come in for recognition from Him who
said "Inasmuch as we have done it
unto one of the least of these, my breth
rem, We have done it unto me" And
this word crumbs brings to mind
those suggestive and prettily- turned
lines of the English artist-author, whose
good advice most aptly reinforces what
has already been said above:
SCATTER YOUR CRUMBS.
BY ALFRED cRowQUILL.
Amidst the freezing sleet and SHOW,
The timid robin comes:
In pity drive him not away.
But scatter out your crumbs.
And leave your door upon the latch
For WhOsOever comes;
The poorer they more welcome give.
And scatter out your crumbs
All have to spare, none are too poor,
When want with winter comes:
The loaf Is never all your own,
Then scatter out your crumbs.
Soon winter Calls upon your life.
The day of reckoning comes;
Against your sins by high decree
Are weighed those scattered crumbs.
A touching story is told to the effect
that once when one OF the boys of an
orphans refuge had said til grace,
g Come, Lord Jesus, be our guest, and
bless what thou has provided, little
fellow looked around and said, "Do
tell me why the Lord Jesus never
comes. We ask him every day to sit
with us, and he never comes | shall
set him seat Just then there was
knock at the door 4 poor boy entered,
begging a nights lodging. He was
made welcome, the chai. stood empty
for him; every child wanted him
10 have his plate. The stranger was
quite overcome with such I'M
common attentions. Then spoke up the
title fellow before referred to, saying:
. The Lord Jesus could not come, and
30 he sent this poor boy in his place;