The Leavenworth weekly times., 1875-12-30
WEEK OF REJOICING.

hand. We are now midway between the
birth OF Christ and the beginning OF the
New Year, 1876. This is a week Of rejoic-
ing and OF gladness.
The common custom Of decking houses
and churches with evergreens is derived
from the ancient Druids OF England, and
though the custom has been preserved to
this day, the original purpose for which 1t
was done has been lost sight Of. 1t was the
belief in those days CT witches, goblins and
.prites, that the sylvan spirits, or house
hold guardians, fiocked to the evergreens
and remained there protected from the nip
ping frosts until the milder season returned
again, wnen they came forth from their
hiding places. The holly, ivy, rosemary,
bays, laurel and mistletoe furnished the
usual trimmings, which are not removed
until Candlemas Holly and ivy still re-
main, in England and America, the favor
ite Christmas evergreen. 1t was the Gus
tom to weave chaplets of rosemary and
mistletoe around the head, and to this
practice the phrase "to kiss under the rose,
or to whisper under the mistletoe" are al
| lusions.
There was formerly some disagreement
among learned churches as to the day Of
the nativity Of the Savior of the world.
For fifteen hundred year,, since the reign
of Pope Julius H., December -, has been
regarded by Christians as the greatest fes-
tival throughout the ecclesiastical year
The mysterious link connecting the in
comprehensive attributes of Deity with
human sympathies and affections is worthy
of being reverently and joyously commem-
GRATED. Formerly the anniversary Of the
birth of Christ was celebrated by Chris.
tians on January !, or 6, and by some or
March 20. Many observed September %
and others June 81, the day appointed by
the Romans for the Saturnali. 1t was il
the year 437 that Pope Julius settled these
differences among Christians by issuing &
bull, declaring in favor of December 25
This important step wa. not taken until af
ter much study by the learned prelates o
the day, who laboriously searched all th'
records e1tant for information upon tn
disputed event in chronology. Since tha
time Christendom has acquiesced in the de
cision of the learned churchmen, and will
entire unanimity have united in the cele
bration of the event with .olemn ceremo
nies and cheerful pastimes.
Many pleasing customs and poetic legend
which have come to be identified with tn
history of this day have had their sourc
in pagan countries. In the distant age
when the light Of learning had not yet pene
trated the dark minds Of our ancestors, the,
peopled the earth, the air, and the sea, will
wonderful creatures Of the imagination
The elements were new and ine1plicabls
They looked upon the phenomena Of nstur
: with awe and wonder. 1t was the age O
. oracles and myths. The believing thunde
, was supposed to be the terrible voice O
Zeus, and the lightning's fash the piercinl
t glance of his burning eyes. The woods, tn
' fountains, and the streams were inhabite'
] by genii who took an active interest in hu
I man affairs. Magnificent temples wer
erected to the worship of gods, and som
: portion of each year was set apart 70
= splendid pageants and mystic ceremonies il
!, their honor The early Christian teacher
e found the warm Imagination of the peopl
so captivated by these pagan festivals ths
the simple ceremonies OF the Christia
church were tame and unattrac;iye. As
, IN after Of expediency some OF these heather
e ish rites were engrafted into Christian form
OF worship, and they have been hande
:, down from age to age even unto the presen
generation.
:, In our own land every tradition, gam
: and ceremony connected with Christina
. and New Years, is of pleasing and hu
/, maniziDg character. On Christmas Ev
/, the children hang up their stockings, whic
; they find filed with presents on the follow
=. ing morning, deposited there by good S,
= Nicholas, who descended the chimney dul
a ing the night, with his load OF presents o
, his back, while the children were wrappe
in blissiul slumbers, with delicious dream
Of his coming, filling the shadowy hour
with pleasing phantasms. In the mornin
the household rings with the glee OF child
ish voices-the sweetest music that cal
greet the dawni1g of the chief holiday @
the year.
The visits of Santa Claus under his val
ious aliases OF ST. Nicholas, Kriss Kringle
and knecht Rupert, have much in them t
please the childish fancy, and to stir tn
hearts oil ripper age with the tenderest ant
most generous feeling which can snimat
the human breast 1t was the custom in tn
smaller towns of north Germany, for all VIII,
desired to make Christmas presents, to sen,
them all TO one person, who arrayed him
sef in a goblin mask and hideous apparel
put his presents into huge sack, and visi
tied the homes of the children, distributin,
the presents to each in person. This Gus
tom gave a reality to Santa Claus to which
the little ones Of America have never beel
accustomed.
But amid the general rejoicings ane
prayer, we should remember thst we SHOULD
not he better this week than others. W,
should be no more thankful on Decembel
18th, than on November 18th, no NOR,
merry, kind, generous and forgiving OF
Christmas or New Years, than on moving
day, and should exercise these qualities ir
the came proportion all the year around.
SENATOR INGALLS,