The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-12-25
rho Day We Celebrate.

.ans ecclesiastical writer's that no
',,.,, ~ body Of people, as for instance "
s,,;on. could be induced to celebrate an
sssn.,b,t really never occurred. There
iors ibe general celebration Of an event.
n, instance the Passover among the
Laws. .ot ilssll an evidence that such an
event. actually took place far back
in the history OF that people. 1t ar
!" 1Lr ' ,ho.o Who a,sune ihiN position
Sh,, no large number Of people would
"a..o,,, 10 the incorporation into their
Ni.,or, Of pretended event and COM
,n.nos Al once to celebrate it as some
,birr genuine. Such disqualification
!. unnatural. The reputed great events
Of the worlds history must therefore
have taken place, or eIse they would not
he eouuemoratcd as actual occurrences.
Tho Americans would not celebrate the
4b Of July as the historical day on
which their independence was declared
miles, such an event had actually taken
DInrs Tho Irish Orangemen would not
pursde on the l9h Of July unless the bat
lls Of the Boyrc had been fought. The
English would moi commemorate the dis
coyery Of the Gunpowder Plot unless
C,uy Fawkes had actualIy been detected
in hi. famous conspiracy to blow up the
House Of Parliament. The French Pro-
,e.,ant. would not continue TO remember
the 9Th Of August, 1872, unless
there had actually been St, Bar.
thoIonew's massacre on that day.
And 80 We might go on enumerating
the principal eTenis in each Nations his
tory, aGi1ing to each one OF them this ar
rument Of certain ecclesiastical writer's,
viz; that the fact Of their annual cele.
brution is strong il not decisive proof Of
their actual occurrence al some period Of
The worlds history.
This argument should, of course, be
conspicuousIy applicable to the occur.
renee each year Of the Christmas holiday,
lday that Is celebrated throughout the
sorId as commemorative Of the most
Important event known to the history
Of the human race. It ia, however, II
iiCt that the celebration Of the Christ.
mv holiday does not date back To the
Christian era. 1t is alAo fact that the
18th Of December il a disputed day.
Neither the exact day, nor month, nor
yeAr, in which Christ was born is known.
SJme writer's contend that il dates back
four Years beyond the present received
Christian era. Others show that il conld
mol h,ve been on the 18th Of December,
A the shepherds would not at that season
II the year have been Watching their
Jocks on the plains Of Bethlehem,
And so the dispute goea. We shall not
pretend on this occasion to follow it up.
It is enough that the Christian world has
igree'I to accept the 18th Of December AZ
holiday, and that il celebration refers
At least to the birth Of the Savior Of
mankind. Its history is the most re-
narkabIe Of any day in the Christian
calendar except Sunday, und it is the
only holiday that the Christian world
auitedIy recognizes.
The Christmas OF to-day is however,
ivery different affair from the Christ
mH otthe early ages. II has perhaps lost
aothi0g Of its hold upon the world, but
aiIhisday we know scarcely anything OF
tAiitwas celebrated throughout Europe
nthe middle ages. It was then season for
prolonged enjoyments and festivities,
'oae Of them Of the most remarkable
character Priests aud people, landlords
and tenants, high and low, rich and poor,
people Of every degree, uuiIe,l in making
merry for whole days and weeks together.
We Fstold that the revel4 used to begin
christmas eve and continue on until
VindIemas day Upwards Of month) and
'aA' whole communities gave themselves
up TO greSt license. The lArders OF
'ae rleh were filled with capons, hens,
turkeys, geese, ducks, beef, mutton, pork,
pes padding', nuts, pIums, sugar and
A0uey'" The tenants Of the mobiles and
seatry oil England were entertained a,
'0e halls. The lord Oi tie manor and his
''a'Iy nlct the common herd on terms
o equality Those good old days have
o'f0 hlnded dOwn to IL. in yersa as fol.
iJS.: nET1
va .Iat'Iass ESQ the bells were rung,
Tu Tl ,hii,'lli' eve tue IIaSI was sung;
InS' HuIy nghtIn all the year
wi ~. Tue '1Olel Rritst this chIict rear.
'trSaOlGael vide ILA bIona ball, rtlrH
E N lsnani, seft and Alti = y's f.F
,IUliid hh rvl Of rule aAlIp, ..'.s
F,N nha ceremony dodeL his pride.
tIt ~ hst ullhlrUsJ In his shOOs,
AZ A'slt mlght village partner chOose.
asIl'eI A. hal'eI with uHeOuIrUllsd delight
M tGSnl voice, the happy night
RaH,.E,l RH y l1e il cottage, rs the crown, Il
Sstl uulngs 0i MlyAtOn down, - N Fl
1eIeSi 1Se1IEeai EaI merry England when 6 4 4
'rNAllnas brought bis SpOhs Again.
'rs. ESaliIlinn SIlinn bEUAeheI tue Inightisat ale;
iIt,f f'htl'ImA' told tue menIesI tale;
au'h'lai gHInOol of would cheer
a. F''' @AH heart through half tue year."
" .hs Christmas season as thus dc.
I""e0 We know nothing in this country.
u 0searly days, however, Of our Amer.
|'n history Christina. week was the
"'A' event Of tie year. The back woods
,Op,e came pretty we'll up to the old
english standard. Their wants were
y. -, aud easily SUPPLIED as compared
% 0nF day Therefore they had time
""s'''e TO the celebration Of Christmas
F,al' aas good OIl'fa,biOned way Of their
lOo'oI thi. day Christina, come. in
,i.i,. TSa n''e 'ubduel but none the lesA
G ua' way. The rude hospitality Of early
Vart I al' Us been Lost in one sense Of the
nn.. 's' and yetiN another il has taken a
Ivy. sSG Wider, less sensual and more nm.
Gt.s a range; The ".weet charitie, Of
=" s.,. '1,0o,, = nov dispensed in so many home.