Mexico weekly ledger., 1878-11-28
FESTIVALS.

IN all MINUS Will gfatieuttS
God and with expression Of it
the fundamentally of hymns,
prayers, sermons, roast turkey and
oyster soup. To the uninitiated such
an odd mixture of exercises and en-
joyments might seem to border on
the ridiculous, but practically ex-
perienced 1t appears as natural as 1t
is grateful and attractive
In all ages and in all countries
populations have exhibited a PEN
chant for festivals. Simple and pri-
vate in their beginnings, commenced
most probably to commemorate de-
Iiverance of individuals and families
from extraordinary perils, they in
creased in publicity and pomp as
those families developed into tribes
and nations, until they came to be
celebrated with all the magnificence
that genius and enthusiasm could
impart to them.
In Greece emulation stimulated the
gifted of all classes to strive for fes-
tive laurels. There skill and endur-
anca combined to exhibit all that was
noble and brilliant in drama, anthem.
song, dance and race.
Rome founded amid more print
tive and more pastoral festivals did
not long remain satisfied with them.
AS she extended her conquests and
conferred rights of citizenship upon
foreigners she adopted their customs.
Those of Greece were maintained in
her midst with as much vehemence
and eclat as in the land that origina-
ted them, In course of time, how
ever, they became tinctured with the
prevailing spirit of the Roman empire
and degenerated into terribly vivid
and life-like presentations of actual
war, in which the brutal cestus of the
athlete and the more cruel dagger OF
the gladiator were most prominent.
The festivals of Europe reese nble
those that preceded them. They are
less cruel than those of ancient Rome,
and more tinctured with bois'
ferrous amusement and .rollick'
ing fun than those of Greece.
Their Distinguishing characteristic
is reference to Christ and Iii
saints. These, unlike the others
were commenced in the spirit o
genuine piety, and in curse of tim'
they gradually came to be invested
with a romp and magnifcence tina
surpassed those of the ancient Greek!
and Romans. Grand professions
Offering banners, transporting music
and imposing ceremonials conferred
.ustre upon them. The attractions o
the drama paled before reproduction
Of the wonderful and pleasing Incl
dents in which the life of the Savio
abounds. Instead of contests be
tween men, the f~leetest and mos
r richly caparisoned animals We'd will
one another.
But even these degenerated, bar
Iesque, coarse and even licentiou.
representations professions, myster
les, maskings and midnight gather
ings and services were added t.
them, until they produced among
large classes of people their natura
results of Incidence and debauchery
Various and repeated efforts at re
form have been unsuccessfully at
tempted. The Objectionable feature
noticed after having been eliminated
from one generation have reappearet
in succeeding ones. 1t a never b
right in man to ~personate his Maker
nor can it ever be edifying to mi
, spiritualities with temperatures, ordi
narily producing adherence in tn
minds of the truly pious.
Our American Thanksgiving trace
it's origin to a more exalted and en-
Turing civilization than that of eithe
Greece or Rome. 1t is similar t.
those of the iIebrews-a nation tina
attributed ITS existence to the specia
md miraculous Intervention of God
whose festivals, always hallowed b,
religious ideas, by piety and recog
, milton of deity, unlike those of othe
nations, never fell into licentious
ness.
If we may be permitted to separat
from the Jewish feasts that which i
the especial prototype of our Ameri
, can Thanksgivings, we should selec
that on which, after prayer and read
ing and expounding of the scriptures
Nehemiah, Ezra, and the Leyites sal
unto the people: "This day is hol
, unto the Lord your God, mourn pot
nor weep. Go your way, eat the ia
and drink the sweet. and send POI
, tons unto them for whom nothing
prepared, for this day is holy unit
our Lord; neither be We sorry, fo
o the joy of the Lord is your strength.
. Ii is the special mission and priv
/, lege of the pulpit to point out wins
the church and people ought to than
+, God for, and We prefer to leave tha
matter in the hands of its ministers.
! We may be pardoned, however
a for pursuing our theme a few sen
fences further.
As we look at things about us,
! is a matter of congratulation tina