The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1880-12-25

Associated with Christmas morning
are music and cong. 1t has been SC
from the beginning OF Christianity
itself. The frat great burst OF Christ
mas music. the frat Christmas carol,
was sung when the angel come to
the shepherds and told the incarna-
ton OF our Lord, when the heavenly
host sang: "GlOry to God in the
Highest, and on earth peace, good
will toward men," With the ex-
ception OF a brief period, when the
light OF the Birth Of which Luke
tells seemed to flicker and burn
low. the carols, or songs OF JOY
have been sung ct Christmas, waking
the morning echoes with their
delicious melody. II St. Nicholas
ID essential 10 the little people, so
are the carols to the older ones, and
they furnish something OF oompensa
ton for the loss Of the benevolent
saint. Some OF these Christmas
iingles. especially the older ones, are
not particularly reyorential nor edi.
tying, and some may be clsssed as
almost grotesque in phraseology.
Here ia sample:
A wooden child on c,out is on the altar
set,
About the which both boys and girls do
dance and timely jet.
And carols sing in praise Of Christ.
The priests do roar aloud, and round
about the parents stand
To See the spor., and with their voice do
help them, and with hand.
This is homely enough:
All, my dear Son, said Mary, ah, my
Dear,
Kiss Thy mother, Jesus. with laughing
cheer.
One carol purpo,ts to be a nara
tive by the Savior after the resurlec-
ton:
Tomorrow shall be my dancing day,
Then down TO hell l took ny way,
For my true loves deliVerance,
And rose again, on the third day,
Up to my true love and he dance.
Positive vulgarity appears 10 some
Of the carols, and in many OF them
The Scripture has been grossly per.
7erted. The spirit OF isrcs seems to
nave dwelt in the breasts OF the rude
writer's of Old. We fed q carol be.
ginning:
Joseph was an old man.
And an old man wss he,
When he welded Mary,
In The land of Galilee.
Il is said that even now, in York
hire, England, after the Chrietmas
morning sermon, the village people,
vile yet i: the churches, cry "U!e
Jle II and mott few o! them run
hroush the street crying,
Ule, Ule, Ule,
Three buildings in = pule,
Crack nuts and cry Uls.
The Christmas customs may be
raced in the carols. For instance, |
Iere is a SCANDINAVIAN production, |
'ritteu in the spirit Of hospitality and
ociibility which prevsdes the day:
Let the boar's head and mustard,
Stand for pig, goose and custsrd,
And so you are welcome al.
md again tie revslry of wine and |
'eer:
health to the king and The queen here
Now let US make
Toy cops with the cake,
W no unurgsd will not drink,
From the base to the brink,
md let not man then be seen here
! Me ~ Christmas and q Happy New
Year,
Tour pockets full of money AID your
cellars full Of beer.
md the merriment and Teasing:
'ome, bring with a noise,
~ merry, merry boys,
The Christmas log to The firing;
I lille my good dame she
ids ye all be free,
And drink to your hearts desi ing.
rink, now, tie strong beer,
ut the white loaf here
The while The meat is a Shedding,
or the rare mince pie
nd the plums stand By
To fill the paste that's q kneadi g I
Some of the mo1ern sacred carols
hich are so familiar to US all are
'autiiul in the extreme. They exat
I'd sWeeten the soul. No enc can
,sr band of children sing the glory
the Incarnation without feeling
tier for it.
CHRISTMAS DAY.