The Hawaiian gazette., 1884-12-31

edrIlrI
in Bracgbridge Hall, nursing By the glowing
hearth on Christmas-eTe, as he watches
No romulug revelry beneath the gllstenlng
berries and listens to the waits carollIng out
side in the moonlight, OF as he IS Takened On
CHRISTMAS morning By the hushed patter OF
cbildreu's feet in the passage, and the shy
music Of childreu's voices at his door, may
vrsII seem to hear more celestial strain, anu
to catch deeper meaning IN the words DE-
fore Abraham was, am.
Our modern Christmas Is made up o.
strange medley Of Christian ard fagan mes
AfteF the conversion Of Britain TO Christlanl-
~ the teachers could not entirely free the |
converts from their cherished superstlons
and ohservauces. and so eugrafted the rites oil
The Christian religion upon the old heathen
ceremonies No festival Of the year shows
more Mainly such an Iniermlngiing tnan
CErfstr1as These festivities were originally
5s-ived from the Roman Saturnalla, an &C.
rszior that was marked with rejoicing, and
v-bers e-gu tie slaves, allowed 10 be Tree Tor
the tine, were waited upon by their masters.
Afterwards came TIE ceremonies observer y
the British Druids, and, still later, Incorpoia1-
ed with the grim mythology OF inc anC'IN'
Saxons ~ a
aIn,ozt veneratioa in the religion Of the Druids,
vino went forth with pomp and rejoicing 70
Gather the mystic bough. 50 came the euie
Iog from our scandinavian ancestors VINO
drew II in triumph from its resting place N
the woods, sure that its fame would bgfn OUT
old wrou-s and from its ashes would ause
better promises for the future. SO, too, thS
trimming yyassail bowl, in whose ilqnla de-
ulhs old feuds and enmities were said 70 q
buried forever. An ancient beiiei Is sun hsll
in some parts Of England, that at midnight q /
Christmas Eve the cattle II lhe stAlis IA
down On their knees in alteration oil the 10
ant Saviour Who was laid in a manger, tina
ices sing in their hives, and bread then bake
never becomes mouldy-that all nature unlIe
IN celebrating the birth Of Christ.
In the Roman Church, masses were neld :
midnight, at daybEeak, and at later hour. :
superstitiou prevailed that at this time u
covers Of darAness could exert no evil inHl
epce. The Growing Of the cock through u
darkness put them all to fight. This idea
expressed by Shakespeare.
Il faded On the erozing of the cock,
SoTne ~ that ever fgzinst that season comes
wherein or Sayiour's birth is celebrated
me bird Of dAzning singeth all night long
And then, they say, no spirit can walk abfpad.
The nights are -holes0Iuei thea no planets 49,
No fairy takes. nor witch hath poNsE 70 etl4t
So haIlozed and 20 gracious Is the time
An ancient custom Is the singing Of caro-
In the early ages ofihe Church ihey were So
bv the bishops On Christmas Day, but later
the children going about on Christmas nor
ing. Jeremy Taylor, referring to the song
fhe angels, thus gives the authority for y
custom: aAs soon as these blessed ehor1se
had sung their Christmas carols, and Ianf
the Church hymn 70 put into her oiiees K
ever, they returned into heaven" And sur
If The angels song g9t lost sof.ewhere, v
should 10. children find the echoes and o
sing the relrzIny
When Carist vas born Of Aary free
In Rethieherd. in that fair cite
Ancefs Eaug there with rnlrth ana gee
In ezcelsis gloria
Our own Christmas tree and santa Vi
have been handed down from the middle q
They come to rs f.om Germany, where gnr
uss has always been especially Joyfui
sou for the children. Here the tree was !
plcndent with light, and gifhl were 6rougai
parsonage bearing the name krisn Ark
a corruption Of ChFiss Kinklein, OF the nj
child. Later on, steiner spiF1t brought
rods Of corrccfion Tor the naughty ones,
finally, the tro were united in the genei
heart. beaminz face and kindly soui Of
orn S.. Nicholas.
We are the heirs Of both pagan and bH'