Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1884-1886, 1885-12-25
DATE OF THE sAvIoR's BIRTH

WICHITA, Dec. Is, 1885.
To the Editor oi the EAGLE.
In your ISSUE Of the 18th Is the statement,
''the exact date of Christ's birth is un-
known" The following summary of historic
evidence 20 December %, being the correct
date, appeared in "The Living Church"
about year ago. Believing that many of
your Christian readers will be glad TO see
it, | ask for il place in your columns,
Z. II. Epson.
=" No evidence Of Christ having been born
on Christmas day" and yet We have:
/. The observances of the churches of the
west Of December % "from the beginning"
bingham antiq., Blk, 20, chap. 1, sec. 3;
Ch-ys s.om as quoted below
.. The assertion of st. Augustine com. on
psa, lSi; De Trim; book 1, chap 5, that this
was according 10 the current tradition of
the church." and his repeated mention in
sermon and treatise as an unquestioned fact
that Christ WAS born December %, e. G., in
his first sermon on nativity Of John the
Baptist, where be Says Christ was born on
the sth day before the kalands of January
g. The change from January 6 to Deem
Der %, by the churches allied to TIE See of
Constentinople, cir. A. d., $40, as alleged
by St. Chrysostom, bishop of CONSTANT
nople.
!. The reasons distinctly given by Chrys-
ostom for the change, in 4 homily delivered
at Antioch, December p, 4. ID. SOS. No. 2S7
Of his sermons; wherein, after having related
from 81. Luke the story of the "saxing" or
enrolment under Cyrenius, he saws, "The..evi-
dence Of the time is still in existence among
the Archives Of the Roman Empire" And
ii Is lawful for any one who wishes 20 know
accurately, 10 rearch the Anchient records
publicaly deposited in Rome, and there
learn tie time of thai enrolment; and we
have received il this day from those who
have accurately examined these things and
are residents in that city, who, having cele-
DRAFTED il from the beginning. and from an
cient tradition have now themselves trans
mi,tei the knowledge to us And so thor
oughly WAS he himself convinced that he
declares-''the very day he has become sure
ly known 10 Us"
8. Theexi-tence % such 3 record at Rome is
affirmed by TurtUllisl Second Cent twice
Tag. Narcion, Ag. the Jews) and Justin
Myr;cr, Second Cent? who lived in Rome.
boldly refers the Roman Emperor and senate
70 the enrolment Of Cyrenius as contained
in their own archives, list APOLOGY, Chap.
81
E. The change soon after by the Churches
Of Egypt from Jan. 9th 10 Dec 18th, as
proven by the fat, that in the appendix to
the acts Of tho council of Ephesus, A. ID.
4Sl., is sermon preached in Alexandria
before the Patriarch Cyril, on Dec. 18th, in
commemora,ion Of the birth of Christ.
4. \ similar change in Jerusalem a.
d. i2s) under direction of Juvepal its
Bishop upon better information"
bingham Antiquity, book 20, chapter 4,
section
S. The surprise Of historian writer Of
the sixth century (Cosmss Indicopleustesl
=
January 6,k while all others kept December
25th.
Q. The subsequent; practice Of all the
churches excepting those of Armenis-s CO.
gent proof. (Sec. /, cor. II-l6.)
10. The injunction in the apostolic con-
.,itutions that December 25th should De OBJ
served rs the festival Of the nativity.
This much then is evident. the churches
OF the west have never observed any ether
day than December 25ih, and always be-
lieved j; 10 be the very day of Chris,'s birth.
The churches Of the east, who for years
fought the question Of the proper Easter
day and only submitted 10 s decree of the
council of Nice without hesi.ency and with
out demur. adopted December 25th as the
festival Of the nativity in preference to JAN
uary 9Th, distinctly upon the ground of tie
evidence in the srchieves OF Rome. Evil
dence enough there was for them. TO induce
them GLADLY and yillipcly 10 alter n custom