The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1888-12-07
Christmas Night Si1 Hundred Years Ago.


hundred yearsback. 1t is Christmas
night. In every town in Europe the bells
are ringing merrily, and the people, noble
and simple alike, are streaming toward
the church or cathedral, each family or
group preceded by its lantern-bearer,
for street lights are few and far be.
tween. We will suppose ourselves in
Chester, In Rouen, 10 Verona, or in
Seville-the name and the place mat
ter little, the medieval Christmas
usages from the eleventh to the six
teenth century being the same all over
western Europe Maths have just
ended with the "Te Deum," and there
is movement of expectation IN the
church ahd a rustling of feet, for before
the celebration of mass we are to assist
at the dramatic Office of the Shepherds.
Behind and above the altar is placed
the manager or creche, and beside it an
image of Saint Mary. Five canons Of
the fret rank, or at least their Wears,
wearing the sacerdotal tunic, and over
it the amice, or linen gown, represent
the shepherds, and form group in the
transept in front of the entrance TO the
choir. The shepherds carry crooks,
and have with thom real sheep and
dogs, and attendants with musical in
struments and rustic offerings of fruit.
We may imagine how picturesque and
impressive this Office of the Shepherd,
must have been in some Lombardian
a.. ,rob ,,,horo tho orohi, aofura ,ant -
self to effective pantomine. We may
figure to ourselves the shepherds, feign-
ing some TO sleep and some to watch
their focks, when suddenly in the still
ness of the church, all richly decorated
with tapestry, drapery, garlands of
evergreens. and with profusion of
candles, boy dressed as an angel
mounts, artlessly with the aid of a lad
der, the wall of the ambon, or small
pulpit and there, after the musicians
have sounded long and piercing
thumpet blast, the angel intones in
Latin these verses from st. Luke. "Fear
not: for, behold, l bring you good
tidings of great Joy, which shall be
to all people. for unto yon is born this
day in the city of David Saviour.
which is Christ the Lord. And this
shall be sign unto you: Ye shall
find the babe wrapped in swaddling
clothes, lying in manner" Thereul'-
on number of singing boys, posted in
the galleries in the clere-story of the
cathedrsl-dtIc UOutes de ieQlise,
says an old Rouen manuscript-and
representing the multitude Of the
heavenly host" begin to sing, "Glory
to God in the highest, and on earth
peace, good will toward men," And
from the indications of the old manu-
scripts, and from the judgements of
competen critics, we may conclude
th4t the music which accompanied
this Office was very grand and simple,
for the plain song was supplemented
by special melodies, and the music of
brass and of stringed instruments was
employed besides that of the organ.
Meanwhile the shepherds enter by
the great gate of the choir, and ad
vance slowly toward the altar and the
manger, chanting a rhymed Latin
hymn, "Pax in terris." Arrived at the
msnger, they are met by two priests
of the first rank, wearing the long
white dalmatica and figuring two
midwives, who ask them, "Quem que.
ritis in presepe, pastores dicitei'
(Say, shepherds reply; "Salvatorem,
Christum Dominum. 1--WE seek the
Saviour, Christ the LTrd, the babe
wrapped in swaddling clothes, accord
ing to the angels words) Thereupon
the two priests figuring mldwives
draw a curtain and show the child
Jesus to the shepherds, and bid them
announce the Nativity TO the people.
The shepherds kneel IN alteration, and
salute the Virgin with rhymed Latin
hymn. After which they return pro
cessionally through the choir, singing:
'AlleIuia! Alleluia! sing all his com
ing, and say with the prophet, Unto
us a child is born" These words form
the Introit of the Christmas mass,
which begins Immediately, the shep-
herd-priests directing the choir-pas
torres regunt chorum, says the Rouen
manuscript-and reading the lessons
from the lecturD.-THEoDoRE CHILD
IN Harper's Magazine for December.