The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1892-01-02

UnG ravOrfte rev ears gut was rUi-
merly an egg, painted gilded, or
otherwise ornamented TO the taste Of
the donor, The egg, TO them, was the
symbol Of immortality, and also of the
year, since out Of its apparent death
came real life The beginning of the
year in Persia, as well as in several
other countries in Asia, was also cele-
brated by agricultural ceremonies, in
China the plowing or opening Of the fur
row being done by no less a parsonage
than the emperor himself, who thus lent
his royal aid and countenance to agri-
culture.
In Siam the last three days Of every
year are times Of terror, for during that
period all the evil spirits Of the kingdom
arc supposed to walk abroad, while good
angels are under a cloud and dare not
show themselves, since during this sea-
son the earth is wholly given up to the
dominion Of demons. All the business
Of the year must be closed up before the
beginning Of the third day from the end,
and during this dread time, when every
city and habitation is beleaguered by
myriads Of evil spirits, no Siainese dare
venture forth. Around the kings pal
ace Beventy-seven priests weave q net
work Of 1000 balls of thread, each thread
having seven fbers, and an incessant
cannonading is kept up in the capital
for the purpose of driving away the
demons, or, at least, Of rendering them
cautious in their attacks on the royal
peace. But the cannonading is not de-
pended on, for in front Of every dwell
ing is placed platter containing por-
| tion Of pigs head and a little rice, in
order that the demons may be fed and
so appeased. These gloomy apprehen-
Eons give way on the first day Of the
new year to wild reioicings, for then the
danger is past for another year
According to the best available infor-
nation, the Druids also celebrated the in
coming of the year with the most i'm
posing festivities in their ritual. They
were sun and fire worshipers, and the
new year to them was the season Of the
return of their deity to his dominion over
the day. At the New Years festival the
sacred mistletoe was gathered with pc
| culiarly imposing ceremonies. For days,
| If not weeks before, search had been
made for the mystic plant, which must
be found on the sacred oak, and it is now
suspected that the priests understood the
modern and well approved methods of
propagating this plant, so as always to
secure its presence in the desired situa-
tion. After it had been found, and the
first day Of the new year had come, the
Arch Druid, in q white robe, his brow
enCircled with a green fllet, ascended
the tree, and with golden knife severed
the mystic plant from its connection with
the oak The mistletoe fell and was
caught in a white cloth held by -four
priests. Two white heifers, which had
never borne yoke, were then sacrificed
on stone altar erected before the oak,
and procession was formed around the
tree.
First came the Druids, then the nov.
ices, each bearing some emblem, and af
ter them came the worshipers, The sa.
cred fire which had been brought from
the ever burning altar was laid on the
massive stones erected before the tres
and the sacrifices were burned to ashes
In Ireland, where the sacred fires were
kept burning in the famous round tow
ers, all fires and lights were eztinguished
on the last night of the year, to be re-
kindled from the holy flame. To the
Druids this was the greatest festival oi
the year, and relics of it are still seer
both in England, Wales, Ireland and
France in several popular observance!
! TNnnfn1fQVs n fhn In I,FrnlaTl fhf
reverence for the mistletoe still has {
hold on the minds of the people, though
this reverence has taken a social turn
in Wales the common people still visi
their betters, wishing them happy New
Year and expecting aims, as they die
In the times of the early Britons, and il
France a popular salutation owes it
origin to the mystic plant,-St Loui
Globe-Democrat