The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-12-20
The HOLIDAY OF THE WORLD.
Origin, History, and Significance Of the
Birthday Of the King"
TIE YULETlDE AND THE YULE LOG.
The Christmas Tree and the Christmas
Dinner-Fixing OF The Day-Two
Special Features Ln-
braced,

/ on earth, good Will 10 manklhui nave
come floating down tho ages to us unim-
paired by. ingdelity and unrestricted by
superstition.
The simple story Of the shepherds be-
| meath the stars watching their sleeping
fOcks and tho Ghrist-chlld IN the lowy
| manger. has thrilled the hearts Of human
/ kind, both old and young, throusnou'
"a. the years that lay behind as.
/ No year boz AN the 1896 has passed WIN
| out a repetition ol the story 10y SUI
/ lips and as time has rolled along lno
! great thrOug has sWelled, until to-uay'
] even 10 tho uttcrmOst parts of the tarth,
( the grand harmony sWelia, anu ~ every
I wind OIL heaven the tAlitAht cnoi A3 'o
| swept. otis the the birthday OK the
/ Iius. ~
/ Tie star that arose over sleeping Beth
! lehem has never set. Its lovely llslrc
/ has been clouocd by the assieAatc 7tn'
| Oh n people. and in The dark days Oh IN
! QUESTION DO was visible alone I'D lAc
/ Spiritual Astronomer. who with the lens
/ OF faith pierced the murky clouds tnal
] hung above a miserable people, nul ii lla
/ uNeu aud eternal course lt mas "-''l '
l true as The advent lt hailed, When mrs.
/ its hopeful rays We're huns hsh III e''
| mmutab'c heavens.
TIE DAY FIXED.
The birth of Christ. inspiring as it ol9
! in human beings the protOundcst ote
| most iml.rishaDle of all emotions cou,u
/ rot 20 ions without the settln5 ap"lS
! and establishing OF recognized any OF
Observance. History does not teli us Jus1
/ when or how the celebration was inauSu-
! rated but as far back as a. j.. l"o wy
/ drc.etal letters OK Pope Ielcsplorus are
/ regarded as having been in.' uln'"'al d"
! tho regularly observed holiday.
! AL illt time DO was one or the uoNaDie
Christian festivals. and genti@iiy -.
/ lfa.nI iu tne months OF April or May
lut u the Fourth Century through the
urgency az So Cyril of Jerusalem Iope
julius j. ordered an Investigation as TO
I the real birthday of the Saviour, ana at11r
81 search through the tables or lhe .-n-
AGREED that the 2Jth of December was the
DAY. although the proofs are not enufeiy
Frbat dav. however. was accepted by
tie world as the recognized Gay. ana
from then until now IL has been cele-
hrated lu the varying forms ane itsl-
ions. ass the nations Of the earth have
been pleased TO observe me uiil" oi '"eI
''' Two ESPECIAL FEATURES.
Tho commomoration OF the birth Of
Christ has always combined TWO eipe-
cial featurc7-that ~ religious ncFo-
Non and oi unusual festive indulgcnces.
The old Roman 'atuouc CAulcu t-le-
Irnted three masses. beginning az mid-
nlsnL another az dawn, ana "a later
one DOB the morning. lolloWlnk iht3e
there was suslea ION of ali business
pursuits and ID loII.hfful surrender 10
uures tr.cted merrimcnt.
During the Middle ages Christmas was
celebrated hy tine gay fantastic spec
taclo of dramatic mysteries ana moitl d.
uD and in etoteslue tunes. WIN
masks and tambourInes the people save
r..U to their enthusiasm.
The custom 0i singing canilcles M
Christina was originated as commence
rttve off the songs the angels suns ana
tho medieval carols iOlm.d cons pioi-
Gus IalL in the general eui lNmcni
The descriptions of the Christmas rcvels
arc rcpietc with quaint and amusing
features. Ile sO-DalICo fCarts ot zoos
and az asses. gr0tcsQ.e satulnalih, and
tine Iecem0er liberties. as lty were
known. were f0r many years Illustrative
oil the urouenoes of man 90 occasionally
reverse tho social order and 90 ridiclle
the proDretcs which he most desires
IUE' CHRISTMAS TREE.
The custom of tlc Christmas tree IS
traced TO The Protestant districts ot
Germany and Northern Europe where
first the huge yew-u0ulh was brought
Ucrs and t.usei. ard hung WiIn all man-
Ter of eW tmf1ts and gifts FOR the
children. Ice cll'dfen.s f.. iIFaI. a- Do
B is now so largely known with uf. Oriel-
mated with these eooI-ncarted Germans
whore I0Yc ot fhD.r ou lrins i- re-
malkahlH and laudflie characteristic.
The Germans also instituted their
kneclt Rupert who. boz high busk.ns.
white l0.c anal ml. is. and long hlNen
wig. went from house fo house distribute
ing toys. and. il fact performing
service which relieved The generous
German from tle concoctlou or the many
mythical fecitais oi SANTA ,'an7 ana lle
chimney which faHos the inventive ee-
riIs OF our mother. and teaches the
first lesson 10 childhood that much OK
ITS haL lile-s i5 founded M I.n,F'