Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-12-23

OF pine meath confectioner's
yoke,
Most warmly It's welcomed to every table
Which. halls Merry Christmas with good
cheer and joke.
Fen the humblest cottage will postpone its
pottuge
For once in the year, to reioicc in the pic;
And Little Jack Horner. who sat in corner
Could very well all Of its beauties dcscry.
or late years Father Christmas"
has been GnnUnized ana elevated to the
rank Of Santa Claus. ST. Nicholas,
the worthy Bishop of Myra, in the
fourth century, 10 held TO he the patron
saint of virgins, sailors and children,
and, RS a matetr of fact, of highway
robbers also. AZ the patron saint OF
Russia there are not fewer than ai2
churches dedicated to his name, and
as December 9Th commemorative his
name, the festivities OF SANTA Claus
have gradually merged into those of
Father Christmas 10 days later.
Pare Old Rem Johnson,'' in his
celebrated Christmas Masque--"as ii
was presented at Court in 1GlG, :"
represents Old Father Christmas in
his round bose, long stockings, close
douhlet, high crowned hat with a
brooch, long thin beard, trunchcon,
little ruifs, white Shoes, with bis scarfs
and garters across, and his drum beatan
before him, with a merry motley train
of his numerous sonH and daughters
who arc designated Misru!e, Carol and
Mince fie and Gambol, and Wassail
and the New Ycar's Gift.
In the religious observance Of Christ,
mas the three Mag take the place Of
Father Christmas, and occupy a promi.
nent position in Christmas cards. The
legend OF these three Wiso Mon of the
East, or as they are styled in the origi.
nal Greek of st. Matthew's Gospel,
the Magi, who visited the Saviour
with precious offerings, became, undor
monkish influence, Que of thn most
popular features OF Christmas ohserS
ance during tho Middle Ages In TACT
they were raised to the position of the
three kings, although Scripture no.
where informs us that these individuals
were kings or that their number was
restricted to three. Tine old Christmas
legend, however, converts the Magi
into kings, restricts their number to
thrse, gives their names with minute
account of their stature and of the
nature of their gifts. Melchoir was
King of Nubia, was the smallest man
of the triad, and gave the Saviour a
gift OF gold. Beltbazar was King of
Chaldea, was man Of ordinary
stature, and made an offering OF in
cense. but the third, Jasper, was
King of Tarahish, was the tallest of
the group. "a black Ethiopian, and
gave an offering of myrrb. These three
Kings came with many rich ornaments
belonging to Kings array, anti also
with mules, camels and horses laden
with great treasure. 1t was the EN-
press Helena, the mother of Cnnstan-
tine, who lie said to have 4 covered
the burial place OF these "three
kings" and to be removed their
homes to the Cathedral of st. Sophia
in Constantinople. From thence they
were transferred TO Milan at the time
Of the Moslem conquest, and in the
year ll64 the Emperor Frederick l.,
the Barbarossa of history, presented
them to the Archbishop of Cologne,
and now for small consideration the
curious traveller can visit these sacred
relics in the beautiful Cathedral of
that city. But assuming that there is
no doubt as to the relics tfor IN
belief is disqualification for a
travolerl, of thess three Wise Men
there is the greatest possible doubt as
to their names. BIshop Patrick, in his
Reflections. written in 1911, aGlss with
assumed paivete how these t.. Zoe names
Of the three Wise Men (which, by the
way, have been endorsed by the author
of Ben Hur) Melchior, Balthazar and
Jasper, are to be of service, when
another tradition says they were
Apelius, Amerus and Damascus: q
third that they wers Megalath, Galea.
lath and 5arasin: and fourth calls
them Ator, Sator and Purstnras, which
last, he says, he should choose iu this
uncertainty AZ having the more kingly
sound.
AS we are determined to enjoy Christ
mas in a Christianly manner we SEQ nc
cause for searching in the ancient
heather rites for either our Christmas
dinners or OUT Christmas decorations.
Plum pudding and mincs pie are
VIGOROUSLY indigestible, and mus
surely have been heather in theiI
origin. The wassail bowl was singu
larly injurious in it's effects, aud ha,
gradually given way to more temperate
place to the turkey, and the boar's
head to roast beef. We haye I'm
doubtedly become more Christian il
our food at Christmas.
But We arc told our Christmas deco
rations are heathdn The mistletoa wal
held sHcreh by the ancient Druids II
was worshipped on the tree by the
Druid priests and brought tn the altar
| of Thor and Woden az sacred offer
ing. Ii has on this account seldom OF
ever found it's way into the Christmai
decoration Of our churches but ha.
been reserved for the initiR,oEy rites d
| hymen In tho home, What woult
Christmas be to many without tht
"kissing under the mistletve?' M
has the ivy, so emblematical Of all tina
is aifectionate and true, found a yer,
| fayorite place in the decorations q
churches at Christmas. 1t is of itael
somewhat funeraal as symbol, an,
it is said to have been used in th
worship of Bacchus. 1t is the holly
which has always been esteemed tn
special decoration for Christmas, IN,
which finds place in worry ancien
Christmas carol, thus:
Here comes holly that is so gent
4 TO please all men is his intent.
Alclujah.
Even the Yule log is heathunish, Blu
what in the wide world is moro Chris
thu than the blaze Of fro in tn
hearth at Christmas. To the Ief1ectiv
mind it seems almost impossible i
keep CHEEKY Christmas in a home
which is simply steam.heated witt
all other improvements. +"
But from time immemoriHl il ha
always been regarded a most essentia
feature in the observance OF Christina
that ii should be a season llevots some
what to the good of others. Christina
dinners for the poor are not moher