Daily capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1896-1899, 1897-12-16

promote good feeling aad prepare oui
readers for proper celebration of Che
day
Cbristmastide has twofold inter.
est a material and spiritual. Som,
loye it because 1t comes "but once
year, and when 1t CON, ii brings RoW
cheer;" others, because it is preemin
emily the season of universal recon
cilatiOn, Of "peace on earth and gOo
will towards men," Families may b,
scattered during the rest Of the year,
but at this time their members strive
to re-uhite, and, where this is impos
sible, the exiled ones turn their faces
longingly towards hearth and home.
The value of Christmas lies In it,
warm and humaniZing associations,
and not because 1t was the birthda!
OF Jesus 1897 years ago, This latte
is u fiction Of Tie cbuIch, and, fortu
nately one OF its harmless ones. ii,
was not born on the 25th OF December.
nor 1897 years ago. The day and th'
month are unknown, and the time wa
four years before the Christian era.
Formerly the 9Th OF January was kept
as Jesus birthday, and one Of the
Popes put 1t back to its present date.
Thus Christmastide really include,
the New Year up 10 Twelfth Day,
But although all its mysterious con-
corning the Author of Christianity
His birth, His life, ana His age at
dea th-the impulse that He gave the
world remains and gathers strength
with time. He is the Prince of Peace
and the Great Teacher of the Brother
hood of Man and the Fatherhood OF
God.
And so at this festive season, al !
who can-and Heaven pity those who
canno gather round the blazing fire
and enjoy cheerful communication
and interchange Of loving kindness.
Presents and fond messages for those
who are remote, help toremind friends
and relations of mutual affection, and
TO knit all hearts more closely togeth-
| er. What matters IL how the festival
arose, or when. whether one century
after Christ or five, 80 long as ii
forms a means for all those pleasant
and humaniziDg courtesies?.
The Puritans Of the Commonwealth,
under the gu.se Of zeal for religion,
endeavoured TO check the natural inn
pulses of the nation. First they
caused IL TO be kept as fast on Chrest-
mas day, 1914, and for twelve years
after, and next by an Order for COun-
Gil, December, 1857, they abolished
IChrstmas and other Holy-days alto
gether. A writer of the period re-
marked Of 1914 that this'was the first
tim9 since the Apostles that there
was any fast kept upon that day in
the Christian church. Soldiers were
sent to visit the kitchens and ovens,
just before dinner. time, of those who
were suspected OF not observing 1t,
and carried away whatever meat they
found and ate IL. For these were
exempted from fasting provided they
made Others fast Sir John Birken
head wittily enquired whether the
Parliament had not cause to forbid
Christmas when they found their pub.
lie acts under so many Christmas
pies?
Men were declared Incapable of
serving In parliament who had ever
greens In their windows or minced.
pies at Christmas, and Warner, after
wards Lord Mayor, "raised tumult
In Christmas about Rosemary ard
Bays We read In the petition OF
e. H., Esq, In No. 629 OF "The Spec
tator," that In his day he was re-
markable for having dared to treat
some visitors with Brawn anC
Minc'd-pyes on New Years day.
The reign OF the prudes soon camett
an end, 1t was TO much for homes
human nature to bear. Christmas II
all Its varied customs for yariou
parts OF the Kingdom returneI
stronger than ever. All joyousl
hailed
"The happy night
That 20 the cottage as the crown
Brought tidings OF Salvation down.
. The bells pealed again merrily, tn
: yule log blazed unrestricted, an
/ dance and merriment. with muc
! foolery, too, at times, once MOI
y lifted up the hearts Of old aud younG
a "PO)r Robins Almanac" for 1910 say
} of winter, "And lastly, who woul
= not but praise IL because of Chris
mas, when good cheer doth so aboun
: as II all the world were made of mine
G pies, plum-pudding, and fumeIy,
n A description Of the old dishes an
e quaint customs OF this period woul
(. ill volume. A good pie was {
J. great fayorlte. Allen Ramsay tel
r us how the ale wife drew her custom
n ers:
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