The herald., 1897-12-26
An Ancient Holiday

around with businesslike regularity year.
being by nature weak and shambns sort of creature
stumble obstacles that he ought be able
with the coming of day when he oil
his rusty conscience and begin life with lease full of
resolution clauses distinctly benefit to the
OF knows that the will be full
Of falls the DID, and the road to certain inferno will
maln and forever paved with good intentions, but
STILL said at the beginning OF this it good thing
the whole to have New Years day.
day in which everybody finds particular
To the Oldest inhabtant it is the banner day of
year. "reminiscences only permitted but well
coined and acknowledred to be singuary to
To the who begins realize that he is only
mortal after ALL and that constitution of granite
will not stand continual alcoholic ravages it is day of
which, if nineteenth century could
changed might stand better chance of being adhered to-
To the and incidentally to the it
@ in spite of the efforts of to obiterate ancient land
be looked forward to with much panstakng
regard for appearances The custom of making
New Years calls may be dying assert but it
Is 1t dies hard and has surprising amount of vitality STILL
The custom Of making day of celebration of the first
day of the old civilization. There have been
differences of opinion regarding the manner in which the
day should be celebrated, we'll varied opinions
gardng the date which the properly begins but
here have been unanimous understanding
among the ancient nations that New Years day the
day of all when business should be while
the world made merry The ancient Romans chose to be-
gin their in March Christianity famous from its
birth overturning established
ained the idea Of making distinct break between the old
end the new Year to be sgnazed by solemn services but
widely the leaders Of the religion
and difficult was in those days get together to
range the religious almanac that there continued be
diversity Of ideas regarding date
Years Inauguration should begin. 1t is fact that New
Years day has been solennzed Christmas day while
mixed the leaders the ancient Christian church
garding the proper time begin the that
brated varousy Easter day and March 1st 1t
until sixteenth that universal
New Years day fixed for January list.
New Years day has always been high holiday in spite
IF the efforts certain old fathers church.
ably Chrysostom Ambrose. Augustine Chrysoogus
and others to make day which fasting prayer
should take the place Of harity compromise af-
'eced by which of the day feastng
part to and this has prevailed to the
The why all efforts have failed the day
devoted exclusively religious exercises is that the
general character Of the the ending
and the beginning lends itself readily
brations Of the hgh-jnks" order Socially, the days
oervance seems to have taken about the form all
through ages Feastng and the giving taking
have always been the chief enpoyments
Years day. This shown by the references of
and Tactus the exchanging New presents
map changed and the Western empire split
sections and has been pushed along good thing
snoe
The church has done its duty by the day.
its by instituting the custom of ringing the
few with the merry peang bells, night
services that bring many wayward wanderer
whom the interior of the church familiar
Of Central Africa during days year many
countries the night of New S Sylvesers eve
was celebrated with great festivty which prolonged
Ill after IL o'clock, when the
congratulations, complimentary visits and
for happy year. This is ancient Scottish custom
which also prevails in many of Germany
form of wish. "Prosit Neues Jahrmay year be
happy sufficiently attests the antiquity of the
In the Roman Catholic Church the TIE Deum sung
at the close of the old year. New day
lday Of strict obligation.