The Springfield herald., 1897-12-10

when the Drulds were wont to
cut it with golden knives, we
pass under its branches with kiss
cs. and formerly, whenever it was
scarce, our maidens, not to be
defrauded of their customary rites
made "kissing bunches' of ever
greens ornamented with oranges
and ribbons, to do duty instead.
His must be sour heart that can
view these sweet old customs with
any other feeling than that of
genial appreciation. Hundreds OF
generations have enjoyed them
and made merry over them, the
young and the unlearned in happy
and innocent thouahtlessness,
while the learned and phllosophic
have busted themselves with the
deeper import that lies beneath
their popular surface. These see
IN them the relies OF universal
religion devoted to nature, whose
origin Is shrouded IN the Gimme
ran gloom of the North, and in
the myths of remotest antiquity.
They observe their close relations,
not to the Saturnalla of Rome a
lone, but to the Egyptian Pamyl-
ia, the Baccllic and Dionysia or
gies OF the Greeks, the obscene
festivals of India, Mesopotamia,
and South America, and to the
other religious mysteries in those
and all the rest of the world
where nature worship has been
svmbollzed and corrupted by
priestscraft, and Its pure stream
diverted into impure channels.
This trading in manklnd's best
emotions and subordinating wor
ship to gain a power, has Siam IN
succession all the religious of the
past Just as it will destroy those
Of the present. 1t may be that
III the cycle of religious evolution
the time will come when mankind
will reach the point whence they
started, and their hearts will be
again filled with love and reyer-
ence for all nature as the sure
and universal manifestation OF
Gcd to man. Let lis endeavor,
then, to make the best use of
Christmas, whatever It's historical
shortcomings, and to Join IN the
general spirit of love and good
will. All periods that knit tie
hearts OF men more closely to-
gether, are most worthy of human
observance. Let the tables smok G
with festive cheer, and hall and
cottage ring with joyous greetings
and prove to the world that Eng
land is merry England still. The
absent will return to gladden.
those at home, and the dead will
be lovingly remembered. For
those who cannot be present,
whom necessity or distance has
parted from us, there will be
/ kindly messages, even to the ends
of the earth, borne bv the swift
mail or swifter telegraph. Let
us rejoice that it is not Ill the
power OF time or space to sever
us from those we love. and that
though they may be tolllng
through the deliles OF the khyber
Pass, or broiling under an Indian
or African sun, or living lonely
lives in Canada or America, in
Australasia. or any of the number
less colonies where British in
dustry adds Empire 10 Empire.
yet their places Will not be Tor
gotten on Chris day, but
affection will make the absent
present. Above all, on this day
beyond every other, let the poor
and the ou tcast be amply pro
vided for, that they may partake
of the general rejoicing, and if all
the remaining days of their wears
be wretched, let them be happy
on this, the day of days, when as
tradition tells, the P.1lce of
Peace was born, to bring mes
sage of love from Heaven to
Earth.
NOTICE.
| (Cnpy.)