The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-25

Rev Or. Chapman, rabbi Of the Lin
den street temple, preached last eve
ming on "Chanukah and Christmas,
taking his text from Zach, iv, 2, 3: ANA
behold a candlestiCk, all of gold,
and two olive trees by the side ot
it," He first Contrasted the Hebrew
with the Christian festival. He SAID:
Chanukah and Christmas have many
things in common. 1t is not merely acci-
dental that they fell in the same season.
that their very date on the calendar COM
Cides the one being on the 10Th Of klSlt|
and the other on the &th of Dccemper'
BOth have the same origin. All the -redt
festivals that come down from the past,
hallowed by religion, have been laSh-
ioned not 10y man. but by nature, ana the
great religions have Simply lcut them Il
higher meaning and moro sacred chlr-
acter, by connecting them with important
historical facts.
The Easter rostIval was the celebration
of spring, before it turned INTO feast OF
redemption for the jew, ANA feast or
resurrection for the Christian. PentccOst
was a summer festival before ii reminded
the jew of the Revelations and the chris
tiuu Of the transformation ThUS; thc
18th Of December, or Nislr\ cine ninth
Jewish month";, was, originally, the hfedt
mid-wirtur festival, when, after for
weeks and months, seeing the days lessen
i'm length and light rejoicing Is felt Mt
the glorious victory of the sun ov the
winters dark powers. In cXu1ant glad
ness, people hailed the triumphant
Courscr of the sky, as he, with renewed
vigor, resumed his annual race, and they
celebrated his regeneration, or the birth
of a new sun god. in bOundlcss festive
eCstasirs. This was and still Is, the
heather practice, all over the globe. The
Christmas tree is SIMPLY a remnant Of the
old Teuton yule block, and Santa Claus or
ST. Nicholas. or Peligmartin, with their
bags fun of presents are but old German
gods in disguise. They have assumed
Christian garbs, in order to survive the
downfall of paganism.
WHY CHRISTIANS CELEBRATE.
The Christian church celebrates Christ
mas as the birthday of Jesus of Nazareth,
whom she worships as the Jewish Mes
siah or Christ, yet, up TO the fourth cen
tury no one knew where he was born
Some churches celebrated his birthday
in March or April; others in January
Gradually the heather festival OF the
birth of the unCOnquclabe God or HEht
was transferred to Jesus, VINO was
thcnceforth called "thc new sun of right
epuSnesS." Thus the star that shOnc over
the small town of Bethlehem soon grew
into Il sun which illumined the whole
world.
Now as to Chanukah: The great mid
winter festival of very ancient times oc'
curing about the time of the great Mac
Cabean victories over the Syrians, was
tackled on to this wonderful historical
event and by the intermingling of the
two, the former received a higher mean
ing and a more sacred character, ana thnS
is recognized by the student of history
beautfied and hallowed by religion. The
daughter of Judaism, Christianity, Is in
Ttsf fiNE.l ~
Chanukah, which we are celebrating to-
night.
Let us notice Christmas in its relation
to our Hanukah. They are not so fal
apart from each other as may seem. l.
the MaccaboCs had not risen lGO years ne
fore the birthday which the church cele
brateS today, where would Christianity
be? If they had not given their lives II
defense of their country the world Woult
never have heard of the infant in th'
manger at Bethlehem. The church o1Eh
10 have Canoni2ed the MaCcabccS. IheN
We're more truly the fur"runncrs Of Jesus
than was John the Baptist. Unto us, too
child was born in these days two thou
"a sand years ago. That child was liberty
was independence was Selt-goVornmont
A true Messiah, who breaks the yoke o
oppression and rives the chains of bond
pge. But our child was not born in th
stiffness of humble home. 1t was borl
NJ llt Dll lltlltIAl, bdflNiEt'i III Ali' ~ al
blood of thousands Of patriots,
SYMBOL OF LIGHT.
Here is the symbol of light, 1t is li2ht
is not original with either jew or Chris
ian. Long before the time both com
nemOrate, fires We're kindlcd at this tim
OF the year as an expression of JOY upo
the return Of the sun toward THE eartt
The order and economy of nature is sure
ly a theme fit to inspire true religion
feeling. The same symbol is used to re
can trace the path of duty both to Go
TO be bearers of the light by which ma
can trace the paht of duty both TO Il
and to his fellow men. Each claims
stand, like a statue of liberty at the gaze
of the harbor lifting high the torch
truth kindled from the eternal fire. Al
these claims unfounded? Not so. Ever
faith with ethics for its soul, every churC
that helps to build up humanity every T
ligion which appeals to the heart and Il