The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1897-12-24

eNS''SA
ton: One Christmas eve farm ser
! want went to confession by way of
preparation for the Sacrament. The
church was some distance off, so that
when he reached home it was late, and,
to avoid disturbing his master, he went
to bed in a hay-loft over the barn. I'm
derneath was 4 stall, in which was a
pair of OK n. The man fell asleep, but
was socn awakened by the sound of
voices. Listening, he heard one say to
another, Let us blow out this fellows
light of lite' No. was the reply; 'he
has been to confession to-day, and to-
morrow will go to the Lords table.
We cannot do it, But he has heard
us, and will repeat what We have said
No matter. BE quiet, and let us pray.
The time will soon be gone in which
we have the power to do So" Gather
ing courage, the man crept to the lad
der, and looking down. saw the oxen
on their knees making the sign of the
cross with their right fore legs
"Well, Jcwess as am, there is moth
ing comparable to your Christmas
trees. No custom could be more beau
tiful and tender; and as to its antiIui-
ty. it reaches back into the mists of
primeval times.
THAT is true; and, happily, the Ger
NAH Reformers did MT abolish it.
You have, no doubt, seen the old en-
craving which represents Luther and
his family gathered around Il shining
tree; and only the other day l came
across one of Melanchthon' letters to
CamerariuS, in which he describes the
pleasure he had had in playing around
4 Christmas tree with children. Some,
however, felt indfIerently. Daunhauer
wrote from Strasburg. in the seven
teenth century: Among the absurd
nonsense associated with Christmas is
4 pine-trce set up in houses and hung
with sweets and dolls. Though this is
preferable to some other idOlatrous
practices which are often carried on,
how much better if we could persuade
the people to feast on the Word of God
alone, and cling to the spiritual pine
tree, which is Christ Jesus!
"Have you read anything of trees
which suddenly burst into blossom
and fruit on Christmas eve!
"Yes; the legend is probably intend
ell to show the miraculous influence
which the God-Child would have. He
is the spring of the world; with His
coming the bonds of winter and of death
were ioosed. Every created thing
says an ancient hymn, praised God
when the Child was born Dew fell
on the mountain-sidc, and flowers
sprang into life whose very perfume
was healing. At the first breath of
Christ the vineyards of Engedi bloss-
omed, and roses made the air fragrant
about the we'll of Elias.
"And Abraham Sancta Clara save
in one of his sermons: Many mal,,l-
lous events transpired when Gods Son
was born. Not only did innumerable
hosts of angels come from heaven to
adore the wonderful child with angelic
songs, but the snow which lay thick
upon the Judean hills disappeared in
a twinkling, and the trees stood in full
summer dress, while the ground was
starred with tender flowers. But the
apple-tree is the one which is said to
bear fruit at this season. Johannes
Nider wrote in 1880: Not far from
Nuremberg is miraculous tree which
every year. at the time when the Eir-
gin of Virgins bore the Son of God,
bears apples as large as a mans thumb.
For two months before and after this
time the country is usually covered
with snow and ice, and swept by rough
winds. Therefore the event never
ceases to excite wonder, and each year
there are people who go from Nurem-
berg and other neighboring places and
watch the night through. And these
can certify the truth of what write.
Then there is the Protestant theologian
Dillherr, who wrote on the same sub
ject: Quite close to Frauenberg, in
the vicinity of Nuremberg, are several
trees which bore fruit in the autumn
like other trees, and vet which not only
| bloomed at Christmas time, but bore
apples the size Ola cherry. The Christ
apples, as they were called, were sent
me once wrapped in wool, with branches
from the tree, and can show them still,
although they are withered. l6G3.''
''The apple is everywhere the popu-
lar fruit, in poems, proverbs, pictures,
and superstitions. Brandt in his
| 'Narrcnschiif:
| 'Het sch Adam bedocht vor bass.
| FL damn er Won dem APPEL ass,
| Er wer nit Won Gym kleinen bisz,
GestOssen usZ dem Paradise
SO, YOU see, he goes back to the very
begmning-Paradise and the apple.
Old pictures, too, represent the snake
with an apple in his mouth, and in a
medieval procession in Heidelberg
Adam had death s-head and an apple
symbols both!''
| "True; but a Roumanian legend says,