Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1898-12-24
AN ANCIENT HOLIDAY.
New Years Has Been Celebrated 1t Different
Dates During the Worlds History.

On the whole, Ii Is q good thing tina
New Years day comes around with
s,usiness-like regularity once year.
Man being by nature a weak and
shameling sort OF creature, prone to
stumble over obstacles that he ought
10 be able to Step over with ease, the
ecGnlng of a day when he can oil his
rusty conscience, and begin life with a
new lease full OF good resolution
clauses, is distinctly a benefit to the
race. or course. everyone knows that
the new year will be as full OF falls as
ferno win remain. now and forever,
paved with good intentions, but still,
as was said at the beginning OF this. it
is good thing on the whole to have a
New Years day.
1t Is a day in which everybody finds
some particular charm. To the oldest
inhabitant 1t Is the banner day of the
year. for "reminiscences are not only
permitted, but welcomed and acknowl-
edged to be singuaarly appropriate TO
the season. To the man who begins to
realize THAT he is only mortal after all,
and that even constitution of granite
will not stand continual alcoholic
ravages. II is a day OF stern resolve.
which, If nineteenth century customs
could he changed. fnighs stand better
chance Of being adhered TO- To the
young man. and incidentally 70 the
young woman, ID Is. In spite OF the
efforts OF some to obliterate ancient
landmarks. a day TO be looked forward
To with much palnstaking regard for
a ha s,F
making New Years calls may be dying
out. as some assert but II IL Is 1t dies
hard and has surprising amount of
vitality still.
The custom OF making day Of cele-
hration OF the first day OF the year Is
as old as civilization. There have been
differences of opinion regarding the
manner in which the day should be
celebrated. as well as varied opinions
regarding the date on which the year
properly begins. but there seems to
have been unanimous understanding
among the ancient nations that New
Years day was the day of all days
when business should be suspended
while the world made merry. The an
cient Romans chose to begin their year
in March. Christianity. famous from
its birth for overturning the estab-
listhed usages of time, retained the idea
of making distinct break between the
old and the new year. TO be sagnaaized
by solemn service, but so widely sep
arated We're the leaders of the new re-
ligion, and SO difficult was ii in those
days to get together to arrange the re-
ligious almanac, that there continued
to be a great diversity of ideas re-
garding uhe exact date when the New
Years inauguration should begin. It
is a fact that New Years day has been
solemnized on Christmas day, while so
mixed were the leaders of the ancient
Christian church regarding the proper
time to begin the year that it was ceie-
brated variously on Easter day and on
March LIST. 1t was not until the six
teenth century that by universal con-
sent New Years day was fixed for
January 1st.
New Years day has always been a
high holiday, in spite of the efforts of
certain stern Old fathers of the church,
notably Chrysostom. Ambrose, Angus
tine. Peter Chrysologus and others to
make it a day on which fasting or
prayer should take the place of hilar-
ity. A compromise was effected by
which part of the day was given up to
fasting and part to prayer, and this has
prevailed to the present day.
The reason why adj efforts have