The evening times., 1899-12-20
The Origin of Christmas.

Some hypercritical people have entered
upon their annual argument that Christ
was is heather festival, changed into a
feast of the Catholic Church by the simple
operation of altering its name. They ssem
to think that on this account Christian
people should refrain from observing it, or,
at any rate, from setting up Christmas
| trees yule logs and other pagan relics in
| their homes. These people have the argu-
ment all to themselves. for the average be-
| liever in Christmas is too busy buying
gifts TO pay much attention TO distractions
at this time. But to dispassionate reader
| the argument seems rather unnecessary.
1t really makes very little difference in
this world what happens TO be the origin of
a thing Most customs of civilized life
| have an origin which sensitive peop,e
might not like to think of. II is said. for
| example that the custom of inviting only
| friends to sit with one at the table origi
mated in the days when it would not have
been safe to invite anyone who has not
friend to share a meal. The unwary host
might run the risk of having his food pos-
oned or his brains dashed out while he was
ing ladies to leave the table first originated
in the custom of heavy drinking after din
ner hundred and fifty years ago din
ing-room some time after the cloth had
been removed. would have been rather an
inappropriate place for lady. But by |
long refinement and habit, and the in |
creasing good sense and delicacy of people |
in general, customs which had t cir origin \
in unpleasant necessities have grown to be |
delightful in themselves and happy in as
sociation.
1t seems ratLer far-fetched, therefore, 10
object to Christmas as holiday simply be-
cause it happens not to have been in
vented by the authorities of any chIi ch
Undoubtedly the original Yuie festival
came about naturally, as consequence of
the customs of a pastoral people. At
Christmas time the harves; was fairly in, |
the hunting season had begun. and the
people were ready to settle down to as
much of winter comfort and jollity as their
means would allow. 1t was the most nat
ural thing in the world, therefore, that
some sort of a general feast lay should tc
and dedicated 10 the worship of
some deity. After many generations of OBJ
sery ance this festival would, of course, be-
ccme dear to the hearts of tae people, and
il would have been foolish for any mission
ares TO attempt TO uproot It. So they Gid |
what seemed the next best thing to them
they dedicated it anew, and gave it cew
while keeping the most beau
tiful of the old pagan observauces.
Chr;ct To, &c |
the one day in all the year in viii, thor
oughly Christian spirit seems to tax: ros- +,
session of people in general For :hat one
day everybody is content TO lay aside self
seeking and scheming and try to make
someone else happy. The exceptions-the
people who find Christmas a wear:n:.ss and
count up their gifts to see whether they
have received adequate returns for their d
hardly worth mentioning.
Centuries of association with all that is s
most beautiful in a great world-religion
ought to have made Christmas Day | Z
Christian festival if anything could 1t is
bound up with happy child
n0cd. with loving motherhood. with the
II irii of generous giving. with joyous hos
,.tality. with charity in all its ferns. The v
nan who refuses to help feed the hungry
u that daY is meaner than the average !
ren. The man who begrudges the cost I
If his Christmas turkey or ooje:.s to the !
.elight of his children over their Christmas 4
rec, dcseI.es to be called Teak So 5
;ccr told has Christmas .akep on the = !
learts Il the masses Of the peoDle Ind t.
o." as Tiny Tim observed. God ble..s us =
very oie!" whether the first YuIe.iIe was
iaSan or not!