The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-12-24
THE CHRISTMAS FESTIVAL.
Celebrations Anfedafing the Chris
tian Era-Tise Roman saturnalia.
IN The beauty OF the lilies
Clsfist gas born across the sea.
With glory in His bosom


Although nearly 1900 years ago.
IN The beauty OF the lilies
Clsiist gas born across the sea.
With glory IN His bosom
That transhgures you and me,
this period of Christmas, under different
names, such as the Roman SatarnaIia,
was celebrated loag anterior to the APP
pearance Of the Star of Bethlehem
Before the Roman eagles spread their
pinionS over the civilized world, before
Alexander Wept for more worlds TO con-
quer this period OF the winter solstice was
observed as great holiday occasion.
Its origin, like that OF Easter, extends
so far back into the Eaists of antiquity
that 1t is difficult to determine.
Indeed, it is not known at just what
time Of the year Christ was born. And
il their uncertainty as TO the exact date
the early Christians celebrated the birth
OF Christ at different periods. Not until
about the 18th century, when the great
Roman empire adopted Christianity as
the state religion, was there uniformity,
and then December % was made the date.
Before that time, says the Encyclopedias
Britannica, Christmas appears to have
been kept eonjCintly, by the many, with
the feast of Epiphany. on the 9Th OF
January There is, says the same au-
thority, a difficulty IN accepting Deem
Der as the date of the Nativity, Decem-
Der being the height OF the rainy sea-
son in Judea, when neither foeks nos
shepherds could have been at night in
the fields of Bethlehem.
Among the primitive Christians in the
early centuries Christmas seems not 20
have been a day for the bestoWai of gifts.
That idea RoN SO prominent, appears 10
have been taken from the Roman Satuf-
MALTA This period in Pagan Rome, which
! foa5 {avz
Joy and miFtn. The schools were closed,
no battles fought or war declared, no pun
ishments inflicted. Distinctions OF rank
were laid aside; slaves sat at table with
their masters, or were actually waited
upon by them, aud the utmost freedom
OF speech was allowed. All classes ex-
changed gifts and a general period CT good
will vas observed. This was Pagan
Christmas, called the Saturnalia-
Many OF the early Christians OF New
England regarded Christmas as too much
of a Pagan custom TO be observed. Henry
Ward Reecher tells US that his father,
Rev Dr. Lyman Beecher, declared that
the custom Of trimming churches with ey-
ergreeus was d Pagan custom and ought
not 10 be tolerated Ia 8 Christian land A
half century ago in the United states II
was only the old historic churches, such as
the Catholic. Episcopalian, and Lutheran
that observed Christmas with decorations
and SO many other customs now common
&c the Puritan churches as we'll
The Roman Saturnalia was one bright
sp6.t in the human existence Of the op-
pressed: it was day to which all looked
as one Of good will and pleasure 1t was
such a grand day that the old Romans
when they adopted Christianity. could : =
give it up as a holiday AID IN The IN
certainty as TO the precise date of the
birth Of Christ. Il was called the birthday
of Hin: whose life was spent in alleyiat-
ing the sorrows OF the unfortunate in Civ
ing cheer to the wTetehed and oppressed
Not knowing the real birthday OF
Christ says q Christian writer, no
better day could have been selected TO
commemorate Him at whose bir-n was
first let fall that sublime eenediction:
Peace on earth. good viii toEard men.
4 day noary with antiquity should be all
the more sacred and beautiful in our a9-
probation.
Sunday even comes from the old sun
Torshipers. We are told II was The
suns day and hence sacred- But even
that comes down to Us through PaganisTn.
Pagan Rome adopted it from peoples
wto preceded the Romans. Saturday, the
seventh day ef the week, was the Jewish
sabbath BY the Injunction TO rest On the
seventh day" Saturday was even tie
Sabbath CT the early Christians; we are
told By eminent Bible scholars that there
Is no authority In either the Old or the
New Testamsnt for the observance 81
Sunday as the SABBATH Sunday was
male the Sabbath by the first Christian
Emperor. Constantine. when Rome matIe
Christianity the state religion. Sunday
was the Pagan day OF rest. and Const5n-
tire, some assert, thought his people
would the more reluctantly assent 10
Christianity II their day Of rest and holt-
DAYS like Christmas were changed. 9th
ers claim that the Sabbath was changed
from Saturday to Sunday to commemo-
rate the resurrection OF Christ, as he was
crucifed on Friday and rose the third day.
Easter dag, whether it came from mys-
tic Egypt. from GTecian mythology, CT
Saxon story was observed by the old Ma
| tuTe worshipers to commemorate the res
direction of vegetable life IN the spring;
it was typical Of The new life in the yege-
table world after the long sleep OF win
ter, when the buds of spring give certain
promise of a new season in which Nature
will be clothed in all the beauty lavished
] upon her by a benefcent creator. Easter
/; with these anefentS was the time when
| the annual resurrection OF life Logan.
| They saw this reviviaed Nature in ne
blade of grass. revived by the gentle rains
| and warmth of spring in the budding tree,
aud the whole vegetable world rising into
new life. And the Christian world has
made this period commemorative OF the
resurrection Of Him who loved the lilies.
who said Solomon in all his glory was
not arrayed like one of these.
In the evolution Of things many changes
/ were made about the fifth century, when
Easter and Christmas began to sake on
| Importance as Christian holidays, lseauti-
| full and divine. Ard poet has said:
Beauty is divine wherever found
on Christian on pagan ground
| E. N BRANN.