The true northerner., 1900-12-21


Nx<N1 our church festivals we find II
m pagan celebrations antedating the
Christian era. writes NJ. II. Munroe In
the New York Home Journal. There Is
nothing certain even about the birth
day of Christ. Some authorities assert
that December was i'm the rainy season.
when no shepherds could have beea
"watching their flocks by night" Otk-
ers claim that IL was i'm the dry season.
when shepherds were on duty day AMI
night. In the controversy over the date.
extending from December TO MAJ,
Pope julius 337-352) had an lnvestlga-
ton made by ST. Cyril and was salts
fled that the 25th Of December was cos-
rect II was so established in the Re-
man church, and before the end of the
fourth century the dictum was univey-
sally accepted.
This acceptance was made easier be-
cause the date was that of the great
festival Of the winter solstice, the SAT-
urnalia, which was celebrated in AL
parts of the world from Dec. % to Jan.
6. At that season houses, temples and
shrines were profusely decorated with
evergreens, holly, laurel and sometimes
ivy. No mistletoe was used in the dec
orations on account of the Druidicsl
superstltions regarding its peculiar and
dangerous power. One Of these super
stitions. however. has become the her.
itage OF all ages:
Those who kiss under the mistletoe bough
Together will walk to the altar.
The early Christians Incorporated as
many pagan customs as possible with
their celebrations and festivals as
matter of eXpediency. and in the Ro-
man saturnalia. with its decorations,
its Yule log, its candles and tinsel
laden trees and gifts. there wa much
that even today forms part of our cere-
monial
During the saturnalia all restraint
was removed. and the stemming of the
tide was so nearly impossible that it is
not hard TO realize the difficulties tie
Christians had i'm wedding out the evils
OF this festival before it became orr
festival Of Christmas. so called from
the Christ mass. which was celebrated
on Dec. -. Our Christmas carol was
originally hymn to Saturn. for one Of
the principal features of the saturnalia
was the singing of hymns of praise to
the gods Saturn and Bacchus. and the
composers of odes in their honor were
richly rewarded. Even the family
banquet, so dear to our hearts, is
relic of the bacchanalian era.
Various were the early superstitions
N different countries, the most curious
being i'm Scandinavia. In the German
Alps it was held that on Christmas eve
cattle fell on their knees in adoring
worship" being given the power of
speech during that one night, but woe
to the person who overheard or listen
ed TO their converse. for the reaper
Death would surely find him, let him
hide as he would. before seven days
were passed Maidens thought to find
the key which would unlock the door
/ to their future life. and especially
among the peasantry of Poland was
/ full reliance placed upon the result of
these mystic rites
Among Christmas eve customs one in
! Holland is of exceeding interest In all
the towns and villages at the midnight
hour the men i'm varied costumes meet
in the principal squares chanting the
"Gloria In EXcelsis." Proud is the man
selected by vote TO be the star bear
err" large star i'm which are several
/ lighted candles all shining as one is
mounted on one end Of a long pole.
This star is symbolical of the star that
guided the three kings to Bethlehem,
and the effect Of its light in the dark
and winding streets at the head of the
long procession of men slowly march
ing to the music of the GLORIA In EX-
celSis" sung i'm chorus is deeply inn
pressive. a sumptuous supper is serv-
ed after the devotions are ended, and
thus Christmas day begins.
Christmas eve everywhere was the
beginning of Christmas joys. In Ger
many the old customs still prevail TO a
great extent. The Christmas tree. with
its gifts, followed by grand supper,
has long held its own on Christmas
eve. Christmas day being spent in pay
ing and receiving visits and talking
over the extent of Santa Claus atten-
tions.