Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1902-12-25
CHI TT MAS THOUGHTS.

Vastly &, forting in our hour of
trial comes tie remembrance OF the
old adage that the darkest hour is just
before the dawn 1t is the antithesis
of despair and lifts up the wearied
soul to new hope and new endeavor.
After the darkness the dawn, after the
night the day, after the storm sun
shine, after the snow of winter come
the flowers Of spring. We are the
children of a northern race and our
thoughts, our phrases and our poetry
give constant recognition to the sun
that mighty source of warmth and
light and life. When our ancestors,
living in the woods Of northern Europe
thousands of years ago watched the
sun declining day by day until near
the southern horizon at midday his
level beams scarce modified the frosty
air, they waited anxiously for the day
when this retreat should be stayed and
the return to the higher heavens be-
gun. Not without fear did they watch
from their frozen Businesses in the
north for their complete lack Of knowl-
edge Of astronomy kept them from hav-
ing any absolute assurance that the
sun would not continue to sink lower
and lower until he should depart for
ever and the world would be left to
perish amid the woes of everlasting
wintry night. Picture then the JOY
when at last the day came when the
shadows at noontime began to shorten
and the sun once more started north
to dispel the frost, to wrap the fields
with green and to provide for another
harvest of fruitful earth. Then was
a time of JOY, the gathering OF friends,
feasting, merriment and good will.
This was Yuletide the season of spec
ial honor to Frey and Freya the god
and goddess of fruitfulness and en-
ioyment- "a time of joyous anticipa-
tiCn when nothing must be permitted
to mar the happiness of the occasion.
AS was Yuletide in those olden days so
is Christmas today with the changes
brought about by increasing civiliza-
tion and the adoption Of new rellg-
ion. It is not practicable to burn the
Yule log in the modern steamheated
fat or even the stove of the present
day cottage but the evergreen tree Of
Freya laden with the most wonderful
fruits that eye of youngster ever be-
held is still set up in countless thous-
ands of homes in which has never been
heard the name Of the beautiful god
dess of the north. The holly and the
mistletoe with their mystic meaning
of long ago wholly or partially lost,
still have their place as Christmas
still observed as the season Of pure
gladness when it is the duty of every
one to be as happy as possible and do
all in their power to add to the happi-
ness of others. The early Christmas
missionaries who came out of the
south preaching their gospel to our
moulds of mind. Some were stern
fanatics, their axes leveling the sacred
innocent customs to which they them
selves were unused while Others more
tolerant, with greater shrewdness and
perhaps more of the spirit of the Mas
ter whom they claimed to serve, laid
the ban upon nothing which did not
directly conflict with the teaching
which they we're given to bear Con-
citation was the keystone of the struc
ture they reared and like the great
apostle they said to the doubling
heather, "Whom We ignorantly wor-
ship, Him declare | unto your 1t is
doubtful if the celebration could ever
have been suppressed even if the church
had not adopted this season for the
celebration of the nativity Of the Re-
deemer, but certain it is that from this
time the season receives new slgnlti-
canoe which all nations and all men
may celebrate and where difference of
religious opinion is as much out OF
place as subject of discussion as ques-
tions of politics would be at the same
time 1t is poor fanatic who on this
day of joy focks by himself and refuses
torejoice because forsooth he disagrees
with his neighbors on points of Theology!
The spirit of Christmas should be with
us all and we should not only try to be
happy but we should try to spread the
infection of happiness as far as possible.
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