The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1903-12-23

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Our Guest, King Christmas
''Cometh the season when the holy
Tells how Heaven set it's golden
How the engelic voice fell on mans
hearing.
HeraIding gloriously the crucified'
Although nowadays we do not ceIe-
brate Christmas by gathering around
the Yule-tide blaze to practice the
quaint spells and tell stories of those
days of yore when this old world was
young-we still Wreathe the shining
holly with its red berries dropped like
rubies upon its dark green leaves. Nor
do we forget the time-honored custom
of hanging the piece of mistletoe
among the Christmas green's. We may
no longer hear the sweet old carol
singing or waits" but we still sing
our songs in the Christ child's praise.
because our hearts beat as warmly yet
as those that sat about the hearths
listened to the story that earth NAV
ne'er forget-that of the Holy Infant
Graded in the lowly manger on that
Christmas long ago.
There is something that Stirs within
the most of US. for praise be-" the
man or woman who looks with I'M
friendly eye upon Christmas is as rare
as the old curmudgeon who wished
with old Scrooge that every idiot who
goes about with Merry Christmas on
his lips be boiled with his own pudding
and buried with a stake of holly
the high pressure of the life in large
modern cities, where the inexora BILE
and incessant struggle for existence
must go on and every man keep awake
to his own Individual interest the
Simultaneous G1airit the
sentiment survives, and despite all
hollowness and selfishness, much pomp
of pudding and circumstance, of lavish
display in gifts. which rob us of the
delightful simplicity, chief ingredient
of the genuine spirit, we still hold to
the good old custom of keeping Christ
mas
We may celebrate with no HIGHER
ideal than Dickens pietured-the uni
versal goodwill accompanied by excess
sive eating and drinking the true
handspring of the celebration-the
spirit of humbleness and reverence en-
tirely wanting and only the material,
the outward show.
But the true peace and good will, the
heartfelt kindness and merriment-the
desire that all shall be glad on this day
of crowning cheer-that every life shall
nave some part in the good gifts on
every hand; that is the spirit that
should prompt US to celebrate this great
day of the year.
y.
yet so staunch to bear their load-that
would be SO grateful for only a thou
Sandth part of the joys that are thine;
then why not strengthen them in their
hope beyond by a little of the beauty
and cheer of the passing day. Increase
your own pleasure by banishing the
hard realism and sordid cares from the
lives of others. Let the day be one of
sweet remembrance and love, for Him
whose name it bears and for the en-
6R9TinR hOn6 nf human md
pathy.
WHY WE HANG THE MISTLETOE.
The inclination of modern times
tends toward ''ye olden days. in social
amusements and many old customs are
being revived. All Christmas customs
are looked up and much interesting in
formation gained on the subject by
those not content to blindly follow
family traditions and fashions without
knowing why.
The hanging of the mistIetoe was one
of the most honored of the Christmas
customs in olden times. The Druids-
priests of ancient Britons-kept a feast
at this sea- on, and finding the mistle-
toe growing on their sacred oaks be-
lieved it to be a special gift sent from
heaven. When it was we'll grown and
full of berries, the high priest, clothed
in flowing white robe. climbed to where
the niStletOe grew and severed it from
the oak with a golden % knife. It
being received by the priests below, it
was blessed and divided into small
pieces to be given to the people to
hang in their dwelling places, they be-
lieving it would bring heavens blessing
upon them. Another writer tells US
that the ancient Druids adopted the
plant as an emblem because it suggest
ed their own state of dependence on a
higher power, the mistletoe being Who'll
ly dependent upon the sturdy oak.
Again, it appealed to these ancient Bri-
tons because of its clear, white berries,
giving it a pure, calm appearance which
they thought suggested their own lives
of dependence, remuneration pure and
holy-as they saw it. Thus they choose
as fitting shine for worship the tower
ing oak studded with the weak uncon-
cerned but beautiful little parasite. An