Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1909-12-23

Egyptians, but they require a clever man to hunt them
out, a man capable of getting great results from small
data,
AT the period when these two authors wrote, all learn
ing and science were confined to a very narrow circle of
Initiates. The common folks were kept in strict igno-
rance of the true meaning of their festivals; the mys-
teries were a hidden book as to their true significance,
and only the outward and visible sign Of the celebrations
came within their ken. How far the secrets were kept
by these initiates-a combination compared with which
our steel and sugar trusts sink into mere insignifcance-
is too well known to every student. Thus in many cases
it is impossible to trace definitely the actual basis of
these ancient myths and customs and any attempts, per-
force, must necessarily remain much in the nature of a
patchwork quilt. A scrap gathered here and there from
the ancient writings helps to work up the quilt, but the
ultimate stage has a somewhat crazy appearance.
1t is all the more exasperating, because many of these
early writer's. such as Herodotus, Plutarch and others
have stopped short in their screeds just when a few ex-
ira words would have eased the knots that now prevent
us from unraveling the skein. They were initiates and
thus sworn to silence, Their oaths, however, did not pre-
vent them whetting our curiosity and leaving us in a po-
sition where, as Plutarch cynically remarks, it would in
deed be a clever task to get great results from small
Aata."
Athenaeus. another of the old Greek gossipers, in
speaking of the policy of the Romans in adopting the GUS
toms of peoples whom they had conquered says: For it
is the conduct of prudent men to abide by those ancient
institutions under which they and their ancestors have
lived, and made war upon and subdued the rest of the
world; and yet at the same time, If there were any use
full or honorable institutions among the peoples whom
they have subdued, those they take for their imitation at
EhE HdhlG luG uo thCS ldh INCL 1oOhSA F1IA bio q
the conduct of the Romans in olden time; for they, main
tanning their national customs, at the same time intro.
duced from the nations whom they had subdued every
relic of desirable practices which they found This, in
a measure, was the policy Of the early fathers in adapt
ing heather feasts and sacrifices to the festivals of the
church. With them, however, 1t was rather a case of
adaptation than Of adoption, believing that the new or
der of things would come easier to the converts to the
Christian religion IL the changes were not made too
sweeping nor too harsh. Thus 1t is that so many of the
customs connected with our festivals have come down to
x- frnp, +tn,o1 lang rinr - h hirfh IF tho Saviour
Unlike the many customs connected with the celebra-
ton of Christmas, those of the beginning Of the New
Year seems to bear more of the stamp of paganism. At
the same time such customs show a rather close resem-
blance, due in a large measure to the fact that both can
be traced to the celebrations round the ancient festival of
the Saturnalia and winter solstice, when the old year
went out and the new came in; a period of general re-
joicing, and it must be admitted of a great degree OF row
dyisn, noise and license which all the fulminations Of
church councils in the Middle Ages and city ordinances
and orders of chiefs of police in these later days have
been unable to suppress. The youngster of to-day with
his horn is just as prominent In creating a racket as was
his prototype of a couple of thousand years ago.
OF late years this period of noise has been largely re-
stricted to the ewes of Christmas and New Year, but for
merly the period closely following Christmas day was one
of continuous jolihcation, Mummers perambulated the
stress of the towns and villages, and the Lord of Misrule,
the Abbot Of Unreason or the Abbas Stultorum held
sway. The "Fete Of Fools" was celebrated on the three
days following Christmas, eliminating on Holy Innocents
day in a general Ja1nboree, In which not even the
churches were spared. Young people dressed themselves
up as the great dignitaries Of the church, and even the
very Offices seem to have been paradied and dances held
in the churches. The second canon Of the Council OF Cog
mac, held in 1860, put under pain Of accommodation all
such as masqueraded as bishops, etc. AT the councils
held at Nantes In 1881, and at Bourges in 1888, fulmina
lions were hurled against the "Fete Of Fools" while as
early as 1919 the celebration was abolished by the council
held at Paris. Yet the custom of masquerading on the
days following Christmas is not yet extinct in many dis
trictg Of France and elsewhere, but the celebration has
been shorn Of much Of its picturesqueness and at the
same time OF fits extreme license.