The Elbert County tribune., 1909-12-16

Dy many, 1t is a Christian feast erafted on t
u pagan one. Its history is age long. The ac
.,n. ,ns,ituuon OF Christmas the celebra-
t,on OF the nativity of Jesus Christ dates from
tne second century of the Christian err 81
Cnrysostom says that 1t was observed from
the beginning. according to western practice
from ihrace to the Straits of Gibraltar. and
all the rest" "a
But as to the time of the celebration there
was diversity of observance The early
Cnrlstlan church naturally kept Easter as COM
memorative Of the resurrection of Christ
which the apostles were especially chosen and
instructed to proclaim, and the feast of Pen.
eecost, which became the birthday of the
cnurcn, came next in order. Then to these
were added two Others the one commemora-
tive OF the baptism of Jesus Christ and the
other Of his birth The first of these the
Epiphany. or Manifestation came from the
east to the west. The second Christmas or
the nativity, came from the west to the east
The two were officially recognized and quite
widely kept in both the east and west in the
fourth century. In a sermon preached by the
Golden -Mouthed In Antioch on December 25.
A. D. 1856, he speaks of the festival of Christ
mas as having first become known there 10
years before and another occasion he in
vites his hearers to participate In its an.
preaching observance.
But as to the for the selection of
December 25 Christmas day, first arrived at
by the Hippolytes. there is much difference of
opinion. 1t is held by some that the German
name of the festival "weihnacht" is literal
translation of the Hebrew "Chanuka" the
Jewish festival of the publication of the
temple by Judas Maccabeus which begins on
December II, and that the Passover and
Pentecost were perpetuated in Easter and
Whitsuntide. SO the festival of the Publication
has been preserved in Christmastide and the
practice of burning candles on the Christmas
trees has come from the old Hebrew feast.
Early Festivals.
But the Publication hardly be num-
bered among the greater and important festi
walls of the Hebrews and, as Schan says there
is really Old Testament feast correspond
ing to Christmas. The weight of opinion
as to the time of year chosen by the Chris
tian church in the west lies in another and
entirely different solution Of the question and
links the Christian observance to the ancient
practice of the heathen world
It must be remembered in this connection
that the particular date was first fixed upon
by the Roman branch of the church, and at
that season of the year series of pagan fes-
tivals occurred which were closely interviewer
with the civil and social life of the Roman
people. These festivals had import which
lent itself to the growth of the Christian
faith, and they may have been spiritually
adopted by the church in order to counteract
their evil tendencies and at the same time ad-
vance the cause of the new religion
The Saturnalia, for instance. represented
the peaceful times of the golden age and abol-
ished sharp distinctions between citizen and
Eerf. But 1t time of wild and unholy
revelry. Then the Brumalia-the feast OF the
shortest day or winter solstice-was the COM
memoration of the birthday of the new sun
about to return to the earth. 1t the dies
natais invicti soils" In the old mythology of
the sun worshlpers it the birthday of
Methras himself. and. in fact the time of year
wher from unnumbered ages before the Chris