The Nashville globe. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1906-193?, 1909-12-24

At midnight the music grows softer
and then there comes a pause. The
silence is complete, except for the peal
of the Christmas chimes outside in
the village. Suddenly, as though by
an unseen hand, the curtain above the
chancel arch is drawn aside, revealing
a miniature cradle holding an image
of the Babe From the organ and the
choir bursts forth, in glad, triumphant
cadence, the ringing strains Of the
Gloria in Excelsis." The little cradle
is lowered and the "Bambino" rever-
emily raised. The worshippers pros
trate themselves upon the ground.
The sacred images are then borne
at the head of the procession to the
chapel Of the manger. Priests, monks
and congregation all carry lighted
wax tapers and move in solemn ca
dence with the chant. The Grottc Of
the Nativity is reached. Once a sub
terranean vault, 1t has been converted
into a chapel lined and foored with
marble. Directly over the manger is
an altar profusely decorated in gold
and silver and silken tapestries. In
cense is burning ~fragrantly, and lamps
that are never allowed to go out cast
their dim radiance over the crowd.
A large star Of brass marks the spot
where Christ vas born and bears the
inscription in Latin: "Here Jesus
Christ was born of the Virgin Mary"
The little Manager, with its wax fig
ure of the Christ Child, is devoutly
laid upon the altar. 1t rests there
for the remainder Of the week, a symbol
of alteration for the multitude. From
chapel to chapel, the long procession
slowly wends its way, with its chants
and lighted tapers. The services are
continued nearly all night long on
this spot where first came to the faith
full shepherds the message Of "Glory
to God in the Highest, and on Earth
Peace, Good Will Toward Men"
From Palestine to France Of the
present day is a far cry in point OF
time, distance and customs Of celeDra-
ton. Aside from the church services
there is much of interest in the land
of "Mo'sieur" at Christmas. The day
is chiefly for children, though, OF
course, the grown-ups lose sight of the
real meaning of it no more than do the
fathers and mothers of u own land.
In France the great symbol of Christ
mas is the mistletoe. All owe North
ern France it is cut in car loads, car
ried to the quaint quays Of seaport
towns and shipped to England-for
John Bull comes nowhere bear supply
ing the Christmas demand for mistle'
toe for his own lan1.
Just before Christmas the French
lads and lassies go out into the hoard
old forests and search for mistletoe.
The boy who sees the first tuft gives
a shout of joy, climbs the tree, cuts
it and is carried back in triumph with
his prize, as king Of the feast. The
mistletoe is hung above the entrance
to a door and the young girls pass be-
meath it, one by one, to be kissed by
the first lad who catches them. On all
Paris streets as Christmas mistletoe
is for sale, and it is a real Christmas
necessity.
A queer superstition clings to this
winter blossom in the minds Of the
ignorant French peasants-the burn
ing of the mistletoe. Ugly practices
and crazy exaltation have been known
to take hold Of an entire village, with
the superstitious excitement attending
the burning of the mistletoe. The
custom is, apparently, an ancient n
from the Celts. A part Of the bios
som is broken up into little bits, placed
in a pan and held over the blazing
fire. The ashes are carefully col
lected, placed in little bags and dis
tributed, to be worn around the neck
as talismen. frequently these little
bags are buried in the middle Of a
field to bring good crops.
Some wives Of the French peasants
hold that these little bags are marvel