The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1909-12-25

Egyptians, but they require clever them
out man capable of getting great results from small
data"
At the period when these authors wrote all learn
ing and science confined to very circle
initiates. The common folks kept in strict igno
Of the true meaning of their festivals; the mys
teries hidden book to their true Significance
and only the outward and visible sign the celebrations
came within their ken How far the were kept
by these mtotes-a combination compared with which
our steer and sugar trusts sink into nsigncance
too well known every student Thusjin many cases
1t is Impossible to trace definitely the actual OF
these ancient myths and customs and attempts
force must necessarily remain much In the nature of
PATCHWORK quit scrap gathered here and there from
the ancient writings helps up the quilt the
ultimate stage has a somewhat crazy appearance.
1t is all the more exasperatng because many OF these
early writer's, such Herodotus Pluarch and others
nave stopped snort In their screeds just when few
ira words would have eased the knots that now prevent
us from unraveling the sken They initiates and
mus sworn to silence Their oahs however did pre-
vent them whetng curiosity leaving us in 20.
siion where Plutarch cynicay remarks would in.
deed be clever task to get results from small
data"
Athenaeus, another of the old Greek gossipers in
speaking of the policy the adopting the Gus
toms of peoples whom they had conquered says For it
Is the conduct Of prudent by those ancient
institutions under which they their ancestors have
lived and made war and subdued the of the
world and yet at the time If there any use
iu or honorable institutions among the peoples whom
they have subdued those they take for their imitation at
the same time they take their prisoners And this was
the conduct OF the Romans in olden time they main.
tanning their national customs. the time intro.
duced from the nations whom they had subdued every
relic OF desirable practices which they found This In
measure the policy of the early fathers IN adapt.
Ing heather feass and sacrifices the festivals of the
church With them, however 1t was rather n case of
adaptation than of adoption believing that the new Or
der OF things would easier to the converts to the
Christian religion If the changes were not made too
sweeping nor too harsh. Thus II is so many of the
customs connected with festivals come down TO
us from time long prior to the birth OF the Saviour
Unlike the many customs connected with the ceebra.
ton of Christmas. those OF the beginning of the New
Year seems to bear more of the stamp pagansm AZ
the same time such customs show rather close resem.
bance due In large measure to the fact both can
be traced 10 the celebrations the ancient festival of
the Saturnalia and winter solstce when the old year
went out and the new in. a period Of general re-
jocing and 1t must be admitted Of degree of row.
dyism, noise and license which all the Nominations of
church councils in the Middle Ages and city ordinances
and orders of chiefs police in these later DAVIS have
unable to suppress The youngser of TODAY with
his horn is just as prominent in creating racket rs was
HIS prototype of n couple of thousand years ago
OF late years this period noise has been largely re-
strcted the Christmas New Year but for
merly the period closely following Christmas day was one
Of continuous jollidcaton Mummors porambulated the
stress Of the towns and villages and the Lord Msrue
the Abbot of lnreasOn the AbbaS Stultorum held
sway. The "Fete Of Fools" celebrated on the three
days following Christmas, eliminating Holy uuocents
day in general jamboree. in which not even the
churches spared Young people dressed themselves
up the great dgnitares of the church and the
very Offices have been paradied and dances held
In the churches The second Of the Council Cog
nae held in 1860, put under pain Of accommodation all
such masquoradcd bishops, etc At the councils
held at Nantes in 1881, and Bourges 143S, tulmua
lions hurled against the yFee Of Fools while
early 1912 the celebration abolished by the council
held at Paris Yet the custom of Incorporating the
days following Christmas is not yet extinct in many dis.
rics and elsewhere. but the celebration has
been shorn of much Of its pcturequeness and a the
sapAa time Of its extreme license.