The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1910-12-17

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.A Der, rather the week about
MI that time has been cele-
&yEN brated for many ages with
~ rejoicing. Long before the
Christian era the pa
gan astronomers decided that these
were the shortest days before the sun
returned to northern lands to bring
another spring and seed time and har-
vest The dreary winter was at its
worst, and the coming days would
nave longer hours of light and sun
shine and the reawakening of ma
ture. Therefore sing and be joyful.
The Egyptians held a festival in honor
or the birth of their god Horus The
Romans called it the birthday of the
lnVlnc1ble SUM-" and dedicated 1t to
Bacchus, rejoicing with him that the
sun was about to return and revivify
the vineyards. The PersianS held a
Iestlcal OF uncommon splendor as the
Dlrthday OF Mithras, the mediator, a
spirit or the sun. In the north coun-
try among the worshipers of Odin it
was a nature festival of riotous feast
Ing, because the fast of winter was
approaching its end. 1t has been a
Ing to ancient written history since
the beginning, and obscure tribes in
remote nations have legends of their
own about what we call Christmas.
TIDE the feast of peace and good will.
AS Christianity brought It's blessings
10 follow the good Of past religions. it
seems only right that the birth of
christ should come at a time of gen
eral rejoicing 1t made it easier for
the pagans to turn to the Saviour of
Light. at time when the returning
sunshine in the skies was symbolical
OF the feeling of brotherly kindness
Wnlch was taught in the love of a lit
Tie child. And so as early as the Sec
ono century the church celebrated
christmas day when the heather were
honoring their gods.
Inc Christmas celebration, as we
know It, Is but reincarnation of the
1uletlde or the Anglo Saxon tribes.
singing Is proper way to manifest
JOY. 1t delights the singer and gives
pleasure to others. The churchly car
OILS were not enough for the hearty
Keeling. The pagan feasting remains.
And so with that divine old carol.
-Adeste Fidelis." are convivial songs
Come hither, ye faithful;
Triumphantly sing;
Come, see the manger,
Our Saviour and King!
To Bethlehem hasten,
With joyous accord!
On, come We, come hither,
To worship the Lord!
The contrast lies in "a Carole
Bringing in Ye Bore's Heed"
Capri apri defero,
Reddens laudes domino.
The Bore's head in hand bring 1,
With garlands gay and rosemary;
And l pray you all sing merely,
Outs estils in convivio.
The church of the early days had
some of the wisdom of modern social
service. 1t entertained its parishion-
ers in a worldly way as well as in
stilled religious doctrine. The mys-
terry, miracle plays and mummeries
enacted under the direction of the
clergy rehearsed the scene in the
stable. These plays gave rise to a
number of legendary carols. The
Cherry Tree Carol was popular in
London in the last century. 1t related
the story of the Virgin begging joseph
to pluck some cherries for her. and
when he rufusing, the unborn babe
speaks and tells his mother to reach
out her hand and the tree will bow
before her. and the carol goes on to
say:
Then bespake Joseph.
l have done Mary wrong" etc.
Another carol of this time is full of
beautiful imagery.
LAS Joseph was a-waIkinR.
He heard an angel sing
The night shall be born,
Our heavenly king:
He neither shall be born
In house nor in hall
Nor In the place of Paradise.
But in an ox's STALL" etc.
This Is In the same spirit as our IA.
miliar:
While shepherds watched their socks
by night
All seated on the ground.
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
Fear not, said he uor mighty dread
Had seized their troubled mini.
Glad udlngs OF great joy l bring
To you and all mankind"
And who would forget the swing of
melody. and the charity taught in
Good King Weneslaus looked forth
On the least of Stephen"
he saw the beggar gathering fuel
In the snow that lay round about -.
and calls to his servants to bring him
robes and wine and to fetch the moor
man in from the cold.
In the rural districts the nature fes-
tival lived long after the church had
taken the feast. There were remains
Of tree worship and sacrifice to Pc