New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-12-08

Gil passed December 2i 1852 This cdict prohibited
any church exercises that should in any way recognize
the abhorcd Christmas. II meant for this partiCu
lar festival OCCASION singing it out for special represye
action; but 1t was only repetition and confirmation
Of an order Of the same tenor but Of wider scope passed
in 1917 which cxpurgatcd all the So-cacd holy days
The government OF Cromwell vigorously enforced the
act Of 1862. its soldiers cOntSCating everything that
might contribute to the festivities Of Christmas.
This sort Of treatment not at all peasan, for the
mass OF English people Of that time, with their legends
customs. and sentiments Possibly Christmas meant
more 20 them than 20 other people OF that period
They had in mind that their King John was born on
the Christmas Of 1876; and that it was on Christmas
day that William the Conqucror was crowned as King
in Westminster Abbey. They may not have cared to
remember what Cromwell did not forgct,-that II was
on a Christmas day in the reign OF Henry '. that Lon
don was given the spectacle OF poor old Lord Gotham
Of the religious sect Of Lolards. hung up in chains in
what is now St. Gilcs-nthc- Fields and slowly roasted
TO death for the alleged crimes OF hercsy and treason
The papsts punished, in the name OF their church 50
many assumed crimes against 1t that It IS not II al
surprising that when the herccS under "Od \oI did
get the upper hand they undertook to eliminate all the
cherished religious obScrvanccs OF their once pulcSS
enemy
WHEN King Charles H. came to the throne his poo
w pie once more had their great day Of jollity and
generosity Its return not the studied purpose OF
his Majesty who had special regard for the day se
but because he was a merry sort OF monarch, win
style OF mclfllntnl peculiarly Ills OWL dp4 Na--t W
keep his ecclesiastical adjuncts popSh and puritan IN
good humor. In this way. II in other, he did vast
amount Of good; for it is difficult TO imagine what
humanity would have become had the puritan ieprva-
ton remained unchanged.
Though the dav has been battered about ike a nod
ern football denounced by fanatcal few as festival
Of acrid shams and ldotc mummereS, II has sway OF
unbelievable power all classes OF society. with lew
poor rich but that the appointed twenty-iour
hours makes them glad rgcncrous, or both Who cares
whether the festival be an adapted legacy from aehen-
dom so long il is a heart warmer:
THE mummcrv part Of Christmas is and has been for
children. They would feel lonesome without a
Santa Claus of some kind. The original OF this merry
old Sart was named Nicholas, and he became Bishop
Of Myra when very young After his death he WAS can
onzed as the saint for children and in his memory was
established a festival that began December g. but was
aftcrward transferred to Christmas Day In olden
times in England the churches chose choirboy 70 rep,
resent the saint. Properly coStumcd tins lad went round
his parish and was given money and SwectmcatS. IN
later times, say century and half ago the boys OF
England were still keeping up the customs oi thcif
saint festival. On Christmas Day they went INTO the
churches singing, carrying on the arms baskets O
nice red apples with Spng of rosemary IN each lhey
gave the fruit to the congregation, receiving IN return
fourpencc SXpcncc. according TO tie station IN he o.
the gvcr. 1t was the old-faShoncd boy who stirred
the heart To goodness and broke the gloom OF winter
night with his Christmas carols.
But England does not hold patent on the day or
It's saint though the AngloSaXon does the most Of inc
celebrating. The saint is credited with going round inc
world in twcnty-four hours, starting in the middle ~
the Pacific Ocean, on the S0th meridian OF longitude
though the children of Finland and Norway think OF
him living among the iccbcrgS OF the North Pole ana
Christmas night Scooting through the air IN Sledge
drawn by four reindeer. In Germany the fathers DB
boots often take the place of the regulation stocking
The peasant boys of France wooden shoes rs GIT
holders and the days saint is a clown in cap and bells
Austrian boys and girls a good way behind me
times for they are still sticking to the original s.
Nicholas Day, December t. II doesn't seem as II they
could get much fun ont of the OCCASION; for they are
examined in their CatcChSm rewarded where they
knnM thcir cssnns or mrnrl nNcr 10 trnmhloSnmo de-