The Topeka state journal., 1919-12-25
RR(it!,e))se Of @sRsg2ss
6s1iseagfDe gristYas
Saint and Pagan, Puritan and Druid,
Civilization and dBarbarisn, Contribute to
MerrymaRing in Topeka Homes Today.

ern or Latin church, because of the
many lights or candles used at the
festival, or rather. because Christ the
Light of all lights, that true Light,
on that evening was born.
But the church also sought to
Danish the deep rooted heather feeling
by adding, for the publication of the
heathen customs and feasts which it
retained, its grady devised liturgy,
besides dramatic representations of the
birth of Christ and the first events of
His life. From these sprang the So
called manager songs and multi
tude of Christmas carols and s'mys-
terry plays.
At a later period the Christ trees or
Christmas trees, adorned with gifts
and lights, originated, together with
the custom of reciprocal presents and
of special Christmas meats, cakes, pies,
etc. This season has been from earli-
est times one of feasting and merry
making and care or worry OF any des-
scription was to be ignored and the
gravest person expected to be merry
and join in cheerful songs.
The minced pie was one of the chief
dishes at the feasts, and one prepared
for a nobleman's dinner party as late
as 1910, is described as containing 2
bushels of flour, 20 pounds of but
ter, 4 geese, 2 turkeys, rabbits, 4
wild ducks. 2 woodcocks, snipe, and
partridges, 2 meats tongues, cur
lews, blackbirds, 6 pigeons. 1t was
nearly nine feet in circumference at
bottom, weighed 168 pounds and
took two men to bring it to the
table. Il was fitted on a case on four
wheels to facilitate it's use to every
guest ut table
Woodland Spirits Refuge.
The decorating of churches and
homes with evergreens is a custom
hax 20
been usual for the believers in Druid
ism to deck their homes with ever
green's in December, in order that the
spirits of the woodland might take
refuge ther ain, and remain unharmed
by frost or cold until the coming of
spring renewed the LEAKAGE of their
natural homes. But the early Chris
tians were forbidden to decorate their
homes with evergreens at this season,
altho it was allowable at other times.
While mistletoe is used in the deco
rating of houses, it is never used in
sacred edifices unless fhru mistake or
ignorance. 1t held a place of dis
tinction in the heather rites of Druid
ism and therefore was regarded as a
profane plant. The chief festival of
the Druids was called Yule-tide, cele-
brated at the time of the winter SOL
stice (our Christnas), and the mistle-
toe. call Al-heal, from the belief in
its wonderful curative powers, was
then laid upon their affairs.
In the Roman Catho'ic church each
priest celebrates three masses at
Christmas; at midnight, at daybreak
and in the morning The day is also
observed by the Anglican church with
the celebration Of the Holy Eucharist
at midnight and in the morning, and
also religiously observed by the Luth-
eran church
The Scotch Presbyterians and Eng
1ish Nonconformists generally regard
all religious observance of the day as
"a human invention and savoring too
much Of papistry."
Puritans Ignored Day.
It is said that the Puritan founders
Continued on Page Twelve)