The Wrangell sentinel., 1930-12-25

lTduilluu-ludl SlEOuStSl iAHh III any chain that ties the human race to any of the customs that it's many lands and people share in common has, and people share in memorial the keystone upon which has been built the whole structure of Christ mas.
 Back 2,000 years before the birth of the child Jesus in the stable at Bethlehem, there are historic evil denees of the keeping of season that was in spirit much like the essential character of the Christmas season that tradition has brought down to us. despite the natural in clination of the Christian world to date the great festival from the birth of Christ.
 Authentic record of the actual date and season of the year in which the Christ was born has nev- CT. however, been established, and historians disagree as to both. It was many years after his life on earth, however. before December 25 was fixed as the date for celebration of his birthday. and from that time on Christendom united in accepting the day as sacred to his birth and to his service-the Christmas.
 Forerunner of Carols
 Going back before the Christian era. students of the festival have found traces that most of the na- tions of ancient time recognized the period of that which we know as the winter solstice as a reason for rejoicing. The return march of the sun up into the heavens, and the seasons turn from short day and long nights to days of lengthening light and warmth. impelled nat ural demonstration of pleasure that it was so. The Roman Saturnalia. which fell at such a period. was such a festivity of rejoicing marked by privileges and hailed as exempt from ills, with the spirit of mirth and unbounded license abroad ey- ervwhere. The hymns of this time to the sun were fore-runners of our Christmas carols. Presents were passed from friend to friend. Gifts were made to the poor. quarrels for gotten and feuds ended.
 Tn the northern countries of an- cient Europe the god Thor was the object of similar celebration at the same season. the song, dance and feast festival universal and mingled with the savage religious rites. Some authorities find the origin of the word "Yule" in the name of this ebration-"Yule, "Jule. '' ''Iul." or "Iol."
 Origin of Festival
 The Christian festival of the Ma tivity has incorporated the charac- ter of these early celebrations and appears to have been appointed very shortly after the establishment of a new religion. It is first definitely recorded in the history of the sec ond century, although there are in dications that it was in order even earlier. Students of Christmas, al though disagreeing upon the exact time of the birth of Jesus, agree that in the early years of the church there was a union celebra- tion of the Nativity and the Epiph- any in the belief that the birth of Jesus coincided with the appearance of a star in the East which reveal ed it to the Gentiles.
 The word Kris'mas is held to be ''Christ's mass" however, and the word Noel is from the French word "nouyelles. meaning tidings, Druids. Romans. Saxons, Jews, and Anglo-Saxons have all kept such a festival, marked in the days of the Romans by temporary equality of slaves and masters, of the Druids by the use of evergreens and the mistletOe in temple rites, by the Jews with a dedication of their tenn ples. and in the days of the Anglo Saxons by the elaborate customs which have long endured and which marked the Middle Ages.
 Crowned on Christmas Day
 A succession of Roman emperors that began with Charlemange was crowned on Christmas day, includ- ing Alfred the Great (whose defeat by the Danish host is held to have