Tabor City tribune. (Tabor City, N.C.) 1946-1991, 1957-12-25

cross upon which Christ was
crucified. IN consequence Of its
having been put TO such a use,
tho mistletoe Was cursed and
tienceforth lived as an insight
ficant and parasitic plant.
Holly, however. was found to
have little, if any, legendary
connection with Christmas. It's
possible that some people have
seen the word holy in the word
holly. Yet, the bright green
leaves and the contrasting blood
red berries make it wonderful
for decoration.
The significant silence of the
Scripture has In - without
even the slightest date for fixing
the day of our Lords birth. It is
not at all remarkable that in
this, as in many other instances,
the ingenuity of man has essay
cd to supplement the oversight
on the part of Divine Wisdom.
But isn't it strange that, while
authorities on such matters diff
fer greatly as TO the date, with
great unanimity they agree that
il is NOT December IS?
And yet, nearly the whole
world has settled upon that date.
: Researchers for Star of Beth
lehem,' now being presented al
the Morehead Planetarium In
Chapel Hill have found that the
earliest reference 10 Christmas
was made by Clement Of Alex
andria, in the 400'S A. d. About
that time Christmas was not
generally observed, and among
those who did observe it. there
was already a difference of date
some observing May 20, Others
April goth. Clement disapproveC
Iot the observance and even re-
buked those who inquired into
the year and day of Christ's
birth.
ChrySoStom, who name trans
lated means the golden mouth.
ed and is a memorial of hi!
cloqucnCc, stated in sermon
preached December IS 1856 A. D
that Christmas Vas introduced
into Syria only 10 years before.
When the festival was first re.
cogniZcd in the Roman CatholiC
I church, there was a difference
between If and the Greek church
as to date. The Greek church
observed January 6, known il
Mort Carolina as Old Christmas
and the Romans liked Decembc,
les.
The Romans evidently determ-
med upon that d.tC because il
was the season 20: fcStivIty a.
mong the nations OF the earth
i was the time q! the Grca
Roman Saturn liza. marking IN,
beginning of the lcngthcnlng o,
the days. 1t was tho date of In,
Jewish feast Chanuka. common.
orating the dedication OF In,
temple of Judas MaCcabacus. o.
the old Teutonic Yulc feast, tn,
Scandinavian festival JUL and O.
the Anglo-Saxon Gcul. The Rom.
ans named il Christmas which i.
dcrIvcd from ChriSt'S Mass. be.
cause the sacrament OF the mas:
was celebrated. There were thre,
masses, one at midnight. one a
dawn and one later in the morn.
ing.
| OF course, we may expec
many legends, SupcrStitionS anC
curious customs connected viii
a festival which dates It's begin,
ming as early as the Fourth Cent.
ury after Christ. And much o
lou: modern frivolity, lncongru.
lousy associated with the day. j:
tho direct dissent of rites anc
obsefVances sanctioned by cent
IufieS Of superstition.
Il In France cspe tally the da,
Twas celebrated with and abund
lance of absurditicS. Men CLOTHED
themselves as bears and oxeI
Land initiated the first Of will
beasts at Rome. Christian sub
jectS were chosen Tor Christina
comedy.
II December Is was set apart a
st. Stephens day. md on II wa
celebrated what was called tn
Feast Of Fools. A mock bisho,
was chosen and the church turn
ell into a theatre. A part of tn
b Comedy was the Feast Of tn
= Ass. honoring the bcas. whicl
bore Christ to Jerusalem. Tn
Roman church tried 10 suppress
the folly. but was unable To d,
so till after the Reformation.