Show CUTTING rhe MISTLETOE A an n ancient arkil it sew cw vear cistern now hov tile mistletoe ila lias for many years been generally wi associated with tile alio celebration of Chris tinaa but in lit ant t the ting of the mistletoe was in lion honor or of thi the new year the druid i were summoned Bumm oneil to meet at this tinie time by tile the supreme pontiff the priests cams came forth from their forests and travers traversed cd their various clinti districts acts inviting to faithful to follow theril them vit I 1 the I 1 cry of if kal ical first liy day of the year or Ic alonna gift to attend the hie holy ceremony ot of bui ui mistletoe of tile the new year the pontiff of the al order was i s iti its polie numbers of the clergy and laity were present at the fete the ceremony opener with a for tile cimona mistletoe upon a i tice of thirty yein beare ye in growth all ami the bo fumul was to become by its conw consecration cration the pan lian cri crist strum rinn or panacea for all v aoa when the mistletoe was waa found a triangular altar of earth was rai ed at tit th 3 foot of the tree on ielli il it had been discovered disco vereil and then commenced a pro plo acci sin firby alie cun ducting two white bulls which hail had never been subjected to a yoke these were follo followed weil by the bards who sang hymns in fit lionor of the he supreme being next nest f amo ame the novi vicea cei students aud and disciples accompanied by a herald ill in white then follo followed weI the most ancient pontiffs one ca liying aleal bleal that was to be offered up tho the second two acs ics cs els ono one filled with water and the other with vt wine irie and the third a hand made of ivory attached to a wand symbolical of justice and power pov cr next came the clergy preceded by the supreme pontiff in a lobe and wearing a girdle of goll gold and the procession closed aith the nobles tini and the people T tho bo cortege having arrived beneath tl the tree the after pi pr aters 13 ers burned a inor morsel el of bread and poured some wine and water on tho the altar and divided whit what remained awong among tho assistant priests this done ho he ascended the tree and cut off with a golden sickle the mistletoe anti and dropped it into th the robs robe of one of if the principal pontiffs who recci received ved it with profound reverence the supreme pou tiff aided by the eu en bagi then the two bulls and concluded tile the religious ceremony by praying with liis bis arms raised that god would permit his benediction to rest upon the gift lie was about to distribute among amon the people then prostrate upon the ground immediately afterward the inden inferior i or priests distributed as a gift to tile assem assembled blet I 1 multitude particles of the sacred inist mistletoe letoe they sent bent portions also to the temple anil and to the chieftains who felt honored in receiving it arid and who as art an let act of 0 b ion and as a talisman against it round their nedr in t time I 1 ofis rv S sickles vo en spi spirits rits were expelled by it nothing evil was capable of diminishing its celestial power and lightning itself would not fall upon the house that contained it philada el phia jiries |