| Show A MERRY CHRISTMAS AS T TO 0 OUR FRIENDS JJ av t the if 0 1 fits M will not dot bave another interview wili lilt its friebis dilill ULM feasting las etli 0 iho of out our are arc ftc ate 1 tike ake ahlis oc to olt all of 0 them 1 s I inor iner I 1 91 gilfie to so our readers the compliments of tile season and fl nanny A happy mccur reri cotI of it chwe do in ili all sin coilty slid and cordiality tok few rations of a character ou on that occasion way not le be the tu etory of the holiday which is by christendom is full of interest it is to the anniversary ot of the birth of him to bose cradle the lovise nian in on were guided by tho the mirac tilous star bibich was over the humble homo home of ilia parents k alia th of auy dy celebration bration ll 11 of the the anniversary of the t fi viors giors birth reach lick back to about the Ex idia adle iddle of 0 the second century tint but no to certain traces of if it are arc found further bar back I 1 than the time of the roman emperor Comi Com nodus modus who nourished near the close of that alint rii call tury during buring the rc rein iga of about the close clo c of r atile the third century lie of nico media a where that emperor fam las then holdin holding court turned out in giat er for the pur burpoe poe of celebrating the birthday of ct jesus while tile the multitude am as cabled in a church the lio cruel emperee ordered the doors closed and fastened nn nit the outside this done lie caused the lie building tobe to lie act on oil lire and the aaion perished lit in the flames fla ince during the curly carly centuries of 0 the christinn ern era there IM is its no UD uniformity ivonn in ili tile day is which was cal iseri ell as tile annis some dinies it vo ft us as celebrated cele bratel etcil in may bt at others in in april aud timea ill ili january Ja uary there is picot going to lo show that the butu 0 of the basior sm bior did not occur in ili on uie tile night lie was sons borto born the w were ere wa their hocks ou ott the I lain durin december ber occurs the height of the rainy season in ill rate tuie fine ond and it is highly improbable that at such a time shepherds would be out on hie at with their flocks among the causes that operated cooperated co in fixing filing the he festival of the nativity upon the sith of 0 december one of 0 the most poo ci fill WAS the re ard that the lending leading li enthen nations in in 4 europe fiu ope land fo toe the winter sol bice they looked upon it as a most important point of tile year car nid md as the luc beAu i ika of lenew cl life and energy among the powers of nature the ancient celts belts ant and germans celebrated brat edthe the season with will tile alic glea greatest test the incho rights from to eth for tilled them a peculiarly sa bcd tred peri oil as they believed that durigg it their principal deities made interferences iu ila tile the affairs ol of canh during this thin time lime tile he heathen athell german tribes celebrated their grail greit religious festival in loner boner odthe of the return of the fiery sun stick wheel prior to so the conversion of tile dells germans german nail anil romans to that religion hall become greatly catly corrupter corrupt cl and ami with their coni coin arsion it became still more I 1 so io as races iacoi borated with it ninny of their he leatheni atheni I 1 1 ideas I pr 3 mil and traditions oni it hii HM H M not difficult to harmonize their lliter ideas of ft a renewal of 0 life in ili fit t the winter solstice with the romail catholic Catli olic idea of 0 the regencia tiou tion of mankind as ai A result of tile birth of a savior the b buo period ot of the 39 i cur arins nis chosen for the festival 0 of Chils christs ts birth and ami gradually the of ie temper was accepted na As the precise ciso late dale chis this at least leant is ih alie accepted theory of 0 tile the mannar in which december came to be upon tor for tile festival of the na the custom of making pres cats on oil that day is probably pro bally founded upon the scrip scripture turo text GOI god so loved the horld is orld that lie gave liis his oil only ly begotten sou son that hoever belie soc on oil 1110 might have ing life the f giving giring of to those we lolie loic 16 ib thoo glit to haic originally been ai u custom in lit coln mc me of coils oils great gift to mankind a babior and hanging shot gitl gift on oil a tree is a probable origin of the christmas tree in the llie roman catholic Calli ulic church for many centuries christmas has aas been obb ered ith solemn unit anil asive ceremonies Ks slid ami festivities but tle tile whole of tile llie dissenters the Vu aurita rita who came to aralica rejected Christi nig as a mail annn invented institution later they accepted it aan BS n holiday oliday li to lie cele celebrated bratel liy by family reunions re rc unions festivities sc in I 1 mcw cw england not much attention atten lion was paid to UK the anniversary even is as an all occasion for social retention ion until vo knitli ith in the present durin during the last live five decad decades 1 esto houver the regard for boril toril it laa has increased in ajl ail parts of tho the united states eo 80 hill it I 1 il now tin an event of the be greatest finiol to mice atice socially nini acid commercially itally no I 1 period briod of c the year is in ing to trades people nor more clil oral cly ell tor for thun linn the clarist Cli rial aias As holidays alit and during no period of 0 the 3 ear car ot of similar length is ii om inertial activity so BO gadrat in m lilt country coun tri and rr brogland as luring during tile few cw weeks preceding As abono stated there tire arc gool g ool reasons for foi dalie ing that thai tile baior sa bior I 1 n as not born in december nor jantry airy to al alanl rit or my is the llie lionor honor fur far more likely to bodong for all 11 ll of any evidence to lo the contrary cont raly it occurred in fit april indeed it lil seem most perfectly to accord with the eternal fitness ol of things could the great ei event out be on cn to calap occurred tarred on the sixth day of 0 that month for it is H an ai angher sary on bich little linic transpired more thiu one chent bading a close connection the salvation salici tion of mankind mani lill and with lite birth anio in ision slon fail and I 1 death of the sa bior wb ahei atei c r may be tile true dato date of tile atieh ors try its it celt cc bration commemorates Me the greatest event that hull lias has cier happened in our bc binco ginco sin alic dawn of creation anil alit I 1 the aking of gifts to buelt as ore are poor and needy is as good a method meshed as we can adopt to tool testify tily to our heavenly father our appreciation of liis HIS gift to us its of a savior sai ion malc make then ihen the diy daiy a merry one not alone to those alio ho gather st at the least spread on your own war board hut but also to 0 o those aiom an inscrutable providence nce lias has ith beld the lie boun ties you enjoy tle the scabon of tile the 3 bear car lit is inclement onto many i tire are out of work A ork family expenses are arc higher than lining the milder months and anany circumstances cum clinks stances lances coralline combine to make of christmas a n most appropriate occa casion for the bestowal al of chailey chail ty then be not niggardly ni eardly at nicil I 1 I 1 knoof kno know of ot any in our neighbor neighborhood hooI whose merriment at ahk merry seaon season son is clouded liy by grief or poverty holi hol I not back lite consolation that till 1111 mitigate the alic one nor the relief that will alleviate alleNia te the other oilier so god requite thy goodness alli redouble reilo uble thine ovo ov it enjo me lucent lit of this the festive season of tile defir |
