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Show Set Tifr trie ?cKit free &&cvtc6 December 24 this year, the tradition tradi-tion of the Christmas tree in American Amer-ican church services will be 98 years old for lt was back in 1851 that a Lutheran minister in Cleveland, Cleve-land, Ohio, lighted the first tree at such services. ; The minister was the Rev. Henry i Schwan, pastor of the Zion Lutheran i Church on Cleveland's York street and his action brought on storm of controversy which lasted several sev-eral years. This was caused by the fact that the Christmas tree had so long been associated with pagan observance of the season that many conservatives believed lt had no place In Christian ceremonies. However, some of Her. Bchwan's congregation, especially espe-cially the children, thought the beautifully - decorated tree, glowlnff with candles, was just the spirit of the Christmas season. sea-son. But the objectors had their way and they were determined that Rev. Schwan' s tree was to be the last of the Christmas trees erected In America. Through the- years that followed, the minister did all In his power to learn of the origins of the Christmas tree tradition in order that he might how that the tradition was, far from the "heathen" ceremony .it had been called. He wrote countless letters to friends and acquaintances all over the world; he questioned strangers and made long notes of their conversations. con-versations. And, when he learned that a particular part of the world already had Christmas trees, he would mark that place on a large map which hung in his study a dark green tree where the tradition was established, a light green one where Christmas trees, at least, were known. Pastor Schwan made bis search for knowledge of the Christmas tree almost a crusade. cru-sade. But as Christmas time approached ap-proached in 1852, Rev. Schwan had not found enough church support for the tradition to light another tree at his Christmas service that year. So, with great regret, he resigned re-signed himself to the end of his hope of establishing the custom. But on December 24, he received from the pastor of one of Cleveland's Cleve-land's older churches the present of a new tree. Rev. Schwan realized Immediately that the present meant the acceptance of the custom by a churchman far more Influential than himself, and his sadness vanished. van-ished. There was a Christmas tree In the Tork street Zion Lutheran Luther-an church that year and once accepted In Cleveland, the custom cus-tom spread all over the United States. York street where Pastor Schwan's church once stood is changed now and long ago was renamed re-named Hamilton avenue; and the first tree, decorated with candles and a gold star at its top, has given way to trees with brighter, more colorful decorations. But the tradition of erecting and lighting Christmas trees, which is observed throughout the nation, is the same tradition which Pastor Schwan introduced to this country in the town of Cleveland nearly. 100 years ago. ji |