Pe 4. THE G AZETTE TIMES, Heppner. OR, T1urdy, Dec. 23,
1976
, (Continued from Page 1)
tiw ,ic "AHosto Fideles ' or v Come, Ai ie
, wic ui . .... ,,,, a
I Faithful" is of Latin origin. The Bnusn are espeoauj
f "God Rest Ye Merry. Gentlemen." John Wesley's brother
Charles wrote "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing!" in 17. f
Joseph Mohr, the pastor of a ctiurcn in auk,
words to "Silent Night" on Christinas Eve, 1818, and the f
church organist, Franz Gruber, composea me -
J carol on the same evening, so that they could present it at the
1. Mice
A Boston minister, Phillips Brooks, wrote "0 Uttte Town I
I of Bethlehem" in 1868 after a Christmas visit to Christ s
f birthplace. Only the Psalms of David were sung m the
Anglican Church before 1700. In 1703, Nahum Tate wrote f
"While Shepherds Watched Their Flocks" and set it to a f
familiar melody taken from an opera by Handel. f
I "0 Holy Night" ("Cantique de Noel") brought fame to the S
French composer, Adolphe Adam, "wnite uiraunaa
"Jingle Bells" first appeared as popular songs in me uiu
States.
Mistletoe
in orw-inf r.aul and Britain. misUetoe was worshipped by .
S the Druids. During winter celebrations, a uruia priest wouia
climb a tree where mistletoe grew and cut it down with a
golden sickle.
Two white oxen were sacrificed as part of the ritual, and
S the mistletoe was distributed to the people to te nung m meir s
t homes. It was a symbol of peace and good fortune, and if 9
i. m h.,nru. in. k nnripr such a SDraV. they a
v enemies siiuum uohivu - &
5 dropped their weapons and embraced. This evolved into the 5
I custom of sweethearts kissing under the mistletoe.
I Christmas Candles
X I
Probably at no other time are so many candles used in so
many homes as at Christmastime. We can look to the Irish
t for the development of this custom. Candles were placed in
t their windows for the purpose oflighting the way for the Holy f
Family. The flickering candle denoted a place where the j
Holy Family would be welcomed and would not be turned 9
away, as they had been at the inns of Bethlehem.
Holly & evergreens
f The use of holly and evergreens in homes is also said to
have come from the Romans. They felt that the greenery
I kept the evil spirits from their homes. It is written tha f
S Christians accepted this custom only because by not
trimming their homes, they were conspicuous and were P
marked as Christians and thus fair game for the gladiators.
Gift giving
Christian nations associate their gift-giving directly with
the birth of Christ and with the wise men who brought The
J Child gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh.
I $
The star i
C The Star is used everywhere as a Christmas symbol. It f
represents the Star in the East, which is told of in the B.ble, g
' ..... r rfi 9
i Matthew2:l-2: "Behold, there came wise men irum u.c -
to Jerusalem, saying, wnere is ne uiai is
Jews? We have seen his star in the East and are come to
worship him."
The Yule Log
Christmas Literature
r
The custom of burning the Juul came from the Norse and j
Anglo-Saxons. They burned a huge oak log once a year to 9
honor Thor. the god of thunder. After the Norse became
Christians, they made the yule log an important part of their -Christmas
ceremonies. The Scandinavians adopted the word
Yule to mean Christmas. In Lithuania, the word fori
Christmas actually means log evening. The yule log became f
equally important in England. The English considered it J
good luck to keep an unburned part oi tne log 10 Hgni me nc
year's yule log. J
Many families re-read the Biblical account oi me unii
Christmas as part of their annual ceremonies. Others prefer
familiar non-ecciesiasntai meuimc.
Washington Irving. Clement Moore and Charles Dickens are I
f favorites. The more modern stories of "Rudolph, thef
I Red Nosed Reindeer" or 'The Littlest Angel" or thef
t significant "The Other Wise Man" are favorites with various t
f families. f
It seems that scholars do not know the exact date off
Christ's birth. In A D 354. Pope Liberius of Rome ordered f
the people to celebrate on Dec. 23. He probably chose this j
date because the people of Rome already observed it as the -Feast
of Saturn, celebrating the birthday of the tun
Christians honored Christ, instead of Saturn, as the Light of I
the World. The Christians of Egypt celebrated Christmas on f
Jan. 6. and many members of the Eastern Orthodox Church
still observe this date.
Many persons today write Xmas instead of Christmas. This
form of the name originated In the eariy cnrisuan uiiuih.
i. v i. .. r.i i.nr nfnin.i i name. It was freauently
m J I tT K , la ili I" fv..v w. - '
1 used as a holy lymbol.
The Date
The creche
c. nf a... ! heheved to have presented the first t
Nativity scene, setting It up in a church in Greccto, Italy. He J
used live cattle and donkeys and life-site images of the Christ S
Child Joseph and Mary Soon, the use of small figurines to
represent the Nativity swept the Christian world. I
Twdj the niaht before Christmas' C
a
The grralrst factor in popularising Christmas and Santa
daus wa the famous poem written by Dr. Clement Moore, a
. r- i..i.. i ia riiriiinui Fve. 18X2.
f.ff his own chil.lren A friend. Harriet Hutier. neara
and asked prrminAion to read it to the children of her father's f
church. (
Slie also sent it to the editor of the Troy. N Y. Sentinel: It
wai pulilished for the first time on Dec 23, 1823 In 18.10. the -Sentinel
commiMi med a wonl carver named Myrn King to
draw the first picture of Santa lo o wilh their annual ptwm, I
From that time on. Ihm prin has been the hais of American I
Pastor's Column
For unto us a child is born, unto us a son
is given... and his name shall be called
Wonderful. Counsellor. The mighty God. the
everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace. Is.
9:6
Every Christmas there comes to us
down through the corridors of time, the news
that a Child is born unto us that is the Son of
God. Bethlehem is the watershed of history.
Two thousand years ago God invaded this
world in human form; lived, walked, talked
with men. This priceless gift is "Emmanuel. .
God with us." in all of life, in trials,
temptations, and disappointments. We are
not alone. God has thrust into our lives a
divine presence so glorious and powerful that
no sin can hold us, no fear can destroy us, no
unhappiness can possess us.
Happy are we if we can boast that the
Son of God has come into our lives. Humble
and grateful in ourselves, we are conscious of
divine royalty in Him at whose feet we lay
our lives. Happy are we when we can boast of
our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, proud of
His righteousness and His love.
Happy are we when we can glory in His
church because we belong to a band of
Christian disciples whose hearts God has
captured; that by the indwelling Spirit we
reflect so much of the likeness of the Son of
God. Happ7 are we because of the priceless
value God has placed upon us. What
indescribable grandeur for eternity is offered
to us. that we should be made the sons of
God. Happy are we because the Son of God
will soon return, eternally to be God with
us; no longer a babe, but King of kings and
Lord of lords. What glory is already ours!
Illustrious Christians shine without
egotism, and the humble serve without
shame. AU eternal values are gifts to us from
God. Our cup is full We envy no Christian for
the size of his cup that overflows with love in
the fellowship of God. Christ has made us
alive to beauty and to righteousness beyond
our utmost expectation.
We are well born when twice born that
change of nature which purges us from
selfishness into a life of love and purity,
excelling in eternal life with Christ Christ
mas is no burning out like light bulbs on a
tree, but a joy in the coming of our Lord that
marches on forever.
Lloyd W. Perrin
Seventh-day Adventist Pastor or
I get a little like Scrooge when I hear the
statement that "Christmas is for the child
ren." Humbug. O yes. Christmas would be
empty somewhat without wide eyed smiles
and wonder and laughter; with stomachs too
small for green beans but become bottomless
pits for all kinds of candy canes.
Yes. in a way, Christmas is for children,
God saw to that as He came to us as a Baby,
probably one of the most helpless creatures in
the world, a baby. So Christmas is centered
around a child and that makes the whole
Twelve Days important for children; for this
is a very important child in that smelly
stable.
From that dirty stable the light of God
again begins to illuminate the world. The
Emmanuel is with us; the Advent darkness
begins to be driven away with joy and the joy
of Advent preparation takes deeper meaning.
So Christmas is for children. 5 year olds, 20
year olds, 50 year olds and 70 year olds.
Christmas is not only for the young at heart,
but also the young at faith who will allow
themselves to bend the knee and bow the head
before a King. Our King.
Jesus is born! Let us celebrate that with
twelve wonderful days. Mary has brought
forth her first born, and we are delivered. We
behold His Glory in Bethlehem. The House of
Bread. God's promise is fulfilled; It has come
true in your life and mine. This Word can be
heard and seen by children. God speaks His
Word and children recognize it as Truth. We
are his children by adoption and grace.
Alleluia. May the blessings and the peace of
the Holy Family be yours this season and
forevermore.
Kenneth D. Miller.
Rector. All Saints' Episcopal Church
1M I I
)
Fullton Chevrolet
Main St.
by Arlene llenog
(T76-9921
ill
NOW'S THE TIME FOR
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'i
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Bring in the new year with
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All you nave to ao u get ww
a.
i - i
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ahia and machine dryabie)
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A ... I
Gifts for you, from us. Ana
iw.., rif nf ia the burn
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"" Pendleton. Mllton-Freewater. He rmUton and Boardman
1 tL
i -' bzzZkf
Ah.
A
m
. e
jr
v -J bv Mark WslslnRham
Case Furniture
Arnie, Rita, Alma, Kathy, Margaret
To all our customers & friends!
May the true meaning of Christmas kindle a fire
in your hearts that will warm your life throughout
the Holiday Season & evermore.
Lebush Shoppe
ChriMma thinking