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About The Hood River glacier. (Hood River, Or.) 1889-1933 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 17, 1897)
THE CHRISTMAS THEE AN INSTITUTION OVER THIRTY CENTURIES OLD. Holy Trees in the Roman Saturnalia The Druidical Sacred Tree-Symbolism of the Glass Globes and Candles Survival of Pagan Worship. Mm Firs't Tree in America. Muau the queer relics of a grout an tiquity is the Christ mas tree.- The very name of this object, familiar as it is at Christmas time, in dicates a Christian origin, but there is no doubt whatever that the customs connected with the Ohrisitmas tree, to gether with the tree itself, were a part nf the Druidical religion perhaps thou sands of years before our era. The Druid V.Mgion was a curious combination of na ture, sun and fire worship. Nature was adored in the oak, which, in North Eu rope was the sturdiest, largest and strongest member of the plant world; the bum was worshiped bwause it gave light and heat and brought life to all the world; fire was worshiped because it was not only the warming and comforting ele ment, but also, when unbridled, a demon to be dreaded. Thus, the Druidical cere monies and worship comprised a combina tion of riles, some undoubtedly a growth of the cliniaOe and country which the peo ples devoted to this form of religion in habited. The great festival of the. year was at the midwinter season, when the sun, after sinking low in the southern skies, began to return toward the north and to bring with it renewed life to the Northern Hemisiphere. The date was, approximately, about the time of our Christmas, the third o fourth week in December. At the beginning of the last week in the last month the sun is at its lowest point, and from that time the days begin to lengthen and, little by little, the ice king loosens his grip and retires to his PACKING FOR PITIPMENT. own regions in the north. Then begin the rejoicings at the sun's return. In Itaiy the festival took the name of the Satur nalia, a season of the wildest license. One of the favorite observances of the Saturnalia season, as well as of the , Druidical festival at midwinter, was the setting up of a tree, f requently. ornament ed with rude decorations; around thjs In the public squares of every city in South ern Europe circles of men, women ! and children danced and shouted. To the Druids the oak was a sacred tree; to the gay dwellers in the sub-tropical countries of the South the green tree of the Satur nalia was merely the emblem of the re turning life and foliage of the summer. Long before the time of Christ, among the" Celts of France, England and the British Islands, at the midwinter festi TaJ a tree decorated with bits of gay cloth and bright polished nieta! was carried in procession. Generally it was an oak, but whatever its species, it was honored as a symbol and was set up in the Druidical circles, portions of which still remain at to the exact date of the birth of Christ. The 25th of December was not fixed until about 500 years after that event, and the impossibility of determining accurately by tradition a date 500 years before will easily be appreciated. The festival itself was observed, it is said, as early as the end of the first century, but with no agreement as to the dae; dn some places the feast occurring as early as the 21st of December, and in others as late as the middle of January. The efforts of the Christian preachers and teachers finally succeeded in supplanting the Saturnalia with the Christmas rejoicings. The tree around which the people had danced was converted into a Christmas tree; the bon fires which the rabb!e had lighted, and which the priests had adoTed as symbols of the devouring element, were made to throw their cheerful light in honor of the Child of Bethlehem; the decorations which were hung upon the branches of the oak took the form of crosses and crowns and globes of bright metal. Long after the Christian era began, the yule tree, or yule log, remained an insti tution among the Germanic tribes. As already stated, the midwinter tree was burned at the conclusion of the festival, and a trace of this ceremony is still seen in the yule log, which, in country districts of. England, is dragged in by half a dozen sturdy yokels and thrown back of the hearth to furnish a basis for the winter's fire. The ashes and charred coals of the mldwim'er tree were formerly gathered to use in incantations, being deemed to possess supernatural qualities, and even in this century bits of charcoal from the yule log are treasured by English coun try girls nnd boys on account of some superstitious fancies collected with these bits of sacred wood. Even the songs of the Saturnalia, in a modified form, have come down to the present day. The midwinter tree, modified from its pagan uses, became the Christmas tree, and even in its ornaments and decora tions may be found a symbolism not so deeply hidden that it cannot be easily de tected. The linked chains of gilt paper were once so many emblems of eternity; the glass globes and gilded balls were emblems of the sun and moon; the little cake images were once figures of the saints; more anciently still were little idols fashioned of whearten dough and baked hard in an oven; the tiny candles, without which no Christmas tree could be a Christmas tree, are a reminiscence of the days when every sun and fire wor shiper carried with him to the great an nual festival his torch or candle, and when the sacred fire was lighted, in the round tower or on the altar of the Druids, the light was passed from torch to torch until the entire circle was ablaze. In court, in camp and in cloister in Ger many, France and Italy the Christmas tree was an institution for hundreds upon hundreds of years. The tree most commonly used in En? gland is the holly or holy tree, so called because, producing its berries toward the Christmas season and remaining green throughout the winter, it is, in popular superstition, associated with the greatest of Christmas festivals. The first Christmas tree in America was decorated and lighted up in New Amsterdam when Manhattan Island was a colony of the Dutch. The honest Dutch men, even in the New World, could not forget the pleasant associations connect ed with the season, and it is recorded that on the first Christmas passed by the Dutch colonists on this side the Atlantic they cut down a cedar, took it into the church, and, with such means as were at hand, decorated and lighted it, hanging upon its branches presents from the Gov ernor and has lady to every member of the colony. The tree was never in favor among the Puritans of New England, however, until after the beginning of the present century. They imagined that in some way not very clear to1 their own minds it savored of papacy, and that for them was enough to cause its rejection. As has been said, the Christmas tree is the representation of many hands, and often, too, of the products of many lands. The tree is cut down by the ax of the farmer and forwarded to market by the monopolists who control the railway traf fic of the country. The cut and gilt paper with which it is decorated formerly IOIIEillAN GLASS-BLOWERS MAKING TIIE GLOBES. Stonehenge and many other parts of Great Britain and Ireland, and was adored as a symbol of life, and finally consigner1 to the flames, a huge pile of wood being placed around it and set on fire. Where there was a round tower, the tree was burned in this artificial fur nace, but otherwise the great bonfire was . the center of attraction and around its glowing flames the people capered and rejoiced. JChe chroiiologists have never agreed as came from Germany and France, but is now made in this country. The glass bulbs, emblems of the sun and moon, form a very important item of industry in several large glass factories in Bohemia, and, being hand-painted and packed with great care, give employment to hundreds of women and children in the great cen ters of the glass trade. The presents hung upon its branches may represent ail parts of the globe. The dolls may come from Germany, the knives from England Hll MM M CALENDAR JANUARY. JULY. 8 M TW T F 8 8 M TWT FS -..1......T . l-.l-.l-.l.-l ill 2 3 4 5 6 7 8' 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 9101112131415 10)111213141516 16117,1811920121 j22 171819i20212223 23124125 26l27l28 29 2412526272812930 30j31..i........ 31...........- FEBRUARY. AUGUST. ,... 1) 2 3475 .. 1 2 3 4 5 6 6 7 8j 9,10 11112 7 8 9jl01111213 131415161718 19 14151117181920 20,212223242526 2122231242512627 2728j.......... 28293031....l.. . MARCH. SEPTEMBER. .. 1 21 8 4f5 2 3 6 7 81 9101112 4 5 6 7 8 910 131411516il7l819 1 1 1213l 141 15j 16 17 202122232412526 181920212223 24 2728293031.... 25i2G127l28l2930 APRIL. OCTOBER. l-..-....l lj2 1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 2 3j4J 5)67 8 10,llfl2,131415 16 91101111121131 1415 ,17118119120121122123" 16171 18192021 1 22 '242526272829 30 231242526272829 ............. 301311. MAY. NOVEMBER. II 2 3 4 5joTT .... 1 2 3 41 5 8 910)ll12jl3il4" 6 7 8 9101112 1516(1718;i9,202T 13141516171819 , 22,' 23j 24 1 251 26 1 27 1 28 202"f22242526 293031........ 2728129;30..... JUNE. DECEMBER. ..f.. H 2 3j4 ........ H aiS 5 61 7 8 910jiT 4 5 6 7 8 9,10 121131141 15161718 1112 1 3 14 151 16 17 192021I222312425 181920121222324 26;27282930 . - . 2526272829130131 find far more pleasure, too, in dolls with movable eyes, hair that will brush and faces that can be washed. Above all else the clothes must come on and off. Wash dresses are generally liked most by chil dren, because they can be done up. ' , It is very funny the decided preference for certain complexions in the doll fam ilies. The boy dolls most children like to be brunettes; but nothing ever approaches the popularity of the blond girl doll. A great novelty this year is a doll that walks alone not wheeled as some of the walk ing dolls have done in the past, but actu ally puts out one foot after the other, and walks as naturally as though it were real flesh and blood. ' Boys always did and always will like drums and things that make a noise. There are some wonderful rocking horses this year, with manes as. glossy as silk and tails banged in the most approved style. A rubber frog, attached to the end of which is a bulb, that when pressed makes the frog jump, is something entire ly new. And it is so real that it will an swer in every respect naughty Tommy's fiendish ambition to frighten his small sisters. For boys there are any number of toys which have a bearing on architecture in all forms. Bridge building, house build ing, ship building and the laying of rail road tracks and the management of trains are all worthy of recommendation. The practical iron constructor1, something en tirely new this Christmas, will teach a boy important laws of nature and science. But so simply does he learn them that he is under the impression he is merely play ing, i ,. To designate all the other excellent toys for instruction would be impossible. Some thing new but not particularly attractive are the Brownie dolls. Like the negro babies, these new dolls are too unnatural to inspire much longing in the breasts of tiny mothers who take their doll chil dren to their hearts. In games there are many new things. The game of Babb, which consists in driving small wooden pegs into certain holes by tapping on the under side with a small wooden mallet, is greatly in demand. or our own factories, the jewelry may be made from gold brought from the Trans vaal, Australia, or Colorado; the dia monds may come from Kimberley.India or Brazil, the rubies from Slain, the sap phires from Burmah, and the pearls have been brought up by dark-faced divers off the coast of Cey lon. The Christmas tree is thus more than a fanciful reminder of the day and sea son. It is an historical institution recall ing customs which years ago became ob solete and a religion which has been dead for many centuries. It is a beautiful token of the season and a rem iniscence of ages so remote as to have left no written trace. There is no dan ger that the world will forget-or ignore it. An institution which can last for thirty centuries at least is probably good for thirty more. THE BIRTH O- CHRIST. The Message to the Judean Shepherds the Best Ever Given Mortal Man. No better tidings were ever given to mortal man, writes Evangelist Dwight L. Moody in the Ladies' Home Journal, than that first Gospel message delivered to the humble shepherds on the Judean hills. There must have been a special solemnity about that night. Above, the heavens were resplendent with the glory of God, and even the elements seemed to appre ciate the benediction of ''peace and good will toward men." A holy quiet rested On the scene. The noise and tumult of the overcrowded streets in the distant city at last were stilled, and one by one the lights below them disappeared. In the realms of another world those who had long looked for the promised re demption gaze down upon the scene. Pro phet and law-giver, king and leader all look toward the One who shall make the atonement for their transgressions. And as the shepherds watched and waited for the morn I imagine that their thoughts and conversation were on heavenly things. It may have been that they were talking over the strange rumors which they had heard regarding the son that was born to Zaeharias, and how it had been prophe sied that he was to become the "Prophet of the Highest." At least, their thoughts and conversation that night must have been on things above, for God reveals His best gifts to those "whose minds are stay ed on Him." "The time is at hand," I can imagine one saying, "the MessJah will soon be here to save us from our enemies." "Great is the Holy One of Israel in the midst of thee," exclaims another. And thus as they rejoice among themselves there suddenly bursts upon their sight the glorious light of the other world; midnight gloom Is transformed into midday bright ness, and there appears before them the Angel of the Lord. He proclaims the de liverance for which this world had so long yearned. With exultant shout the choir Ttf heaven chants again the Gospel mes sage, that first and glorious carol song. And as the full meaning of the vision was realized what thrill of love and joy must have filled their souls. How their hearts must have burned within them as they hastened to worship their Savior King in His lowly abode at Bethlehem. Gifts for Women. Women's wants, if measured by thei; belongings, would seem to be almost in numerable, and of a kind which require constant renewing and replacing. Wom an's interests and occupations require a greater number of small things for their equipment than do those of men, and Christmas gifts for them are, therefor, mora easily prepared. Women's belong ings have the further advantage of being useful as well as beautiful. Men are al ways pleased with simple gifts, and axe usually embarrassed when presented with expensive articles of any sort. The value to them of a gift is, as it should be with ail persons, in proportion to its simplicity and usefulness and out of proportion to its cost. THE WANING YEAR. O O R, lingering old year, how lazy, how slow, You're trudging along with your capful of snow; Your youth, I remem ber, was gladsome and gay, You capered, and frol icked, and danced all the day. But you became older as Sol rolled along. He chastened your spirit, and mellow ed your song. You bleBt us, you plagued us, you fur nished us cheer. Deceitful, capricious, i yet lovely old year. And here's your last milestone, you're pass ing from view. Your record, we know, will be faithful and true, When "weighed In the balance," may we stand clear. Triumphantly greeting heaven's Jubilee year. A Plan for Christinas Eve. . Some ancient religions, as those of the Greeks and Romans, furnished opportuni ties for man to relapse periodically into primitive impulse, allowing the natural, not the artificial, man to express himself. In our religion another opportunity once a year has been given us, when good-will may have all its way with us good-will that is greater than all prudent restraints, all economic theories, all considerations of convenience. And what an opportunity it is for us, who, in our intercourse with men, are so often hemmed in by conventionality or controlled by self-consciousness! To revel in good-will! To have the church and state sustain us in it! To have custom and tradition give us their sanction! It is like getting one's childhood back again, or having health once more, or, after a j city's bondage, feeling the freedom of the ' hills! - What if in our generosities we make mistakes it takes time to remedy, if to-morrow we must retrench! What of anything, if good-will can reign with us for a day! Then away, too, with discussions of the meet and appropriate that poor gifts may go to the poor and rich gifts to the well-to-do! In the good-will first sung by the angels to men there was the glad am' sudden burst of unlooked-for joy, givei fully, without conditions, without balanc ings, without questionings of deserts a blessing to all, to the just and the unjust, the sinner and the saved. It is in this spirit that a group of well known men and women mean to work this Christmas eve. To the poorest and the neediest, to the hardest worked, they mean to carry bountiful gifts, retiring themselves quickly, as they came, so as to remain unknown. Their desire is to bring into the life of some poor suffering soul the glow and warmth that come of unex pected joy and fullness unexpected, un earned and undeserved perhaps. We measure so much we do for others. We weigh our best impulses against their deserts and our ideas of the appropriate. And yet the glad burst of that melodious message of good-will to all should teach us this one of God's ways might be ours by making our gifts as joyous outpour ings, filling full of promise the lives of those who wait. So that, like the voices of those angels who sang, the gifts we bring may be as though they fell from heaven. Harper's Bazar. Farewell, fading year! All hall to the new, , We'll shun every folly, and virtue pursue; ;, Each day as It passes some mission of love Shall lessen earth's woe, and place treasure above. Western Rural. CHRISTMAS IN THE STORES. Toy Counters Surrounded by Little Folks an Interesting Sight. HERE is no prettier sight to be seen any where than can be found around the toy counters in the big stores at the Christmas season. It is not in the toys, al though some of them are marvelous enough to inspire rapt admiration, but in the groups of tiny people who surround these wonders that the charm lies. Big, bright, anxious eyes, yearning, chubby fingers and hearts so filled with longing that they are near to bursting for the possession of some cer tain china beauty with flowing blond locks or a rocking horse which gallops. . Little boys gaze with respectful won derment on all the household things in tended for their sisters' amusement, but it is at the sight of a martial soldier, a train of cars or a boat that can be sailed in the bath tub at home that their hearts beat faster. Girls always like dolls. They never can have too many. The increase of another doll in the little woman's fam ily is treated precisely as the advent of a real baby in the mother's. While new and young it is tenderly cherished even !f the detriment of older and better Known children. But once the newness robs off, and dolly's cheeks begin to fade and the crimp comes out of her hair, the youthful, mother, like many an older one, decides that the baby is old enough now for her to go back to the rare virtues dis covered in her first-born children. So you see the little woman can't have too many dolls. Only don't buy them too large. Eighteen inches is a good size, easy to carry. A child grows very tired of a doll big enough to be cumbersome. Child- Christmas Entertainments. For Christmas entertainments in the church, cantatas give an opportunity for the children to take part. Such enter tainments should be given early in the evening, and care should be taken to avoid exciting the vanity and self -consciousness of the young participants. Wise mothers object to their children's coming into such publicity, and in order to meet their objec tions a skilled and sensible leader should be secured one who will teach the chil dren their parts without unnecessary de mands upon their play time, who will reg ulate the tempers and allay the passions which are sure to be aroused unless the small people are well guarded. First of all impress upon them that they are to consider the pleasure of others, not their own, and that selfishness can have no part in Christmas pleasures. The decorations and other accompaniments must be suited to the place. It was twilight by the river we prepared to cross the flood , We knew the meed of danger, a night of toll and blood. Calm silence permeated every line and every rank As we muster'd for our country on th river's darkling bank Above the troubled waters no straggling moon rays gleam We saw the foeman's watchflres blaze be yond the gloomy stream. 'Twas brilliant, fateful, fearful It seemed a hope forlorn-' No sound of drum or trumpet or fife or bugle horn We knew onr desperate enemies, we knew the mcSarch's power, We knew the dreadful crisis our country'i darkest hour We dreaded not the waters feared not the Delaware None cared for death or danger, for Wash ington was there. It was midnight on the river and fiercely cold the frost Upon the ley waters our feeble barks were toss'd ; We ferried o'er the treacherous waves mid Icebergs small and large- And tolled away the live-long night with ferryboat and barge And ere the sunbeams flashed again In hope ful ranks we stood To march upon the Hessians' camp to strike the men of blood. Still, silent, calm and resolute, we cross'd the dangerous wave, , To reach the base Invaders Jtmerica to save 'Twas Christmas night and memory brought the messenger divine, As we saw tue blazing campflres of the soldiers from the Rhine The mercenaries bought for hire to crush our country down Then we breathed a vow for liberty and . vengeance on the crown. Our cannoil broke the silence confusion to the foe Our columns marched to triumph mid drift ing sleet and snow. And then our hearts beat high with hops, the word to "charge" was given. One blow for home aud liberty, humanity and heaven The Hessians rous'd from slumber from dreams of war and spoils To find themselves surrounded and In the ' freemen's tolls. A Glorious Christmas night! My boys let cheers of triumph ring! Oh! flash the news across the sea to Eng land's despot king, And tell the ruthless tyrant his scepter never more Shall oppress a free-born people or rule Columbia's shore. And Trenton, glorious Trenton, that name shall ever be A '""free"11 0f Ubertya watchword for the Charles'J. Beattle. GIFT FOR A BACHELOR. The Presentation of a "Housewife" May Make His Heart Glad. The heart of a bachelor who is far from home and f riends may be made glad by the presentation of a simple "housewife," ' or bachelor's companion. - This is by no means so helpful or attractive as a real .vife, but in the absence of the genuine ar ticle the bachelor will be delighted to liave the imitation at hand when buttons come off or clothes rip. The housewife may be made of bronze leather, of kid, of linen, of cretonne or of silk for the outside, which is all in one piece. Use a stiff interlining and a lining of some durable material. On the large fly ribbon or tape furnishes a place for scissors, etc.j A HOUSBWIPE. above this is a long cushion with a slip for a thimble, and resring upon this a spool of silk and one of thread, both white and black, fastened by ribbons run through them and stitched at the ends. The two outer ends are shaped with card board and the edges are bound with rib bon. The fastening is effected by means of a button and loop. If plain linen is used a monogram may be embroidered on the outside. Didn't Get It. Freddie I want a watch for Christ mas. Colewigger You are rather young to have a watch. Freddie I'm as old as the little boy next door, and he can take his watch ail to pieces. New York Joui nal. , . . A Phenomenon. When Christmas comes with merry pace The sma.ll boy is a peach; His stomach Is the resting place Of everything In reach. 1 Judgev " "MERRY CHRISTMAS, MOTHER EARTH I'