The New York Herald Newspaper, December 25, 1859, Page 1

WHOLE NO. 8511. CHRISTMAS DAY. How it is Kept in the Me- APPEARANCE OF THE CITY LAST NIGHT. SCENES ABOUT TOWN. Sketch of the Day Since the Birth of Christ. THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT, ae., respective places assigned them. The boys comprising the choir occupied places in the chancel directly in front of the clergy. The following was the programme of exer- | ciges;—Evening prayer, reai by the Rev. 8. H. Weston; first lesson—Ieaiah, LX—was read by Rev. F. W. Smih; second lesson—1st John IV.—was read by Rev. W. Far . The Cantate Donini and the Benedlic Anima Mca, by ce, were Well rendered by the choir, accompanied Dy excellent music on the organ. Prayer was then read by the Rev. Morgan Dix, after which the children of the Sabbath sang the forty-third hymn to the old tune ef Christmas. It While shepherds watch’d their flocks by night All seated on the ground, - ‘The ange! of the Lord came down, And glory shower around. a said he, for mighty dread ead Wain of ie a mind a > podem Ae ae ns After the singin Sees De iets ancontns tha pele following brief address. He ‘What means this concourse of humaoity? What this assembly of pet adr of SeBes Hina BESSECEE g5s°8 =e eeetfee ieee e iy aee zee Besgice Hie flit bee aE ie : F 2ee gé 4 rE & i FF : 4 2 rl i r gos Ett, be was fashioned as man. The fiesh and dwelt among us. fect man in one Christ, gaze of the universe. we sing his praiges, glory and adoration. Drightest of his Father’s glory, the everlasting Father and relative of us. He is the Prince of Peace! He is the Prince of Peace to quell men’s sions, and subdue man’s will, and bring all into conformity to Hig Father's will. He came on earth to enavle us to emulate Him, and subdue our wills, and bring peace about us; Peace around us, peace between us, and reconciilia- tion with God. The Prince of Peace is His glorious name to-day; and when to-morrow morning we see the Christ- mas sun arise in his brightness, let cach of us remember, if we have aught against our brother, that the Prince of Poace is born; and before Zou, £2 to the altar of the Prince of Peace, let each reconciled to his brother. Children, Chrietians—Your ministers, the members of this congregation, and your teachers, have pre- pared for you this feast; they have prepared and ornamented and lighted a beautiful Christmas tree, which is to be directly unfolded to your eyes, and from beneath which you are each’ to receive a gift to commemorate the event about to dawn upon us in this sanctuary, where his feet have made it glorious. Littlo children, remémber why you enjoy this festival. Tt Sanetiod childbood tm tit glory of his appearing on earth; san lory o! on earth; and we, your seniors, in ke maturity of our days, are children’ once again, to join with your voices and sing praises to Him as our Reacemer. Let us, then, with the spirit, sing praises to our Lord Jesus Christ. After the address another Christmas song, entitled the “Children of the Temple,” composed and set to music by Mr. Cutter, the organist, was sung by the children and congregation, The ee was rendered very effectively, and the symphonies by the ane and chime bells were superb. ‘The piece commenced— Choir—Hosahna to King David’s Son, Deacended from the heavonly throne! In Christmas songs we hail His birth, ‘Who brought salvation to the earth. ‘Cherus—Hoeanna to King David’s Son! Hosanna tolKin Dbvid’s Son! ‘Hosanna in the highest! {Chimes.} Tne benediction was Deb oez ne by the Rev. Dr. Berrian. After this the door leading to the porch at the ‘extrome end of: the church from the pul; open, and then was seen a magnificent lighted with hundreds of variegated colored lanterns, and from its branches were suspended bon bons, confectionery, &c. Beneath and contiguous to the tree was a It table, londed with all kinds of toys for presentation to children of the school. The congregation remained in ‘their places while the Sorermen, two and two, marched the main aisle, headed by the sexton, with hi Bs office. They | ape around the tree, and thence back to the chancel. The children were then called by classes, and marched around the tree, each receiving as they passed a present suited to the age. The church was crowded to overflowing with fashionably dressed people, ‘who appeared to manifest much interest in the services and the distribution of the gifts to the Sabbath school children. CHRISTMAS EVE IN THE BOWERY. GREAT CROWD IN THE STREET—UNUSUAL DISPLAY OF DECORATIONS AND TRINKETS—SLIM ATTENDANCE AT PLACES OF AMUSEMENT—A MAN WHO SWAL- it was thrown LOWS A SWORD AND ANOTHER WHO LIVES ON PAV- |. ING STONES, Liquors, ETC. There is always a crowd of shoppers and pleasure seck- ers in the Bowery on Saturday evening, but last night ‘the street was unusually crowded, while the attendance at the places of amuscment was perhaps unusually ®mall. Tho traders in images were more successful than the players; tho rising generation absorbed the attention ‘of tho old and wise. The shopkeepers generally yielled to the custom of the oceasien, and decorated their places with evergreens. Even the butchers neglected not this fakhionable style of atwasting customers, and the clan corpses of defunct hegs, quarters of beef and mation, heaps of sausages, et hee genus omne, wore seou through Christmas trees with goldem fruit in their branches. The shop windows were dressed in the gayest things imoginable, and the sidewalks were crowded with stants, on which were set forth glittering spoons and cutlery, images of men, women, children, brutes, all things that have life in the air above and the water beneath and things inanimate, The Hebrews, without fronts to their shops, were in their glory. The gas was all on, and the goods all disposed to show at the very best advantage. Thore was, in fact, from one end of the Bowery to the ether, an almost unbroken chain of decorations, and a Heplay of articles both useful and ornamental, such, wo Believe, as the Bowery has not sven for yoars—perhaps never before on a similar occasion. The toy shops were scarcely outdone by the furniture dealers, who put out, LAGER BIER, SPIRITUOUS AND MALT ee SUNDAY MORNING, DECEMBER 25, 1859. gens, deby sofas, and other arucies pleasing to the rising | geheration that one might have imagined himself among © the Lilliputians Dut for the rush of etalworth Germans, of beth seacs, who gave him little time for mediauon. ‘The crowd of buyers was indeed great, and the sound ‘of borne imecasant. The commercial prosperity of the hour extended to the apple women at the corners, some (heir purchases vo sundry trinket, a chowe opportunity to dispose of i i g i fF y j Curiosities woman and child will feel themselves well paid to see. Hore we bave, gentlemen and ladies, the man who swal- | lows a solid steel sword, twenty-two inches in every time to the hilt, and allows you to pull it out with Jour own band, to entity vou it le no sleight of hand or le gerdemain, but stern reality.” ‘But the most wonderful of all, the greatest wonder of the known world, is the man who eats pavtng stones— swallows them as bread—in fact, makes pavin, his sole food and only means of subsistance, lager bier, spirituous and malt liquors. This wonderful open rh | been for years the great problem of greatest medical men of the world; but as yotthey i up snake tamer,” and the ‘spake man,’’ who is advertised as having a:nake’s head for the terminus of his righi hand, and snake's tail on the left. These places, like others lesa ous, were decorated. and to help themselves to hie personal old man paid no attention to any attack an attempt to disturb bie w Christmas tree, him evident that he was crazy, and as which every man, | 5 | aud whosoever shall marry her that isdivorce1 commit | trances to many of the saloons were decked on either ye Pearls before swine, lest they trample them with fir trees, ian over the doorways wreaths and He ia Ae feet, and ‘aye nonin SAA Te I. toons were suspended. ‘and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall Gnd ‘The fair Hebes were in attendance, bedixzened with rib } and it shall be spened unio you for every one that | bons, bearing to the lager German a glass of bie } 45) Teceiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him j beverage, a | up the coin wee throw Ore ekate i Shall be bed. Or wes lee own, and, with a winnin conveying , 0D read, a it to' ono of the prettiest litle apro stone?’ Or if he ask a fieh, i i will ve kim a ye then, being evil, know bow to unto ‘childrens low iauch more wnt our rae which Tevton was too smitten to ask it to im heaven In seme of the saloons musio lent its charms to enliven the festive scene, and the giddy waltz and inspiring song | #bould do to you, do ye even #0 en the nimble feet and sturdy throats of many a | lew and the prophets. reveller. Enter ye in at the straight gate: As & contrast to the musie withm, the urching outaido | @Md\bread is the way that leadeth to kept up a continual din with fish horns peta, and | many there be which go in thereat: because straight is ‘were we bot aware that the ranan- | the Fie, and parrow is the way which leadeth unto hfe, Nic visit, we would bat wht that Gabriel waa at | 424 few thery be that find it. and. The noise without, bi , disturbed not those Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep’s within, and the mirth continued until the ‘‘ wee emall sloihing but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Yesball failing of course to return any change, eltnor ta 4 her smiles only [adtmashe <p Kg ‘because hours ayant the twal.’” ko m by their fruits. Do men gather of Froiie hore, gy of tae Bo no ery ood te 1 SOMETRING FOR THE SENSATION SER- | frut. 4 food tron oscnct wring tote cet a aes MONIZERS. can & corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Beery tron that 4 BIBLE HOMILY IN BIBLE LANGUAGE—A CHRIGTMAS | thofre, “Whovcintoey tuow role yo aball Leow thom SERMON NINBTREN CENTURIES OLD. Not every one that eaith unto me, Lord, Lord, shal! The subjeined sermon, preached to the people of Jern | enter om of heaven; but he that doeth th : ! ! i wi r hearcth these and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wi built his house “Old” Christmas and Old Style—Heathen Origin of Christmas—How the Festival ‘was Formerly Kept im Germany and England—Christ Not Born on Christmas Day—Opposition of the Puritans of Eng- land and Covenanters of Scotland to the Festival—How it is Observed Now in Rome—The Greatest Festival Still in Engiand—Great Munmificemce of the Wealthy at Cbhristmas—A Change in the Present Day—The Burning of the Yule Log—It Originated in the Fires of the Druids—The Carrols, the Chimesand Other Ceremonies, &c. On this day, the first of the Yuletide holidays, or twelve days of Christmas, it may not be uninteresting to the reader to trace the origin of the festival, which reaches back far beyond the Christian era into the remote antiquity of druidism, the saturnalia and bacchanalia, in which it is lost; and also to give some account of the singular ceremonies with which Yuletide was observed by our Ghristian ancestors, and is still observed in what for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden of ‘Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hid. Neither do men ght a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; | and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light £0 shine before men, that they may sce your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. Think not that 1am come to destroy the law, or the t#:1am not come to destroy, but to full. For verily I say unto you, Til heaven and carth pass, one jot or one tittle shail in no wise pass from the law till all be fuldiled. Whosoever'therefore shall break one of these least commandments, ana shall teach men so, he shall be called the least ip the kingdom of heaven: but’ whosoever ‘shall do and teach them, the same ehall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I unto you, That except our righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the Beribes and Pharteces, yo aball in no esse enter into the Jom of heaven, Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, ‘Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in Gapger of the judgment. But I say unto you, That whoeo- wane ha his brother without a cause shall be is 7 igment; and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shail be in danger of the council: Bat who- soever shall say, Thou fool a Therefore if thea bring thy’ Lt te ‘was once ‘‘merrie England.’ Most nations eecm to have memberest that thy brother aught againsttheo,leaye | selected the end of the old year and the beginning of the there thy gift before the altar, and go thi : first be reeonciled come and offer to tay Brother and then new as the principal time for religious festivals, and for national, social and domestic amusements. In his “‘ Commentary on the Prophecies of Danicl,” Sir Isaac Newton explains the philosophy of the Christian fes- tivals, He says:— bast uttermost farthing. ‘The heathens were delighted with the fostivals of their Telia hard that wap ab ee of oe ee » ant aoe ioe part wih those ee | Thou mi ' way unl ou, re Gregor’ -Cecserea, tus, to | That whosoever Jooketh on s woman to lust after her b | facilitate Pb benicar ty ‘annual festivais to commitied adultery with her already in his heart. And by right eye offend thee, pluck it out, and cast it from fr the eaints and martyrs; hence the keeping of Christmas thee: for it is profitable with ivy, feasting, plays and sports, came in the room of for thee that one of The bacchanalia rn ; the celebrating of May thy members should persh, and not that thy | Day with flowers, in the room of the florelia; and the fes- whole body should be cast into hell. And ifthy right | tivals of the Virgin Mary, John the Baptist and divers of hand oftend thee, cut it off, and caat it from thee: for it is | the apostles, in the room of the solemnities at the en- profitable for thee that one of thy members should perish, | trance of the sun into the signs of the zodiac in the old sndoes hat thy ele body shoal be cast ‘nto ball i Julian calendar. been said, Whosoever shall put away his wife, In reference to the heathen origin of Christmas, Sir | bim give ber a'writing of divorcoment. But I unto x , vi Walter Scott thus sings: you. That whosoever shall put away his yife, saving for ‘the cause of forpication, causeth her to ‘cdlamit adalter, Bes.cy mare pod ithe wind is chilk; ‘But let tt whiswle as it will, . lo Gite sdvite he wend pay Re teth adultery e'll keep our Christmas inc aay cen ear en Ok gegen ~ Agnes, ye have heard thes hath boon call by thom 0 aon kaart iors robe Station house to beep han Frese ola ime, hou shat not forswear wyeel but @balt per ‘The fitiest time for festal cheer. wre found ready the same, Wook a a A SB ee | ; nether a drain. Sa meg dy a Sf i ala 3 \ | Jerusalem ; for it is the ei great King, Neither ‘And well our Christian sires of old ranean areng little pinay | and scarcely any drunk- | Shait tho» swear by thy head, because tho canst not ‘Loved when the year its course had roll’d, ier saloons, expeciaily in the early hours of the evening, were almost deserted, although they received more alter the theatres: closed. One drunken man created some excitement, and was picked up by a policeman, which attracted a large crowd of boys. it as a rule, people attended onietly to the great business of the evening, the purchase of toys. BROADWAY ON CHRISTMAS EVE. Brilliant as Broadway usually is, it shone out {v a moat resplendent manner last night. Those unaccustomed to the sight would have been daz zled with the display of life and beauty which thronged our popular and principal thoroughfare on last evening. Persons had attended to the wants of the inner man during the day, and gave their time and the most princi pal thing, their money, in the evening, to the purchase of young folks at home, No one would have thought that we had just passed over a most severe financial crisis were they to have wit- neased the manner money was bemg spent in Broadway and the neighboring business streets during the last few days. Every body almost had a bundle or a basket, which, from their size and the manner in which they were car- ried, told of good things within, and he or ehe that had no parcel looked as if They cared for nobody, And nobody cared for them. Or ag if they had fallen from the clouds ata most inop- portune moment. The stores shone out in a most brilliant manzer. Asa general thing these of a heavy character were empty, or else closed up, very properly giving way to the fancy goods, jewelry, toy and confe stores, which ap- pas without an exception, to be doing a good holiday usiness. Amongst the passing crowd might be seen an old man randchild, viewing with wistful eyes mysterious: Funale and no doubt wishing it enlarged from the con- venta of the many and tempting more stone om we way. ere 8 you! ‘cou; wi are Te hear Eras axcurtion for tone. ‘they will, no doubt, be more in their expenditure now than in ten years store, and spends some time over pl fore him. le not eure what will suit, and he tlle tho nt clerk that “it is not for bi yuying that beautiful ring, but fora friend.” the clerk is bound to believe him; but we in o little while more that young man and one, else will be Sag Fe 3 “toys,” ag the young before him were, What is this? 4 boggar, and in such « place, and at such atime! Yes, tho little thing has taken ‘advantage of the supposed generosit ° a Christmas Eve; do not disappoint her; give her a trifle, you will never mies it, and it may be the means of making some poor family happy for the time being. Here and there some before some well stocked establishment, and d its freight, who en. bo foe in wane ey" clerk nae arms with costly presents ung “Fifth Avenue,” while at the window sures a gazing ‘at tho beautiful presents exhibited, jut whose pockets would not admit of such ox- travagance ; with @ half perceptible sigh ho turns away ota with what an unéven nand are the goods of this world distributed. ‘Were we to judge from the rush at the box offices, the theatres did a business, while the other places of less note were not deserted. At about ten o'clock the crowd began to subside, and We left with the impression that the excitement of Broad- way on a Christmas Eve was over. CHRISTMAS EVE IN WILLIAM STREET. Christmas time with the German is a season of enjoy- ment. Its recurrence brings back to his mind the thoughts, the pleasures, the associations and all the de- lightful reminiscences of Faderland To the saloon, ac- cordingly, at such a timo, he repairs, to indulge in bis favorite and exhilarating beverage and discuss with his friends the recollections of old days. ‘The lager bier and concert saloons in William street last night wore thronged, and their owners for the time reaped a rich pecuniary harvest. The salooms were generally decked for the occasion in evergreen, tvy, tir, and laurel. The windows were festooned with red and white, and the columns and posts in the apart. ments were neatly entwined with fir and laurel. The archways between the saloons and the billiard —— inthe rear were also ornamented with greens. Prominent in ail bie muscular developement, waich developement is of course ascribed to the magical effects of the lager which two pages aro drawing from @ barrel at his side. With due reverence to his Majesty, his pic- tures were enshrined in laurel and evergreen. The en- . a large amount of toys and good things in general for the | trudging , With a bundle under bis arm, while at his | side ran a little child, all life and activity, evidently his | generous x from this. A young man enters a fashionable jewelry | trespacses, 3 collection placed be- | but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will mbrinus, the mytbical and legendary King of Lager, | y y Xo make one hair white or black. But let your communica- | tion be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay; for whatwocver i3 more than | these cometh of evil. Ye have heard thaj it bath been said, An eye for an eye, and a tovth for a tooth. But feay unto you, That ye ro. sist pot evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on thy right | cheek, turn to bim the other also. And if any man will | sue thee at the law, and take away thy coat, jet him haye | thy cloak also And whosoever shall compel thee to go a mile, go with bim twain. Give to him that asketh theo, | and fom him that would borrow of thee turn not thou away. Thou shalt love Aad brought bii Christmas back again, With all his hospitable train, Domestic and religious rite Gave honor to the holy right: On Christmas eve the bells were rung; On Christmas ove the mass was sung; ‘That only night in all the year ‘Saw the stolid priest the chalice rear. At present the greatest festival of the Catholic Church is Faster. But that was not always so, and in Great Bri- tain and other Protestant countries Christmas still main- tains its ascendancy, and is zealously observed both by Catholics and Episcopalians. The other sects do not pay it much religious respect, but they join in its fes- tivity. In Scotland it is but partially observed. But in Germany its celebration surpasses the merriment even in England. One of the grounds of objection to it was that the day on which it is observed js not ascertained to be the day on which Christ was born. On the contrary, the presumption is against it, as we find in the account of the birth of Christ that the shepherds and their flocks were out on that night, which would not be likely in such acountry as Judea, at the winter solstice, which Dr. Shaw in his travels shows to be severo. Ye bave heard that it hath been said. thy neighbor, and hate thine enemy. Bat 1 say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good them that bate you, and pray for them which despiteiully ure you, and persecute you; that ye may be the children of your Father which is in heaven: for he maketa his sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. For if ye love them which love you, what reward have ye? do not even the publicans the same? And if ye salute your brethren only, what do | ye more than others? do not even the pubiicaps so? Bo ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be | seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your | Father which is in heaven. Therefore ;when thou it thine alme, do not sound a trumpet before thee, a3 the | hypocrites'do in the sy and in the stroets, that | they may bave giory of men. Vorily I say unto’ you, ‘The shepherd’s on the lawn, | They bave their reward. But when thou doest alms, let Ore’er the point of dawn, | not tby left hand know what thy right band docth: that Sat simply chatting in a rustic row: | thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth Full little thought they then in secret bimseif shail reward thee ’. ‘That the mighty Pan And when thou prayest, thou ‘be as the hypo- ‘Was kindly come to live with them below. critesare: for they love to gogues and im the corners of the streets, thas they may be teen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their re. ward. But thou, when thou at ee thy closet, and when thou bast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which geeth in secret shall reward thee openly. But when yo pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their mych speaking. Be not ye therefure like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things yo have need of, before ye ask him. After this man- ner therefore pray ye:—Our which art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be poe cape pg is in beaven. hited this day our iy ¥ forgive us our a8 wo forgive our | debtore. And lead us not into ion, but deliver us (opt gh en oe and | the glory, forever. Amen. For if'ye forgive men ‘their your heavenly Father standing in the syna- ‘Tt was evidently not in winter. But the reply is that it matters not, and if the precise day cannot be ascertained, that is no reason why the church should not appoint some day to commemorate so great an event. This difficulty— the same that occurred about Easter—was settled in the game way by the Church about the year 600, and Christmas was fixed for the time of the saturnalia. On the ground of its Pagan origin and Pagan time of observance, and on account of the free and easy manner ‘im which it was celebrated about the time of the Reforma- tion, the hostility to it evinced by the Puritans of England and Covenanters of Scotland was extreme. To these aus- tore fanatics, indeod, all holidays, except the Sabbath, were objects of hatred and disgust. But Christmas and New Year’s Day wore specially denounced. Pryne says:— your Father forgive your trespasses. If wo compare our baccbanalian Christmas and New Moreover when ye fast, be not, as the bypocrites, of & | Year's tides with these saturnalia and feasts of Janus, we fad countenance, for they disigare their faces, that’ they | shall find such near affinity between them both in regard of time (they being both in the end of December and on the Ist of January), and in their manner of solomnizing, (both of them being spent in revelling, epicurism, wan- tonnes, idleness, dancing, drinking, , masks, ‘and carnal pomp and jollity), that we must needs conclade the one to be but the very ape or issue of the other. Hence Polydor Virgil affirms in express terms, that our Christmas Lords of Misrule (which custom, saith he, is chiefly observed in England), together with dancing, masques, mummeries, sage plays, and such other Chris mas disorders, now in use with Christians, were derived from these Roman eaturnalia and bacchanalian festivals, Which (concludes he), should cause all pious Christians eternally to abominate them. From Macauley wo learn that such was the opposition to any Observance of Christmas Day in Scotland in the se- cond year of the reign of William IIL, (1689,) that the Covenanters published manifestoes against it,as among the sins which would one day bring down divine ven- geance upon the people. But they were not satistled with this—on Christmas Day they held armed musters and marcked to the house of the minister, sacking his cellar and larder, and sometimes ducking himself in a pond. His furniture was wrecked, and his wife and children turned out in the snow. Finally he was sent away, and charged at his peril never to return. The church was locked up, and the worthy reformers carried off the the keys. About two hundred ministers were thus ex- pelled. These Puritans long continued to hurl their ana- themas against the national sin of the Court of Sessions taking a vacation on the las: weck of December. One William Wilson, a fanatic then highly thought of, thus declares when dying — T leave my testimony against the abominable act of the pretended Genen Aube tal Gar pretended British—really bruiti#h—Parliament, for enacting that which is called the Yule Vacancy.” These Calvinists were more Calvinistic than Calvin him- elf, for it was in consequence of his exertions that the obeervi of the festival was revived at Geneva after an interval of some years, These men were the more in- coutistent, as they followed the analogies and precedents of the Jews in many things; their descondants, tho Pil erims in this country, even instituting the Feast of Thanks g ving ‘x lanltation of the Feast of Tabernacies, Further, May appear unto men to fast. Verily I unto you, They heve their reward. But thou, ‘when ‘thou fastest, anoint thine head, and bye’ @ face; that thou ead | pot unto men to fast, but unte thy Father which is in se- { SF ah Or he se seeth in secret shall reward openly. Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, whore | Mnoth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieyes break through and steal. But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the boa: eee ott erctire ie - thy whole body shall ote. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore light that is in theo be darkness, how great ts that darkners, No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will bold to the poe Foy ke other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. eepere Loa unto you, Take no thought | for your life, what ye eat, or what ye shall driuk; { Be teers ee eet eater ae Is not tho ae nae ehaner ten ly than raiment? Behold i i i ih i E after all these do the ) for heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of al! But seek ar pepe dogg dew Bd shall wo eat’ or, What shall ‘wo drink? or, shall we be clothed? (For your these day 3 Judge not, that ye be not judged. ment ye juage, ye shall be judged: sure ye mete, Wtehall be mearired to yoa again. And oldest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, erest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or thon Fay to thy brother, Let me pal! out the mote cut of thine eye; and, behold, a bear is in thing | Owmeye? Thou bypocrite, first cast out the beam ont of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eyo. | Give nes that which Is boly uate th; pt, moltber cast PRICE TWO CENTS, these enemies of botidays made one of their own, which ‘was without any precedent, namely, the lst of August, which they observed with great rejoicing, because \t was the anniversary of the death of Queen Anne, who was thus prevented from signing the ‘Schism Bill’ against diweenters which had just passed the Parliament, and was that day to go into effect. There can be no doubt that the festival was much abused by licentiousness; but that was no reason why it should be totally abolished, not except- ing even the religious observances and the good cheer peculiar to the time. They quarrelled pot only with the dissipation, but with their best friends, the mince pies and plum puddings, and even with the poor resemary and Days. And when we find John Milton, the Puritan, the republican, the iconoclast, celebrate Christmas with one of the most beautiful effusions of his muse, we may form some estimate of the extravagant fanaticiam of the sect to whieh he belonged. ‘This ditterness against Christmas and other holidays was imported by the Piigrims into New England ; but it was unnatural, and in tneso latter days it has consed to exist. ‘The festival is now obasrved w a very greatexten ip the Eastern States, not only by Catholics and Episco- palains, but by other sects. It is almost universally ob- served in the Sothern and Middle States, and is regarded asthe most genial day of the year—tne Fourth of July the only universal holiday. beid on the same ‘lay throngh- out the United States, being regarded more of « public, patriotic national day oat of doors, than one of social and domestic mirth within. In the ancient church Christmas was regarded as a re- ligious jubilee, on which, at the midnight hour of the an- niversary of Christ’s birth, the very beaste wero sald to kneel, as they did when the angels announced the nati- vity in rapturous song—a superstition which prevails to this day in England. The golden-meuthed (eloquent) Chrysostom called it ‘the metropolis and mother of all festivals.” In Rome the ceremonies are not what might be expected, there being only the high mass and a pro- cession, the same as at Easter. On Christmas eve, in the day time, a mass is said; but there are no ceremonies and no music. This vigil was formerly held at night. It began before midnight and lasted till four o'clock in the morning; but indecorous scenes and intrigues were carried on even in the church itself, and the hours were altered. At the Santa Maria Maggiore a grand vigil is still held at four o’clock in the morning, where the image of the new born Christ, dressed in swaddling clothes, is carried about for the devotion and delight of the people. While in Rome Easter ia the great festival of the year, in England Christmas has still the supremacy. The old Northmen called it ‘Mother-day.”’ It was a time of great joy—the feast, the anthem, the suspension of the ordinary avocations ot life, the crowded churches, the decoration with boughs and evergreens—all proclaimed it Now Nigtt eit bony Si tas amet crew ‘With laurel green and verdant , ‘To these was added ivy, which was sacred to Bacchus, and indicates the heathen origin of the custom. The mistletoe of the oak was held in great veneration by the Druids, and was used in their religious worship, as illus- trated in the opera of “ Norma.”’ Not only the churches of the Christians, in imitation of the Pagan temples, but their entire houses and almost every object in them, were decorated. Councils of the Catholic church issued decrees ‘against the custom; yet it was continued, and is to this day, even, in the Episcopal churches of New York. Dr. Chander tells us in his ‘Travels in Grecce,’’ that it is relat- ed, where druidiem prevailed the houses were decked with evergreens in December, that the sylvan spirits might re- pair to them, and remain unnipped by frosts and cold winds until a milder season had renewed the foliage of their darling abodes. In Britain this was the most re- spectable festival of the Druids, who called it Yuletide, a name by which Christmas has ever since becn known. On this occasion the priests carried about the mistlctoc, which they cut from the trees with their bright brass hatchets, calling it “all hael.’” ‘The custom long prevailed among Christians in York Cathedral of carrying the mistle- toe to the high altar, and proclaiming universal pardon and freedom to all sorts of wicked persons at the gates of the city. ‘The burning of the Yule log on Christmas Eve is also a remnant of Druidism. It consisted of the birch tree, stripped of its bark,and dried for the occasion. The largest that could be found was selected. The size of them may be estimated from the fact that sometimes they burned the houses. They were, in fact, whole trees, and ‘were expected to burn from Christmas till New Year's Day. During the time the Christmas block lasted the ser- vants were entitled to ale. The Yule log in ite first use was only a counterpart of the Midsummer fires, and was kindled within doors because of the cold weather at the winter solstice, as those in the summer solstice are kindled in the open air. These fires were in honor of the sun, and continue to the present time on the eve of St. Joln the Baptist (June 24). The other festival of St. John the Evangelist (Dec. 27) is in the Christmas holidays, er at Yule-tide, when the log was burned on the hearth. Both in Ireland and in the county of Cornwall, in England, where there is a kindred race of Celts, the people at the midsummer bonfires carry torches about, tarred at the end, which is uadoubtedly a Druidical custom. “The St. John Fires,” says Gebclin, “those sacred fires, wore kindled at midnight, on the very moment of the solstice, by the greatest part as well of ancient as of mo- dern nations.”’ Over these fires the Christians leaped in sport, which was regarded as an imitation of the idola- trous custom denounced in the Bible of “‘passing through the fire” of Bael. But the Christrians, of course, at tached'mo such meaning to the act, and it was therefore harmless in their case. There was a peculiar fitness in celebrating St. John’s day with fires, for he is described as the witness to the light (that is Christ), and was him- solf ‘a burning and a shining light,” being tho morning star or harbinger of the approaching sun. It is worthy of remark that both the days of St. John are sacred to Free Masonry, which shows the éon- nection of these seasons with ancient mysteries. In the old Runic Fasti a wheel was used to denote the festival of Christmas, and the learned derive the word Yule froma root, signifying a wheel or revolution. It was 80 called, says Bede, because of the return of the sun’s annual course after the winter solstice. This wheel is common to both festivities. Durand, speaking of the rites of the feast of St. John, the Baptist, informs us that in some places they roll a wheel from the top of a moun- tain, to signify that the sun is beginning to descend from the highest point in the zodiac. Having previously beon covered with straw, it was set on fire, and at a distance it had the appearance as if the sun were deacending from the *Tiristmas was called the Foast of Lights in the Latin or ‘Western church, because they used many lights at the feast, the large Christmas candle having succeeded to the log, which itat first accompanied. In an old chronicle we Jearn that in Yorkshire, on Christmas Eve, the chandlers sent as presents to their customers large mould candles, and the cooper’s yulc-logs, just as the bakers used to send presents of the “ yule-dough,”’ which was a plum cake formed into the shape of a baby, in allusion to the jofant Christ. It was also called “‘ Baby cake.” Among the customs on Christmas Eve was the eating of a dish consisting of wheat boiled in milk, and spiced. It was called furmenty or frumenty. This was eaten at the feasts of the Roman saturnalia. The sheriffs of York, we are nform- ed by Leland, used to issue a proclamation at Yule that “all manner of wantons and thieves, dice-players, carders and all other unthrifty folk, be welcome to the town, whether they come late or early, at the reverence of the high feast of Yulo, till the twelve days be passed.”” This is evident- ly in imitation of the saturnalia. At this season was car- ried on the licentious sport of ‘‘ mamming,’’ which con- sisted in changing clothes between men and women, and going from one house to another partaking of Christmas cheer, and making merry with thom in disguise. This was also a practice at the saturnalia, The mummers ‘wore masks and the smaller boys blackened their faces, shouting or singing the rhyme— A merry Christmas and a happy new yoar, ‘Your pt eer full of money, and your collars full of beer. ‘The Christmas Carols were numerous. The earliest was the gloria in excelsis, the well known hymn sung by tho angels to tho shopherds at tho nativity. Humorous jovial carols were afterwards introduced. Presents were called yule gifts when made at Christ- mas, afterwards called Christmas boxes, from the fact that they wero contained ina box of earthcnware, from which the money could not be taken till the boxes were broken. They were originally gifts to servants and me- chanics for their good services during the year; also to apprentices and children to encourage them. The Germans erecta Christmas tree in the house on Christmas Eye—on the branches they suspend presents which the children find in the morning. This, and the custom of Santa Claus depositing preseats in the chil- dren's stockings, we have borrowed from them. In Ger- ‘many, Christmas Eve is given to general jollity, frolic and fun, including masks. Many of the political traditions and legends of Getmany—its ghosts and its fariee—are associated with Christmas Eve. In England, among a people less imaginative than the Teutons, Christmas was not without its superstitions. It ig to one of these Shakepare alludes when he eays the cock begins. to crow at midnight of Christmas Eve, and continues to crow all night long—during which no Planet strikes, no spirit dares to stir abroad, no fairy takes away children, and no witch has power to charm. Jt wag the season of universal joy. ‘So now is come our joyfulest feast; Tet every 5 np. room with ivy leaves is drest, eRe nda holly. ome pam Peay topes anal trees decorated the hall of the baronial castle or lordly palace ; the floer was strewn with boughs; wooden plates were laid on the long table, and the knights and squires set down to the Christmas dinner, thus described ia Marmion — ‘The fire, with well dried ‘Wont rearing up tbe ee fae at a ot Dore the ey late porrid Christmas Then came the — Sn cerma reer =iaye Who may their mumming see ‘Traces of ancient myete: While shirts supplied tho’ And smutted checks the visors made. England was merry when Christmas brought his sports again. Even the lowly cottages of the poor bad their good things, according to the old rhyme :— Christmas comes but once a year, And when it comes, it brings good cheer. However they lived the rest of the year, they were not without good clothes, and roast beef, and plum pudding, toast and ale, at Christmas. And those that hardly all the year Had bread to eat or rags to wear, ‘Will have both clothes and dainty fare, And all the day be merry. During the twelve days of Christmas “ Lords of Mis- rule” were elected as captains of mischief, who were sometimes callod “ Masters of the Merry Disports.”” They had bands of followers, dressed like the fantastical target companies ®f New York, and these they led into all sorts of comical proceedings, but for the most part without harming anybody. Merriment ruled the hour. Some times there was a mock gravity in the custom, and men of high degree took part inthe ceremony, which was also prevalent in the colleges. It was attended with great expense. Warton tells us of one revel master whom it cost £2,000 out of his own purse. But with some Christmas lasted far longer than twelve days. In one of the old chronicles we read that in Not- tinghamshire ‘‘ the good Sir William Hollis kept his house in great splendor and hospitality. He began Christmas at Hallowtide and continued it till Candlemas (three months), during which time any man was permitted to stay three days, without being asked who he was or from whence he came.” Nor was this a singular case. The Duke of Nor- folk, we are informed, expended £20,000 ($100,000) in ‘keeping Christmas. This munificence gave great offence at Court, and Charles II. gave up keeping the festival on that ascount. From that period the old custom de- clined. That was the season of boundless charity. How different from the present time in England, when few give anything—few, indeed, in consequence of increasing luxury, having anything to spare, except the Leviathan fandholders, whose doctrine is that charity makes people lazy, though there are thousands hungry and perishing because they cannot got work! In olden time the lord of the manor caused his doors to be thrown open, that the epjoyments of the season might be as general as the Diessings it commemorated. A whole hecatomb of fat- tened hogs and beeves and sheep and poultry wero slaughtered and cut into slices, and distributed among the neighborhood; and a string of hog’s puddings and a pack of cards were sent to every poor family in the parish. Then also a double quantity of malt was allowed to the ale, which was set running into the leathern jacks and horn cups in the hall, for every one who called for it, while the table, “‘heart of oak,” groaned with large rounds of beef, plum pudding and mince pics. At night the sports of the happy, because still unplandered, yeo- manry made the roofs and rafters ring with merriment. ‘The landlord looked in and enjoyed the practical jokes Jong treasured up for the occasion. Then there was little or no taxation, and no everlasting din about ‘money markets.” Such was then ‘Merry England.”” What is she new? The tale is shortly told by numberless poor- houses, and numberless boards erected in conspicuous places in the demesnes of the nobles and their parvena imitators—“Steel traps and spring guns set on these pre- mises.” Still Christmas is kept in England with great zeal. Its pre-eminently the season of charity. Clothes and food are sent by the wealthy to the poor, in their dwellings, and contributions are sent to pauper instita- tions to enable the inmates toenjoy at least one good dinner in the year. At midnight now, too, issue forth the “waits,’” ‘but now strolling musicians, who, accompanied by a crowd, go around on Christmas eve, and give notice of the approach of the festival. They rouse from slumber such as had retired to rest, and keep them from going sleep again. Before the dawn the chimes begin, and morning resounds with songs from the bells and carolers. ‘The chimes, the chimes of motherland, Of England green and old, ‘That out of fane and ivied tower A thousand years have toll’d; lorious inust their music be, and calloth with oh's Yoice Ta a ‘Anatonuptepeeyt ‘To cot and With holly decked and mitsletoe, To keep the festival. Brooklyn City News. Tux Ervect or Low Trpms.—There was considerable aif ficulty yesterday in bringing the boats of the Fulton ferry into their slips, in consequence of the low state o the tide. The boat in the upper slip on the Brooxlyn sido remained fast for some time. Passengers came on board and remained a long time before they became aware of the fact that the boat could not be moved. A general rash was then made for the boat in the lower slip, which ‘Was filled to its utmost York side was this state of all sorts of walks so that it was difficult to of the tide the boat was got off and all went Mav Frozes To Dgatu.—A colored. lius H. Johnson, was found dead in a shed'on the premi- ses of Wm. Skelly, in Warren street, ‘near Franklin ave- nue, early yesterday morni ‘The poor man had evi- denliy entsred tbe thee or tea ‘of protecting him- eelf from the cold, and was frozen Te death. ‘Tar Taunexin Recneent.—At a drill of this regiment on Friday night, orders from headquarters were read, di- recting a change from an artillery to a ligbt infantry regi- ment, and to drill hereafter according to Hardeo’s tactics. Counrenrurs.—Counterfeit bills on the Wooster Bank, of Danbury, Conn., were put in circalation on Friday Bight, They are of ihe denomination of Oye dollars,