The Brussels Post, 1949-12-21, Page 7tT..g ill q A•g.,i..r,,rh\^i. /.tfitYi,GiMenk1.t
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Origins of Famous
Christmas Ca.rots
Since that first Christmas ,'lien
the angels sang "Glory to God in
the highest," music has been a
vital part of the holiday season:
schools, churches and homes ring
with joyous hymns and songs. The
first singing of carols in the streets,
we are told, was in the year 1224.
When we think of Christmas, we
think of the pictures you see on
Christmas cards of houses almost
buried in snow, candles burning in
windows, and carolers grouped
around a doorway, singing with all
their hearts to the distant peal of
church bells. Christmas must have
been picturesque in those days, no,
automobiles whizzing by, lust the
merry jingle of sleigh bells.
"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing"
was written in 1730 by Charles
Wesley, younger brother of John
Wesley, who founded the Methodist
denomination,- but was not pub-
ltshed until 1856. Inspiration fur
the poem came to Wesley as he
walked to church one Christmas
morning.
Bishop Phillip Brooks, rector of
the Holy Trinity Church in Phila-
delphia, was asked by his Sunday
school children to write a Christ-
mas song, so in 1868, he produced
"Oh Little Town' of Bethlehem "
After writing the hymn, he went
to the church organist and asked
him to furnish a tune. The organ-
ist, Lewis H. Redner, says the air
came to him in a Christmas dream,
and it was finished for the next
day's services.
Origin of "Silent Night"
But most beloved of all Christ-
mas music is "Silent Night, Holy
Night," written, we are told, by
Father Josef Mohr, who found
himself without means of music
for the Christmas services because
mice had eaten the bellows of the
church organ. Father Josef was
greatly troubled over the calamity,
and as he returned from adminis-
tering rites to a dying woman, he
stood on a• hilltop, at midnight, and
it came to hint that it must have
been just such a silent night that
the Christ child was born, so he
went home and composed the words
to our famous Christmas hymn.
Then, of course, it needed music,
so he went to his old schoolmaster,
Franz Gruber. And so Franz played
his guitar and Father Josef sang a
Christmas hymn that will never die.
• Few think of this lovely hymn
without remembering how we once
watched our radio dial at Christmas
time for its rendition by one of
the most beloved of singers, Mme.
Schumann-Heink.
Oh, those were days of simplicity
when rectors, casting about for
suitable Christmas programs turned
poets, and organists turned com-
posers to furnish the music, music
that goes on forever!
They would, indeed, be gratified
if they could hear our present-day
Christmas programs, pouring out
of a little cabinet in the corner,
their labors of love have come a
long way front that steel guitar and
a gentle voice replacing a nibbled
bellows, they'd be surprised to
learn their flock now does its
Chrlsttnas shopping to their in-
spirational tunes.
SAME OLD SANTA
Sante old Santa, same old joys,
Sante old dolls and sleds and toys;
Same old holly, same old tree,
Same old gifts for cherubs wee;
Same old carol, same old light,
Seine old stockings hung at night;
Satne old words of merry cheer,
Same good wishes for the year.
Sante old,Ciwistinas1 Seams to nm
That's the way it ought to be.
"Christ Is
Pberq Ihtt6tifla6
orn In Bethlehem. "
Chrise'inas—When
Did It Begin?
The earliest celebration of the
birth of Christ, on December 25 of
each year, took place in the fourth
century, and the custom spread
from the Western to bhe Eastern
Church. Before that date, the com-
memoration of Christ's Nativity and
Baptismwas held on January 6,
The first mention of Christmas is
found in a Roman document known
as the "Philoealian Calendar," in
the year 354, and the first time the
festival was celebrated in Britain
was in 598, when St. Augustine
baptized 10,000 converts,
In the year 567, the Council of
Tours declared a 12 -day festival
from Christmas to Epiphany, and
later-991-1016—the laws of Ethel-
red ordained that all strife should
cease at Christmas. In Germany,
Christmas was established int' 813
'by the Synod of Mainz, and in Nor-
way by King Haknu the Good, in
the year 01n
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Jest 'Fore Christmas
Father calls nie William, sister calls me Will,
Mother calls me Willie, but the fellers Fall me Bill!
Mighty glad I ain't a girl—ruther be a boy,
Without them sashes, curls ,an' things that's worn by Fauntlero rl
Love to chawnk green apples an' go swimmin' in the lake—
Hate to take the castor-ile they give for belly -ache!
'Most all the time, the whole year round, there ain't no flies on week,
Bttt jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin bel
Got a yeller dog named Sport, sick him on the cat;
First thing she knows she doesn't know where she is at!
Got a clipper sled, an' when us kids goes out to slide,
'Long comes the grocery cart, an' we all hook a rider
But sometimes 'when the grocery man is worrited an' cross,
He reaches at us with his whip, an' larrups up Itis hoss,
An' then I laff an' holler, "Oh, ye never teched mel"
But jest 'fore Christmas I'm as good as I kin bel
Gran'ina says she hopes that when 1 git to be a roan,
I'll be a missionarer like her oldest brother, Dan,
As was et up by the„cannibals that lives in Ceylon's Idle, ., r
Where every prospeck pleases, an' only man is vilel
But gran'ma she has never been to see a Wild West show,
Nor read the Life of Daniel Boone, or else I guess she'd know
That Bufflo Bill and cow -boys is good enough for me!
Excep' jest 'afore Christmas, when I'm good as I kin bel
And thea old Sport he hangs around, so solemn -like an' still,
His eyes they keep a-sayin': "What's the matter, little Bill?”
The old cat sneaks down off her perch an' wonders what's become
Of them two enemies of ]tern that used to make things hum!
But I ant so perlite an' 'tend so earnestly to biz,
That mother says to father: "How improved our Willie is!"
But father, havin' been a boy himself, suspicions nue
When, jest 'fore Christmas, I'm as good as•l kin be!
For Christmas, with its lots alt' lots of candies, cakes, aa' toys,
Was trade, they say, for proper kids an' not for 'naughty boys:
So wash yer face an' bresh yer hair, an' mind yer p's
An' don't blast out yer'pantaloons, an' don't wear out yer shoes:
Say "Yessum" to the ladies, an' "T essur" t� the then,
An' when they's company, don't pass yer plate for pie again;
But, thinkin' of the things yer'd like to see upon that tree,
Jest 'fore Cbristinas be as good as yer !cin be!
Eugene Field [1850.18951
THE. HOUSE OF CHRISTMAS
This world is wild as an old wives' tale,
And strange the plain things are,
The earth is enough and the air is enough
For our wonder and our war;
But our rest is as far as the fire -drake swings
And our peace is put in impossible things
When clashed and thundered untliinlcable !ting
Round an incredible star,
To an open house in the evening
Horne shall men come,
Toan older place than Eden
And a taller to t t Rome;
e W t than in ,
'l'o ` the end of the way of the wandering star,
To .the things that cannot be and that are,
'i'o the place where Gori was homeless
\,vl all (nen are at home.
By G. K. CHES 'BRION
1
A Visit From St. Nichoiers
`Twas the night before Christmas, when, all through the hound
Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;
The stockings were hung by the chimney with carat',
In hopes that St,. Nicholas soon would be there;
The children were nestled all sung in their bade,
While visions of sugar -plums danced in their heads;
And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,
Had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap,
When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.
Away to the window I flew like a flash,
Tore open the shutters `and threw up the sash.
The moon on the breast of the new -fallen snow
Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear„
But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,
With a little old driver, so lively and quick,
I knew 'in a moment it must be St Nick.
More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,
And he whistled, and shouted, and called therm by name;
"Now, Dasher! now, Da`ncerl now, Prancer and Vbe tsa
On, Comet! on Cupid! on, Donder and Blitzen!
To the top of the porchl to the top of the want
Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"
As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the skg
So up to the house -top the coursers they flew,
With the sleigh full of toys, and St, Nicholas too,
And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof
The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.
As 1 drew in my head, and was turning around,
Down the chimney St. Nicholas came -with a bound.
He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,
And his clothes were alt tarnished with ashes and soot;
A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,
And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack,
His eyes—how they twinkled) his dimples how merry!
His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry;
His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,
And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;
The stump of a pipe he held tight in hie teeth,
And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;
He had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook,, when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly.
He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,
And I laughed when I saw hint, in spite of myself;
A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,
Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;
He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,
And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,
And laying his finger aside of his nose,
And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;
He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,
And away they alt flew like the down of a thistle.
But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,
"Happy Christmas to all, and to all a good -night." 5
Clement Clarke Moore 11779-18633
The Christmas Story
OW when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of
Judea in the days of Herod the king, be-
hold, there came wise men from the east
to Jerusalem.
Saying, Where is He that is born King
of the Jews? for we have seen His star its
the east, and are come to worship Him.
When Herod the king had heard these
thins rte was troubled; and all Jerusalem with hind.
And when he had gathered all the chief priests and
scribes of the people together, he demanded of then;
where Christ should be born.
And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judea: for
thus it is written by the prophet; And thou Bethlehem,
in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princess
of Jude: for out of thee shall cotne a Governor, that
shall rule My people Israel.
Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise
men, enquired of them diligently what time the state
appeared.
And he seat them to Bethlethem, and said,. Go and
search diligently for the. young Child; and when ye have
found Hi.tn,bring me word again, that I may come and
worship Him also.
When they had heard the king, they departed; and
lo, the star, which they saw itt the east, went before
then!, till it came and stood over where the young
Child was:
When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceed••
ing great joy. And when they were come into the house
they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and
fell down, and worshipped Hitn: and when they had
opened their treasures, they presented unto Him gifts;
gold and frankincense, and myrrh, And being warned
of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod,
they departed into their own country another way.
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of
the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise,
and fake the young Child and His mother, and flee into
Bgypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for
Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him,
When he arose, he took the young Child and His
mother by night and departed into Kgypt: And was
there until
til the death of Herod, that it aright be fulfilled
which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying,
Out of Egypt have 1. called My Son,
Matthew 2:1.15,