The Clinton News Record, 1940-12-12, Page 31
Christmas arols Are
Handed Down the Years
•JDci You Know Who Wrote Them ?
of John Wesley, the .famous sigh••
' teenth century evangelist, was a
great composer of hymns and carols.
He wrote over a thousand of them,
and the one which is most popular
during the Christmas season is
"Hark, the Herald Angels Sing."
This was an early work of the man
who, 1 by encouraging his follow stu-
dentsa( at. Oxford to "observe the
method of study prescribed by the
statutes es
ti t of the
university," tsi
ty," 'futrodu-
eed the Methodist creed whish his
elder brother carried far and wide.
Did you know that a very popular
hymn was written by Dean Farrar,
the author of "Erie, or Little 'by
Little„. During the period that
Dean. Farrar was headmaster at
Harrow he wrote "In the Fields With
1'lieir Meeks Abiding" for the boys.
"0 Cont(', All Ye Faithful" eine-
mites from the - Oxford religious
movement of the middle of • the .last
eentriry, hitt its Latin original,
"Adeste Fideles," is of lunch older e
date. And " () Little Town of Beth-
lehem" was actually written by
Phillips Brooks In Bethlehem on
;.'IU'istmas Day, 1.461'..
That pieur,a.mue figure in the
s'o'ld of Victorian poetry, 1.11111 dila
wast 11. -Wrote one of the loveliest
1 1'hri tmas hymns -"Love -Ca me
Down at t.hr'istm,as.
WONDER (writes Walter G.
Hartland) if you will sing "Adest
tempus iloridum" this Christmas?
Most of us know, this very familiar
tune better as "Good King Wences-
las." All the same, "Adest tempus
floridunl," which means 'Now the
'time of flowers is here," is the name
of the original melody, which, com-
posed more than 310 years ago, was
given its present words by a clergy-
man 111 the nineteenth century.
You may remark that "Now the
time of flowers is here" does not
sound very Christinasy. True, for
this carol was not a Christmas carol
at all, but a hymn to the Spring.
Most of our carols,..ia fact, had a
non-religious,origin.
Even the words we now sing to
"Good King Wenee slaw 'really refer
to St. Stephen's day, Dee. 99th. Who,
anyway, was King Weneeslas? He
is the patron saint. of Bohemia.
Bohemia, which became part of
the independent Czechoslovak state
after the Great. \Var, was lander the
sway of the Holy Roman Empire in
the tenor c.ntnry. \Vencesttts, who
became the reigning 'duke of Prague
itt
02;',, was brought ftp as a Christian
by his grandmother, and he founded
many churches in his dukedom, But
his alttempt to convert his subjects to
Christianity reel to his assassination
fort 7elu•s later by his younger
hlotlher, Bolesiav,
Printed in 1$21
We might never have diseovorod
maul' of the older carols, but for the
brnadsiteets on which they were
eraulely printed, and hawked round
the country by wauderiug singers
and minstrels. And the words of a
great number of enrols were unknown
until the year 1810, when a valuable
old book, now in the library of 13a1Hol
College, Oxford, was found behind a
huokeese.
This hook was the privet.' memo-
randum of Millard 11i11, a London
grocer•, who, between the years 1 50
and 1:-46, 1d, noted clown bibles of
ocellus, dotes of fairs, musical pre-
scriptions, cookery recipes, dates of
his children's births, riddles, puzzles,
and poems in English, French and
Lattin, items on holt to break in
horses, and a number of carols.
"The Bear's Head Carol," the old-
est. printed Christmas carol we have
1 Vnln' <e W, e
\ y .n la, S(1d., an apprentice
of Caxton, printed 11 in 1;21.1, is
still sung atntnaily at Queen's Col-
• lege, Oxford, as the boar's head is
staked i11 solemn procession into the
Hall on Christmas Day.
Written For Daughter
11 '01)8 a drunken poet laureate in
the tine of Dryden, who wrote
"While Shepherds Watched Their
Flocks by Night." "Christians
Awake, Sainte the Ilappy Morn." is
the work of John Wainwright, who
Was or„a1ist of the Menchester Col-
legiate t'hurch until his death In
170,0. lie wrote it for his little
daughter. 1)0117, who found it on her
breakfast plate on the Christmas
01011ting of 1745.
Charles Wesley, younger brother
t lui'.tntas Will Live
cern I i tltcis Alexander, wife of
William Alexander, the Irish divine,
l0081)ced a great number of hymns,
.111,' wrote "Once in David's Boyar
C'tty ' 1'ur her children over eighty -
;yastl's ago. This oal'ol appeared hl
a look of hymns and carols for chil-
dren which ran into a hundred edi-
tions.
'rhe American contribution to this
type of ntusie is co111pa11(110017 re-
cent because the Pilgrim Fathers,
holding the 14tt•itttat view of the ob-
servance of Christmas, naturally
took no enrols to the New World.
bur rtu•uls are now sunt; in America
as !anvil ntt h as they are h1 England, "It
Caste Upon the. 'Midnight Clear" Is
an American earn': so 11: "We 'Throe
Tibias 1)' Ori'')8 Are," which was
i•ameosed by the Rev. Dr, J. 11. 1lup-
kins, of Williamsport. in 1857.
Neither (war nor the seralar rel}g-
ons of the dictator states can finally
t Dot e1111 those traditional OLYe00-
-uees et Christmas -time,
stades
In The
Wood
Pantomime Store Is
Really Founded
On Fact
1)111, irtlttn11110 es are founded
on feet. When Edward IV was
(;int:, a well-known Norfolk
gentleman named De Wayland Made
will of his deathbed in favor of
Itis two ehildreu. The boy was four
and the girl two, so tlleil''fathea' left
11letn in the goatdilntship of his
brother. who was to inherit the
+mnney if they died first.
Sad Ending
The children disappeared and the
uncle clime into their money; then,
some years later, the truth came out.
A highwayman was arrested and, at
leis neral, declared that he and mi-
ntier robber had been paid to mur-
der the (h11111en, They had been
taken to Wailing Wood, near Thet-
ford: here the prisoner became sorry
for then(, killed the second robber,
and went off to get food.
While ho was absent, the children
wandered from where, he had left
thein, got lost, and finally died of
starvation. On this story the "Babes
ill the Wood" was founded.
Everyone is familiar with Dick
Whittington's cat, Dick, 'who came
to London as s, poor Lancashire lad,
made his fortune by trading in n
low, squat kind of ship, known as to
"eat." That is the origin of the pan-
tomime eat. He Was Lord Mayor in
18 97, 1406, 1419, and married his
master's daughter in proper roman-
tle style.
wDid
Start?It All
Most Cuatdms Date
Back to Days. of
Long Ago
ROM what digit Bast did the toad -
tion of Santa Claus come? Why
are so many millions of dollars
now spent on Christmas presents and
trillions of Christmas cards sent by
friends to friends? How did the idea
start? Why the combination of tur-
key and plum pudding, of candles
and Christmas trees? How did all
the glamor of the year's greatest
holiday collie about? Back of the
present holiday season is one of the
most curiously mixed and interesting
chapters in all history,
Strange Ideas
References to Christmas appear In
some of the oldest writings. Virgil
describes the Christmas tree very
clearly and its decorations of toys
and dolls; and present -giving to one
and all in a festive season of the
itomans
In lu:,,, Thomas Tusse,
an early English writer, after pro-
nouncing the sound fact that "Christ-
Nas Comes but once a year," recehi"
mended:
"At Christmas be merry and
thankful withal,
And feast thy pour neighbors.
the greet
With the small,"
in those days people evidently had
more time for prober holidaying, nig, fur
revelries started around the wassail -
bowl .t week ahead of Christmas and
euntilr1ed until well into the New
Veer.
3lany strange superstitious were
practiced. Unmarried girls would
take turns calling at the pig -sty
door. If a small pig answered Inst,
her linsltlnd w'ol)141 be at young lean:
but if the great hot; grunted, sht'
would marry au old slam.
serrate t;i1•I8 du 81)1111e parts of the
country could era}m the privilege of
staying in hod on 1'llristmas morning
while the mistress did the work.
Decorating ,41rince, and homes at -
Christman; time is a very old ens 01)1,
Mlistletoe was greatly reverenced by
the 1118 1Mid 111011 of England, It
was gathered by them ttt Yuietidc,
.',11by the priest in white rain0)11
using a golden knife. The cells and
Goths also ven(.r (ted the n)is)I. tot
In etetudieuvta the holly or holly.
tree is 01)11011 Christ's Thorn, filet
Its dedicatloll to • C'lti'istinae; and
eltn'eh decorations and because its
berries appeal' at Christmas time.
10,000 Guests
I 1e ear t' ,
In t} lies! Christian d• • v.
,ut d l , (
11
day t r ( '
ii Christmas ;Lethally varied
from 11are11 and April to December.
The. Emperor Julius 1 set December
"r as the .date sometime around 1140
A.D.
English Icings from the reign of
Ring John to that of ildward VI
celebrated Christmas in \Vest101051er
Hall, as the Palace of Westminster
was atthat time the
to
nl rrsideucr..
Richard II personally entertained
10,000 persons there, wearing Ills
et•own 1111)1 a cl1811 of gold robe en-
crusted with precious stones.
The boars head was then the chief
dish, and not the turkey. Splendidly
garnished, borne aloft on as toll
dish, and heralded by a fanfare of
trumpets, it was followed by a pro-
('esslou of knights and ladies who
yang the famous Boar's IIead Carol,
tate music of which is stilt in exist-
ence.
Boaasi. peacocks, elaborately deco-
rated, were also served, but mince
hies and Christmas pudding are of
later date,
hissing under the mistletoe had
its origin in Scandinavian myth-
ology.
The boxes originally placed In
churches for voluntary contributions
were called Christmas boxes, as on
011015tmas Day they were opened and
their contents distributed next day ---
Boxing Day,
Star of East
December 9 }s the actual birthday
of St. Nicolas, the original of Santa
Claus, who is credited with the visits
to children with presents. In Scan-
dinavian countries, these presents
were a reward for children who had
been of good conduct during the
past year, rather than one et the
adjunets of Christmastime itself,
Festivestive Season Meant
Imprisorime t or Death
Puritans Tried To Kill Christmas
TIIANGE. indeed was the Christ-
mas Day that dawned, grey and
gloomy, in 1944. Strange and
terrible and sad, Icor Morrie Olde
I nglaed, where the Yuletide had al-
ways been ushered in with hearth -
Ares and steaming ale and the happy
laughter of children, was cloaked in
fear and sorrow. The celebration of
Christmas had become a black sin!
By edict of Parliament,
the occa-
siouohnd been reclaimed ori
p a ata
almost as dire as murder'.
1i' Lpless i'eople
A heavier 'fog than usual blanket-
ed London. • The thick mists league
from the Thames topic on the ugly
features of writhing demons. IIunles
were dark and silent. Even the
streets were bare •of holly berries
and green boughs and tiny flickering
candles. A dread chill )lung in the
air, whish was nut caused by the
sudden coveting of sheet that hid
the cobbles. 'I'Itis was Christmas
morning, yet there was t0 be no
Christmas! Warnings aplenty' had
bee1) issued to the townsfolk, and
whoever dared the wrath of the stern
l'arliamtent sitting determinedly at
\Vestllinol.'r took liberty and even
life in his hands.
The facts (writes Robert M. llyutt)
are only to be found in the row ex-
isting news -books printed during the
Winter of 1 t;17 in 100018101.
That at dark year of 1017 saw war,
Hine l.ugland suffering; front unenl-
ploynteat, exorbitant taxes, crop
failure,
1u eh'• »e•ve•1) years of their nsseat-
hl:1O0. 111e strict 'Puritan Parliament.
Lail %Helloed )1)(1101)1 411 laws lu an
:klineet helpless people, Its rapid
menthol's had soltgllt to suppress
worldly pleasures. They had suc-
ceeded evert to the. clueing of all
theatres, fol'h}dtling puppet shows,
animal lights, a11(i Sunday boating
on the 'names. They had gone su
fair tae 10 1.4811000 the ot•gatl$
every )'harelt idecrying them as dis-
tractions
tracto ns t !1 the 1(111,4:, we•41'irtinillk. ser -
Mons. And now ape's cliatnpk.(1 at
the hit tor stew evils to 01)(81811.
(:looln---liw Order
Thal they seized upon the festival
of Christmas as an app00101111.7 to
display their narrow-lnittctedne.ss is
not strange, When one Is 11) 111181)1ted
with the facts surrounding this in-
tense13.,. room 1 body. Anel that such a
Was It
Star Or
Comet?
What Body Was It
That Guided
Wise Men?
11A'l' Halley's Comet (vas th
bright light whish guided 111'
Wise ,\Ion to Christ's hirthpiatee
is the suggestion trade by Dl', It. S.
s 1
Itichalti 1 u, of Mount Wilson Obser-
vato1y, 1.11(1,1 gra malty astronomers
disagree. '
llepulor Ilsita11lt
The Christmas date, as we know
it, was nut. celebrated until the
fourth ce1tu17, and owing to the
changes 11i tits calendar it is impos-
sible to say exactly on which day,
and in what year, Jesus was born.
It is generally agreed that the date
is between 11 B.C. and 5 B.C.
Ilalley's Comet is one of the few
celestial bodies which have passed
within sight of the earth at regular
intervals as far hack as history goes,
It has been seen, and its visits re-
corded, between 07 B.C. and A.D.
191.0, And one of these appearances
was, says 1)r. Richardson, between 11
TIC. and 5 13,(1, There is also evi-
dellce that in August, 11 B.C., the
1101)101 was in the constellation
Geutini, a. little north of the two
bright stars Castor and Pollux. And
these stars, in their daily journey
across the heavens, passed through
the 21411th at Bethlehem.
In 11 13,C.
Since Hailey's Comet was close to
Castor and Pollux o11 that August
night. in 11 B.C., it must have stood
direetly over Bethlehetit. Certainly
the appearance in the sky of so
bright a body as Valley's Comet.
could not have failed to arouse Wen-
der among the people,
stupid edict took from their people
the one and only form of joyous ex.',
pression left to them made no diffe)-
ence.
It all came about in this manner,:
At one of their sittings a member
spoke up: "What •about this Popish
festival called Christmas?"
Militant eyes lighted up at once,
Shaggy heads got together, wagging
profoundly. Aye, what about it, in-
deed? The who'le•ceremony reeked
of; the church rituals they had driven
adI of the country.
t:Su11et1 stutterings went around
the group. Mutterings that quickly
swelled to an ominous rumble. In
solemn dignity, this serious-minded
Parliament debated the platter of
Christmas :end voted It "an evil of
heretics." It. was a saerilege! They
would forthwith put a ban on It!
They abolish,' 'every Yuletide •
(41'1.111011y. ('11)10ches were closed On
that day, bay leaves and holly were
tabu, and aid n1(,tr:-slaking and
feasting, either in patine or private,
Was forbidden under dire threat of
the 1aty, ';e0e0e lunthael were 141-
1108)8 for tory uhaelvanee of this
"pagan, 11(1111151) cttst)ln."
The laws were so strict that
woole) Were arrested for making
plum padding . bleu Were tined and
itnprisened for lighting Yule hogs:
and a whole force ui Government
spies :leuihe8 about for elergYntell
who dared to preaclt Christmas ser-
moue!
er-
11181) 4!
'1'11us 1t. (01111e elated that thele was
little merriment In 3ferrie: England.
Throughout all this ancient fund,
where, Yuletide had. for etnttn)cs
heel) 1151)0red in With joyous Lasting
and happy 0atborings, there was
E11001)1 and tear.
To 1' r
r
t it a few bulli souis dared
0 lu'e tks
the law 00011151 puddings
and other tarty - things. Rut links
who did feasted hurriedly and fear-
fully. with one syr on their plates
and another on the (lour, where at
any tminlelt a Parliament spy ,light
appear.
A fete e)urageons ministers dared
to tmonnt their pulpits on that day,
aid t'urlh-with became martyrs( to the
ea
use tt' Christmas wore}lip. peva"
siolally sullen and unhappy work-
ingmen tented their anger in small
Hots. But quick justice, or injnstiee,
was meted out to the disobedient.
The Royalist press was loud in its
discontent. The Roundhead. jour-
nalists approved the law and offered
lht1e continent. .A system of strict
censorship p,'ovailed po rposely- to cle-
,trny Royalist .journalism. Set they
failed.
By imposing heavy lines on print-
ers and writers, and by rli'fe1'dng re-
wa0c15 for their arrests, Parliament
eat. shoal the lives a.!' finny Rnyalist
pamphlets. The three leading one's,
alowever. _"Mercurius Praagniaat1eus,"
"Mercurius Melaneholicits” and "Mer,
:nu'dus Tlleucticus"---matage(1 to sur-
vive ton t•oubinns years. Often a
sttbstftuto served on these sheets
while ,the regular writer did libturn
in Newgate Pelson,
RIUF FIIRMITIIDI
k .r.■ .. w■�■.�■ ■ vaa�.
HERE YOU WILL FIND GIFTS THE WHOLE rAMILY WILL
AP1'RECIATIO ANI) ENJOY.
t
0
Your Personal Inspection to see these useful gifts
would be appreciated.
ommat rtgemPt�inzziptc'tit-oil.patmpthrzi-p7parsl t�vlr°1T`3t91 orvr�tr9'h97id1"PiItu:`�3"r.7rFt. ,
,.. 5 Beattie
7 - Furniture Store•
0
A NEW LINE OF SELECTIVE GIFTS:
Wall and Corner Brackets - Wall Plastics
Book -Ends Pictures
American Walnut Serving Trays.
and many other lines have been added
to our stock,
., "The house that service built?'
itti,PHONE 184. 1 A 1 CLINTON.
vice'atesrka CM,CVM Stt;'@iW' tE'ate Vgigtetteletatatatt===Kr
0
11
Christmas Suggestions
B}itmore Hats 1.95, 2.95 to 5.00
Dressing Gowns 7.50 to 14.50
In Maroons- & Blues.
SPORT COATS .. 3.75 to 8.95
SCARVES -
Silk 1,00 to 3.50
Wool 9.00 t 1.95
SCARF SET WITH GLOVES -
2.50 and 2.95
SUSPENDERS & GARTERS
SETS L00
SUSPENDERS 50; 75e & L00
CAPS 1.00 to 1.50
volts
XfH SHIRTS -
1.75 - 1.95 to 3.50
BATH ROBES --Blues, Browns
& Maroon 4.25
LINEN HANDKERCHIEFS -
25c, 35c & 50c
Initialed 3 in box 1.00 & 1.35
PYJAMAS -
Broadcloth 1.75, 1.95 to 2.50
Yana Cloth .... 1.95 to 225
TIE PINS , , . 50; 75c to L50
SPATS -Fawn & Grey -- 125
GARTERS ... 25; 35e & 50c
FORSYTH TIES 55. 75 & 1.00
HOUSE COATS 7.50 to 15.00
Navy, Maroon & Green.
SWEATER COATS - Plain or
Fancy, Brushed Wool or Plain'
to 4.95
PULLOVER SWEATERS -
Green Maroon & Blue.
1.95 to 2.95
BELTS -
with Initial Buckle 1.00 & 1.50
Plain 50c, 75c & 1.00
GLOVES -Lined or Unlined
1.25 to 4.75
2
DAVIS & HERMAN
Custom Tailor I3e Measured By A Tailor.
` e e,met2r21mweareaea-W'ee:- i`etai8 -2tht2:et-9r3• teteeeee ee:eieeaei,eeee.,ee e,y e.e.e„ ea.
�cwwww
eac tatee.`tmute-'`
ettacetetet£ c'1'.211etete otetet etre:etetetete- (t
teteletexte ' etextem., 7
1
CHRISTMAS SPIRIT on DISPLAY
We have tried our best to make it easy for you to purchase your
.Christmas Gifts, and we think you will say we have
done a good job.
TOILET l;T SET new 1e\tV and beautiful, l IfLIl O '
I prices p s are
the lowest. Yardley's, Adrienne, Jasmin,
Gardenia, Houbigant.
BRUSH, COMB & MIRROR SETS, at all prices,
all new stock.
SHAVING SETS -Yardley's, Bachelor, iUlennens.
Colgates.
RAZORS -Electric, Auto Strop, Gillette.
Pipes - Cigars - Cigarettes - Pouches
Colognes - Perfumes
Hot Water Bottles
Hair Brushes - Shaving Brushes - Brush Sets
CHRISTMAS CHOCOLATES 1 lb,; 2 lb.., 3 lb.
W. S. H HO1i ES PHiV'a H.
CLINTON, ON's'
?*e 9, 'tc .bloke
PHONE et
.712 Y' ,3r2t3ty 3t3aSt`>)t>ateigenetatezaan ntelat3'tetaa etal.atatitat,e2ne; tantneeteinte heti t
no attmotglesetatzmP ' + - tF'•?,k tta
rmtexttG;letemE."u^t k?,'=pogigigtC C. ror
8(
Do
EVERY CHRISTMAS LARGE SUMS OF MONEY ARE SPENT
ON GIFTS WHICIH ARE OF NO EARTHLY USE TO THE
RECEIVER. THE MAN WHO RECEIVES AN UNWEARABLE
41 TIE ,OR A BOX OF UNSMOKAfiLE CIGARS CONSOLES
HIMSELF WITH THE THOUGHT THAT "IT'S THE
SPIRIT THAT COUNTS NOT THE GIF1." BUT WE
ALL FEEL A SECRET DIS.APPOINTMENT WHEN
WE RECEIVE UNWANTED GIFTS FOR
CHRISTMAS.
This unhappy state of effairs should never occur° in a Sportsman's
family.No=sportsman or sportslady ever had any difficulty in
thinking of things ,in the sporting line which they wish,
ASK ABOUT OUR "GIFT CERTIFICATE"
Look for Suggestions in Our Other Advertisement.
FUN FOR THE FORCES -Nothing will! be more welcomed this
Christmas by the boys in uniform, than items of SPORT GOODS
EQUIPMENT. Recreation is essential ,to their • welfare, as all
military leaders agree. Drop in to -day and see our complete offer-
ings . Bring your Christmas list,:
'tIT PAYS TO! PLAY"
•
TO THE .LADIES THIS CHRISTMAS. Bring • that• L -0.N -G Christ -
Mae list to us firat. Many of your relatives and friends, husbands,
brothers, sons, boy friends (in military or civil life) would like
nothing better than some article of HUNTING OR FISHING
EQUIPMENT - SKATES or SKIS. . We have one of the largest
and most varied stock of sporting equipment in Ontario. "It Pays
To Ploy."
Epp's Sports Shop
1