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About Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922 | View Entire Issue (Dec. 18, 1904)
The Omaha Illustrated Bee NUMBER 288. Entered Second Class at Omaha Postofflce Published Weekly by The Bee Publishing Co. Subscription, ?2.D0 Per Year. DKCKMBKK 18, 1904. r 4 Smim iRmm II I! Ml If ko -wyv l jff- E Enb while I smilcb i ... - S? ouno Chen Bjor i 4 ' Quaint Christmas A Br lent 0arranea. ItltKDDI I I I " I United States where ancient Influences of modern life. It bears the appropriate name of Beth lehem, a Pennsylvania town, the strong hold of Moravian faith in this country. To these Moravians the whole of the advent season Is of holy import, and to the children its celebration la committed. On Its Orst day the pupils in the parochial schools exchange small Klft as re minder that Christmas draws near. This is followed In the afternoon by a lovefeast in the church, where mothers even bring thPlr Infants. The Moravian lovefeast cor responds to the communion service of other denominations, and the service is entirely niUHlcal, with a large choir, organ and or chestral accompaniment In attendance. Nothing la too good for the children Of the church at Advent. Instead of wine nnd bread, coffee and large sweet buns are served and accepted In a most reverential spirit, and In the midst of a quiet that Is marvelous, considering the age of the re cipients. During the next four weeks the children meet regularly for the practice of Christ mas carols, followed by the making ot Christmas cakes, the expeditions for greens and the erection of the "puts." Moravian Christmas cakes are distinctive, particu larly the "pferferkuohen," or spice cakes, called In some parts of Germany "leb kuchen." These are made of both brown and white dough and cut in wonderful shapes, such aa animals, birds, flowers, fruits, stars, hearts and other conventional shapes. The Moravian mother does not shut hsr children out of the kitchen and hurry through tbe operation, but assembles them about the board, each cutting a share of the cakes and all listening to tales of the Christ child. Each mother guards her recipes with Jealous care until her daugh ters reach an age when they may be in trusted with the knowledge, to hand dows In turn to their daughters. To the small cakes are added loaves of raised fruit cake containing ralslna, currants, almonds and citron. During the week preoedlng Christmas parties of children scour the woods for fra grant ground or trailing pine, moss and hemlock branches. The demand for ever green trees of all atses is also great. The fruits of their labor are carefully sorted and the best Is turned over for the decora tion of the church, where the children work under the supervision of those who have fulfilled this Important post for years. It is regarded as a religious duty, and only the best must be offered. In each of the church windows (and an ancient, stately pile Is this churck building) Is placed a small flr tree. The recess behind the pulpit is Mlled in with a large painting of the Holy family. Around this is built by means of paier rocks, trees and greens a reproduc tion of the cava where Christ was born, and a strong light Is thrown from the gallery to bring out effectively the halo around the Child In the manger. Tka body of the church, though richly and harmoniously decorated, la kept in comparative darkness to intensify the pteture in the pulpit The Christmas tree represents the tree ot life and Is laden only with fruits, nuts or decorations which simulate them, such as apples, oranges, gilded nuts and balls of varicolored paper, rubber fruits of sur prising naturalness, and thoes mads of wax or papier macks. The tree is never decorated with strings of popoorn, candy canes and lace-decked fairies, seen by the average American child. To the Monkvlan mind these would be a desecration. f Put in their place are In numerable tiny waxen taper, each of which, typlfltts the Light of the World. On the afternoon of Christmas eve the children, perhaps not without, some few t was tbc ntgbt the tools flight tbat tolb the foous morn TLUben angels sang their song of peace. anb (3ob as man was born. in Bethlehem s inn a banb cbilb among tbem waking, saw a light anb softly crept Co wberc tbe beaven-sent star (ts watcb above tbc stable kept. 'Cbere in a rube-built manger, cubbleb close to flDar's breast. Hior. tbe lab from THcbron, saw tbe new-born babe at rest. Jtie knew not tbat b(s ees were blesseb bencetortb forevcrmore ; Chat be bebelb a Iking bicine tbe worlb woulb set aoore. But something came Into bis bcart tbat was not tberc before. ...... ...v .- ik. u mho ftfMt the Gbrist-cbilb meCR. anb gentl presseb a kiss aoalnst tbe eacreb check. .t. . iAk .-, nnh f mm THifi a light l.0bt wiT. love ouobt bl tatbet 8 etoe. put h'i regrets, tear themselves away from the "puts, "v with all Its wonders, Which seem to gain with each year, and hasten to the church to another lovefeast. Some of the most beautiful Moravian chorals are re served for this service, and each child re ceives. In addition to the coffee and buns, a candle. A little child Is selected for soloist of their greatest carol, "The Morning Star," and ths other children, perfectly trained and exquisitely reverential in their sing ing, Join In the chorus. This service is followed by one for grown-up people, known as the Christ mas vigil, but.' to this children are also welcome. Again randies are dlfltrlligted to the children while a hymn la ung refer ring to the Light of the World which tha candles represent. The tiny tapers twin kle In the half-gloom of the tlme-glorifli'd church like myriad stars, and they light ths children on their homeward way. Christmas day Is spent In exchanging visits with Intimate friends, when the re Thoughts Religion Not a Philosophy, I y BEXJETVE In one Lord Jesus H I I Christ, the only begotten Son of I God, who for us men and for our t?5I BJvll"un came down from heaven, Ammmm an A vm IticarnLt. bv thm Mnlv Ghost of ths Virgin Mary, and was made man." Who laid aside the glory which He had with the Father before the world was, and took of the substance of the blessed virgin mother a human body; who for us men and for our redemption took our man hood pure and spotless into God, to reunite ua to God, and to forever bridge over the gulf between earth and heaven. He who made man of the dust took the original ele ments of our nature and remodeled them into a perfeot manhood, and once more man appeared on earth pur and spotless aa Adam was before the fall, to "give Him self a ransom for all, to be testified of In due time." Well, then, may holy church throughout all the world on this feast of the nativity, call upon her children to "Sing and rejoice, for lol He has come, and will dwell In the midst of us, for the mouth of tbe Lord hath spoken If Christianity Is the religion of a person a lite snd not a system of philosophy. Let a man once grasp the meaning of the Incarnation and experience Its redemptive effect upon his own life and conduct, he can then view the problem of his existence with untroubled calmness and can antici pate tbe Anal issue with the glad assurance) of victory. There are soms scholars and philosophers now. Just as there have beea in all ages sines the first Christmas day, who spend their time In discussing the character and claims of Jesus Christ, gome of them attempt to plaoe him amongst the merely human founders of certain ethical systems of teaching, but they cannot ao counl for the effect of his teaching upon the minds, the hearts snd the lives of men. They try to analyse the meaning of His wonderful life, but they cannot eliminate the element of the supernatural from that life, or destroy the evidence of those who were witnesses of His Majesty. Others assert tbat Christianity, like other forms of belief snd worship, comes from the Instincts of man and Is not a divine gift. They go further and claim that Christianity Is even now giving pfaoe to a higher and more enlightened conception of things through thin same instinct in man, which will flsaJly supplant the church and the faith onoe for all delivered. But one has only to read the past history of the church sines tbe day of Pautecoat of wearieb pilgrims slept. - mc a.l tbc place more w .,...v.- r) ill O, Bsor, first besibe THfS own to greet 1H(m at 1His birtb. Jforever has tbv oung love been remcmbereb towarb tbe earth. jfor e'en as thou bent over THim in IDavib's balloweb town, Does THe, through all tbe sears that are, from 'Heaven's blQb throne benb bown On Christmas morn, anb with a kiss each sleeping infant crown. Xeigb flDitcbell IHobges. V Celebrations in Many Lands Far spective merits of many varieties of Christmas cakes are thoroughly tested. And then there are so many "puts" to see, and If the Moravian housewife can poo slbly have feelings of rivalry or envy at this blessed season It will be in the matter of "puts" and "pfefferkuchen." The children always carry boxeu of cake and bunches of green to the Inmates of the Widows' House snd the Sisters' House, connected with the church, for no one must be neglected in this happy see on. Services there are, too, and ths children bring the day to a close amid the fra grant odors of tha dim, shadowy church, their fresh young voices raising the final choral whose echoes linger In their minds and In the hearts of their elders through the ensuing year, and forever keep alive some portion of the true Moravian Christ mas spirit. Hollyaad Mistletoe. Next to tne Christmas tree Itself, nothing on Christmas A to discover that these present day attacks upon the Christian religion are only the revamped and reasserted falxs prophecies of earlier ages and that one by one thoy have been met and refuted by the cham pions of ths Cross. They have passed away, powerless to hurt the truth and the gospal has gone on In Its reslsthss march of con quest down tbe centuries of time We have only to look in this Christmas morn ing at tha stable In Bethlehem and echo the words of the prophet: "Sing and re joice, o daughter of Zion; for lol I come and will dwell in the midst of thee, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken It" ARTHUR L. WILLIAMS, Bishop Coadjutor Protestant episcopal Church. rear Not." Wherever It Is obssrved, Christmas brings a thrill of Joy to all. We feel that nothing can replace It. Ws look forward to It with Joyful anticipation and longing; we part from It with regret Why has It so warm a place In our hearts? Is It merely be cause It is a holiday, a bivouac among the battles of life, a breathing space In tbe struggle, a time for giving and receiving tokens of affection, a season of feasting and msrry making? It Is more than this, else any legal holiday might serve the same purpose. The Joy of Christmas comes from the mystery It commemorates, from tbe flood of motives for spiritual peace sweeping over our souls. Neither Is our Joy founded on tbe fact that Christ came to redeem mankind. Easter time as well as other feasts bring that thought home to ua In other festivals "we see oar Saviour, Indeed; but He Is separated from us; He Is triumphant In heaven, whither we cannot follow Him now. But Christmas is heaven coming down to us and dwelling among men. It U the God of heaven taking upon Himself our weakness, asking our sympathy, bidding us love Him as He loved us, humbling Himself that He may win our affection, remaining with us to per fect us by earthly touch, rather than by heavenly glory. God did not come to Bethlehem aa He came to paradise, with footstep that tram pled down guilty hearts throbbing with terror at His approach. Not as on Slnal, clothed with stormy clouds, with lightning In His hand and thunder in His voice. Not even as a full grown man. with tbe ripe thoughts of manhood, with manly vigor In ths beat of His Heart and ths pressure of His hand. So we might have been satisfied to see Him come. But slsos v btiobt: Is so suggestive of the greatest holiday In all the year as the cheery little holly and the gay mistletoe. The woman who hangs up a wreath of holly in her window on Christmas and the girl who suspends the significant bit of mistletoe from the chande lier, are only following customs, centuries old. The decoration of our houses and churches with evergreens Is so Inseparably associated In our minds with Christmas, that It Is dif ficult to realize that" the custom Is pagan In Its origin. Britain, with her mystical Druid leal rites; Saxon and Angle, with their pagan ceremonies In their native land on the shores of the German ocean before they crossed It to help the Britons drive back the daring Norsemen; Rome, with her saturnalia, each and all have contributed customs snd superstitions, until about no Christian festival Is there woven so geat a proportion of pagan forms as about Christ mas. While ths holly has not nearly so ancient He came not as a Judge, but as a brother. He wished to draw us by the sweet at traction of mercy, to hide under the weak ness of Infancy, to steal Into hearts under a form which rarely appeals In vain even to the most hardened, the form of child hood and poverty. He will lie helpless In the arms of a human mother; He will nestle close to her bosom; He will stretch out His arms to her with the common In stinct of all children or Adam; He will take the lessons of love for mankind from a mother's - lips and eyea Had not the angel messenger a right to say to tbe shepherds and to us: "Fear notf" M. P. DOWLINO, 8. J., President Crelghton University. Story sf the Christ. Jewish prophecy and symbolism pointed unerringly to the coming of Christ, and in the fullness of time the Messiah ap peared. The angel Gabriel visited the Vir gin Mary at Naxareth and told her she was to become the mother of Jesus, and she ponders In her heart this strange an nouncement. She soon pay a visit to hsr cousin, Elizabeth, Just west of Jerusalem, who Is to become the mother of John the Baptist. There they talk over the strange and ' wonderful things which are to be brought about through their maternal In strumentality. There the Song of the Mag nificat was sung. In a short time after this visit Mary and Joseph made their memorable Journey to Bethlehem. Of ths house and lineage of. David, to be taxed they must go to the' City of David. Crowded out of a suitable place to spend the night on reaching Beth lehem, they were compelled to take quar ters In a manger, and here the Savior of men was born. Memorable night was that. According to legend birds stopped in their flight and poised in mld-alr, cattle stood still and ceased drinking at the trough, and the stars stopped In their solemn march In honor of the birth of Christ. A more re liable record says that the night Jesus was born sngels made, thoae beautiful hills of Bethlehem vocal with their Joyful songs as they announced that most wonderful event. Within thirty days of that event Joseph and Mary took the young child to the temple at Jerusalem and presented Him to the Lord. This was the occasion when old Simeon rejoiced and Anna prophesied. The holy family returned to Bethlehem and took up their abode not In the man ger, but In a house, and but for the mur derous Intent sf King Herod thsy would V - again tbe scar grew olb lUbcn tlior, now a man, went up to prap anb keep tbe tasr, anb bearing tbat tbe Uajarcn:, who salb be was Gob's son. Idas tben wltbtn Jerusalem, be sought to sec this one. IClbo through tbe whole ot Palestine great miracles bab bone Hll ba besibe tbc Cemple Gate be waitcb with tbe crowb. Until at busk the murmurings rose faster anb more loub, Rnb as the scorning ranks fell back to give tbe flDastcr war E3or bcbclb again tbe face of tbat first Christmas ba Enb though bis lips bab formeb'to Jeer, tbey, trcmblcb as to pra?. Jfor now he knew what in Enb kneeling on tbc stones.. an historical pedigree as the mistletoe. It Is undoubtedly the first favorite among the Christmas evergreens. A sprig of Its lus trous green leaves and bright red berries, tops the steaming plum pudding, and Is laid upon the ubiquitous mince pie; the cheery little plant decorates our dwellings In a most Christmassy manner; wreaths of It are hung In windows of countless homes; crosses of It are laid upon the graves of loved ones, and the Star of Bethlehem shin ing In a circle of holly Is a familiar emblem In our churches. The hanging up of the mistletoe Is one of the most ancient of all customs. With the Druids, the oak was a sacred tree, and Its mistletoe was doubly so. At the period of the winter solstice, a great festival was celebrated, and the mystic parasite gath ered with pomp and ceremonial. The an cient Britons sallied forth accompanied by their priests, the Druids. The Arch-Druid, robed In white, climbed the sacred tree and with a golden knife cut the mistletoe, which Pulpit Symposium likely have made Bethlehem their perma nent home. It was In this house they were visited by the wise men, whose gifts of gold were so helpful to the holy family In tholr Journey Into Egypt After Herod's death they set out to return to Bethlehem, but hearing that Archelaus, of whom they were afraid, was king of Judea, they turned aside Into Rallies and took up their abode at Naxareth. At the age of U Jesus with His parents went to Jerusalem to worship at the temple How His young heart would be stirred as He traveled the thrllllngly hlstorio route to the Holy City. He would cross tha valley of Endraelon and see Klshan, Cnrmel, Shu nem, Jezreel, Gilboa, Dothan, Jacob's well, Bhlioh, Bethel, Jerusalem and the temple) M hlle on this trip Jesus remarked to His parents, "I muat be about my Father's business." Then think of those eighteen silent years Jesus spent at Nazareth. The old carpenter shop, the synagogue and the old grotto In which the holy family art said to have lived are still pointed out to the tourists In that land. It was here Jesus grew In stature and Increased In wisdom. The public life of Jesus began with His baptism by John at ths Jordan. Then came the scenes of His temptation In the wilder ness and on the pinnacle of the temple and on the mountain. And now followed His teaching and miracles throughout Palestine, which was followed by Gethsemane, Cal vary, the resurrection and ascension. How triumphantly sublime the scene of the ascenalon! Jesus ascends to heaven from the beautiful and lofty Olivet In full view of Bethlehem, where He was born, and the Jordan, where He was baptized, and Bethany, where He loved so much to stop with Mary, Martha and Lazarus, while under His trimphant feet lay the Wilder ness, Gethsemane and Oil vary with all their memories of trials and agonies. And even the old Herodlum, where lay the cor rupt dust of old King Herod, who sought the young child's lite, was also under His ascending feet. In full view of longing hearts and watchful eyes of men of earth and In company of angels of heaven Jesus ascended to glory. His public life was but three and a half short years rn length, but measured by what He did He lived longer than Methuselah and accomplished more titan Napoleon or Alexander. He showed us God, redeemed the race, conquered death and brought Immortality to light, and reigns forever as king of kings and lord ol lords. And He shall come again as Ha left the world, In great glory, and every ays tbc blrtbbas nearcb tbat was bis heart on that blest nigbt be calico, anb lot tbc flDastcr turnebt , i . . JfW fell, untouched. Into the folds of the white robes of the attendant priests. Each house hold received a spray of the sacred plant to hang over the entrance of their dwelling, whereby all evil spirits were exorcised and no 111 luck could enter tbe home thus pro tected. Christmas Boxes. A curious origin has been attributed to the Christmas "box," a custom more Eng lish than American, which almost obliges all employers to give their employes a cer tain sum of money as a present. In the Orient, especially In India, Palestine and Egypt, the beggars In the streets In solicit ing alms use a word which Is common In all those countries, although the languages are different. This Is spelled "bakshish," but pronounced "boxls." It means a gift. Some writers have thought that this word was brought over to England by the Cru saders, and that the Christmas box Is really Chiismas bakuhlsh. A simpler and mors shall see Him, and unto them that look for Him He will appear the second time without sin unto salvation. D. K. TINDALL, First Methodist Episcopal Church, South Omaha, Pesee and Good Will. Away back In the midst of the dark ages to, be exact In (St A. D. there la one bright spot Tbe world was overshadowed by a dark cloud of private wars and per sonal feuds and bitter hates, with all the ghastly accompaniment of murder, Incen diarism, rapine and robbery. Men's hearts mote them with remorse at the spectacle of misery their unleashed passions had caused. Then thty mads It unlawful for any private revenge to be taken or act of private hostility committed from the even ing of Thursday In each week to Monday morning of the week ensuing. Coming sud denly at the time It did In the world's his tory, when anarchy was prevalent, govern ment unstable and might made right, men regarded It as miraculous, and called It "the truce of Ood." It Is now so many years since the truce of Ood was In vogue. Its need having pamed, that It Is forgotten by all save tha students of history. Many years before the truce of Ood a winter's night was Illumined by a heavenly radiance and the winter's stillness broken by a heavenly melody, wondrous sweet. "Glory to God In the highest, and on earth peace, goodwill to men." The one was the truce of Ood,, long since passed Into oblivion; the other was ths peace of Ood, destined to endure until It shall hsve per meated the heartsof all men, until ths art of war shall be forgotten and human turmoil forever cease. The one was ths Invention of men, of passing value; the other Is the girt of Ood. a hit of heaven, eternally priceless. It is the prophecy of universal pesce among men and of ever lasting harmony with God. We see not the fulfillment of the prophecy yet, and men's hearts sometimes fall them for fear. But shall we not mark this Chrlntmas season by some anticipation of that seemingly far-off time In freely forg1v Ing a'.l who have wronged us as we expect the (lod of us sll to forgive us wherein we have wronged HlmT Let this day be the day we forget all animosities, all griev ances, all hard feelings. Let this day be the day of all the year of peace and good will to all men. Thus, thus only, shall we partake of Its spirit and the day be truly celebrated. NEWMAN HALL BURDICK, Second Presbyterian Church. Christ's last. bab burnto. and Near probable explanation Is that ths term wag first employed when servants received coins to drop Into- tbe mass boxes at tha church doors every Christmas. ' Bora ea Christmas Day. Even were It not for Its celebration as the birthday of the Saviour, December tt would rank as quite a notable data in ths year for the number of eminent persons whose natal day It Is. Curiously enough, however, we seldom think of tha day as ths beginning of the career of anyone on earth other than Hs to whom custom has as signed It We know that historical events of all sorts battles, sieges and so forth have oc curred on Christmas, for articles almost without end dealing with this Interesting side of the history of the day have been written, but of Its biographical side little has been said, the more odd this because the faot that many notables have been born on the day cannot fail to provs of In teres t. The biographical Index of Christmas Is comparatively long and Includes such names as sir Isaac Newton. William Col 11ns, the lyric poet; P. S. Ollmore, the mu slclan and bandmaster; Richard Porsoo, the greatest classical scholar England ever produced; Johann Jacob Retake, ths eels brated German orientalist; Clara Barton. Admiral 8. C. Rohan and a number of others. Unhappy little shavers they must have been in their childhood with their birthday and their Christmas rejoicings all merged In one. - -ChrlstsMs Day at . Coming out of a prolonged calm In tha South Paolflo ooean a sailing ship ran Into a tearing gale around Capo Horn. For days the ship drifted helplessly, exposed to ths full fury of the gale. The crew labored Industriously at rigging up spars and bending new sails. It was a task of tremendous difficulty, for giant combers rolled over ths forecastle head con tlnually, filling ths vessel amidships with green seas. Suddenly, In ths midst of this toll, an ap prentice boy piped out; "I say, fellers, this Is Christmas day. Have you all forgotten It?" They had. In the fury of ths tempest, even the thought of Christmas had slipped their reckoning. "Belay your tongue," retorted tha gruff old mat. "There won't be any Christmas dinner today, except your usual whack of lobscouse." The skipper was superintending tbs work from tbe poop rail and beard ths conversa tion. "Cook I " he bawled out. "Lay aft here!" The cook came out of his galley and tha captain asked what he oould give them fog a Christmas dinner. "Nothln' but split peas, sir, an' salt borsa an' marmalade. There ain't no turkeys la my storeroom, sir," he said sarcastically, "Let's catch one of them birds," sug gested an old tar, pointing to several alba trocs which were circling about the waka of the ship. "Well stretch a point thlg day, and be forgiven for It, I guess." After several attempts an albatross was captured with a big fishhook baited with salt pork, and dragged aboard trium phantly. Served up nice and brown, and swimming In gravy. It looked so inuch like a real turkey 'that It warmed up ths men's hearts and made them think of ths Christ manes they had spent at home. But when they tasted It the resemblance ceased. It was nhy and tough; the meat was like knotted rope yarn, and ths gravy suggested tar. However, it was a Christ, mas dinner, all the same, and It was en Joyed as keenly as tha Chest feast ashore that day.