Christmas: Its Origin and Character neither Biblical nor Christian
By Arthur L. Manous
By Arthur L. Manous
1. What is said of Christmas Day?
"Christmas Day, a festival of the church, universally observed in commemoration of the nativity of our Saviour."—"The World's Progress, a Dictionary of Dates."
2. Of whom was Christ born?
"Behold," said the prophet, "a virgin shall conceive, and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel." Isa. 7: 14. "And she brought forth her first-born Son, and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn." See Luke 2: 1-12; Matt. 1: 18-25.
3. Where and when was Christ born?
"But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, tho thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting." In fulfilment of this, "Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king." See Micah 5: 2; Matt. 2: 1-11.
4. Where were the shepherds on the night of Christ's birth?
"And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night." Luke 2: 8. Or, as others render the verse: "In that same countryside were shepherds out in the open fields, watching their flocks that night."—Twentieth Century New Testament.
5. From this fact what may we regard as almost certain?
"That the nativity did not take place in winter."—Matthew Henry.
6. What is said of the exact date of Christ's birth?
"The exact date of Christ's birth appears not to have been known to the early church, and can not now be determined."—Johnson's New Universal Cyclopædia.
"The precise date of the nativity can certainly be no matter of vital importance, else it would have been revealed to us."—J. P. Lange's notes on Luke 2: 8.
7. What is said of the twenty-fifth of December as the date of the nativity?
"There is, however, a difficulty in accepting this as the date of the nativity, December being the height of the rainy season in Judea, when neither flocks nor shepherds could have been at night in the fields of Bethlehem."—Encyclopædia Britannica.
8. When do most learned men think Christ was born?
"Scaliger, Calvisius, and most learned men since their time" maintain "that our Lord was born in September. . . . To this agrees the circumstance of the shepherds lying out in the fields the night of the nativity. So likewise the taxation at Christ's birth, which might be executed more conveniently in autumn, than in the depth of winter, especially as the people were obliged to repair to the cities of their ancestors, which were often at a great distance from the places of their abode."—James Macknight on Luke 2: 8-11.
9. Was Christmas derived from apostolic usage?
"As Augustine represents Christmas as neither derived from apostolic usage nor sanctioned by any general council, . . . there can be no reasonable doubt, that it had its rise after the council of Nice" (325 A.D.).—Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, book 2, century 4, part 2, chapter 4, paragraph 5, note 12.
10. To whom is Christmas observance ascribed?
"The observance of the twenty-fifth of December is ascribed to Julius, bishop of Rome, A.D. 337-352."—Johnson's New Universal Cyclopædia.
11. By whom and on what date was Christmas ordered to be forever observed?
"In the fifth century the Western church ordered it to be celebrated forever on the day of the old Roman feast of the birth of Sol, tho no certain knowledge of the day of Christ's birth existed."—The Americana, article "Christmas."
12. Where did the Christmas festival originate?
"It originated in Rome, and was probably a Christian transformation or regeneration of a series of kindred heathen festivals, the Saturnalia, Sigillaria, Juvenalia, and Brumalia, which were celebrated in the month of December in commemoration of the golden age of universal freedom and equality, and in honor of the unconquered sun, and which were great holidays, especially for slaves and children."—J. P. Lange's Notes on Luke 2: 8.
13. What is said to be the character of Christmas observance?
"From the first institution of this festival, the Western nations seem to have transferred to it many of the follies and censurable practises which10prevailed in the pagan festivals of the same season, such as adorning the churches fantastically, mingling puppet-shows and dramas with worship, universal feasting and merrymaking, Christmas presents and jocularity, and Christmas revelry and drunkenness."—Mosheim's Ecclesiastical History, book 2, century 4, part 2, chapter 4, paragraph 5, note 12.
14. What does Paul say of those who observe pagan days?
"Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labor in vain." See Gal. 4: 8-10.
Spartanburg, South Carolina.
The World's Christian Citizenship Conference
By J. O. Corliss
From Our Own Correspondent
THIS conference, the first of its kind ever held, has just closed in Philadelphia. Two thousand delegates were enrolled, as supporters of its object. The daily attendance, however, averaged about four hundred, with one exception. This was a rally held in the Academy of Music, when more than two thousand were present. This seems quite remarkable, when admittance was by delegate or visiting tickets, which cost the holders one dollar each.
The delegation was a representative one. Looking over the audience, one could not fail to notice that the majority there seated were mature and strong-minded men. The speakers were all past middle life, and men of culture and thoughtful mien. Their speech indicated that they felt they were laden with divine responsibility, and were determined to discharge this at all hazards.
The Object and Its Meaning
One object alone seemed in sight. Whatever the subject assigned to any speaker, he invariably shaped his speech to point out that one object. Whether missionary work, family training, divorce, Sunday observance, or purity of public officials, was the theme, desirable attainments in any of these lines were to be sought in but one way, and that was to enthrone the name of God in the Federal Constitution, and that "Christianity be recognized as the source and standard of all authority."
This was clearly set forth in a resolution unanimously adopted by the conference, concerning a proposed Christian amendment to the United States Constitution, now pending before the judiciary committee of Congress, which reads in part: "We, the people of the United States, acknowledging Almighty God as the source of power and authority in civil government, and the Lord Jesus Christ as the ruler of nations, and His revealed will as of supreme authority, do ordain," etc. The resolution requested the National Reform Association to press this matter upon the attention of Congress.
Rev. S. F. Scovel, President National Reform Association
Let such an amendment be made in the Federal Constitution, and the dullest mind can readily comprehend that the interpretation and enforcement of law would be given over to a set of religiously biased minds, which would bode no good to any who differed from them in religious sentiment.
Rev. John F. Carson, of Brooklyn, New York, epitomized the result of such a measure, when he said: "The Bible should have a place in our state and national legislative halls. Give us an enthroned Bible in our legislative halls, and Mormonism would be banished from Utah and this country; we would have no infamous divorce laws; the Sabbath would be respected; we would have no laws which would make possible the enrichment of the few at the expense of the millions; pirates of politics would be swept from position and power; the saloon, that great monster of iniquity, that menace to civil authority, would be banished forever."
Rev. J. S. McGraw, Field Secretary National Reform Association
First Presbyterian Church, Philadelphia, where some of the meetings were held
Not the Bible, but the Bible Interpreted
This sentiment was applauded to the echo, which showed how ready men are becoming to enforce precepts by the arm of civil law, regardless of conscientious scruples. No well-disposed person would question for a moment the utility of good morals in every community. But when we stop to think that this movement contemplates making Bible interpretation the standard by which to enforce laws, and consider that these interpretations would be according to the creedal teachings and consequent religious bias of those who would administer the law, one can not but stop to ask whether men's worst mobocratic passions would not be inflamed by such a form of government.
Then again, it seems clear that to place thus the enforcement of Bible sentiment, in the form of civil law, in the hands of ultra-religious people, instead of Gospel teaching of free will and Gospel mercy for offenders, would be to confront the country by a gospel of relentless force, like that administered by Russia against Count Tolstoy, who, because he could not endorse all the doctrines of the Greek Church, was excommunicated by the civil church, out of which he recently died, and was denied the rites of a Christian burial.
The turbulent unrest in Russia under such a régime, could not fail to be reproduced in America's fair land, should the adopted program of this World's Christian Citizenship Conference be carried out.
Principles Adopted
But that these people fully intend to carry out the principles here enunciated, is evident from a declaration of principles and plan of action adopted by the conference. Lack of space forbids giving these entire, but they may be thus summed up:
The declaration of principles assumes that NATIONS ARE MORAL BEINGS, capable of doing right or wrong, and are, therefore, subject to God's moral government, to be administered through His moral law. Then as the Word of God is the revelation, of His will, as relates to national life, that Word must have definite application to nations and governments.
In view of these assumed "principles," the universal plan of action adopted covers these points: It is the duty of all Christian citizens everywhere, assiduously, and in harmony, to propagate the adopted principles, and to sustain civil government in applying them in its administration, and so to "use the powers of government, wherever possible, for the correction and suppression of moral evils." It is to be seen that families "conform to the moral laws of the Christian religion." The state is to be instructed to educate its prospective citizens in "Christian morals, upon Christian sanctions, derived from the Word of God in its proper use in the public schools." Public utilities are to be made to conform to Sunday rest; and in order to gain this object, none but men who have regard for the moral law, thus showing themselves fit to deal with the moral and religious interests of the people, are to be elected to public office. Besides the points here mentioned, the "plan" includes safeguarding the judicial oath, the temperance question is mentioned, and last of all, in order to win the adherence of organized labor, shorter hours, advanced wages, and Sunday rest for toilers, are to be advocated.
A Movement Prophetic
Many of these ideas may seem Utopian to some, because they have not taken time to study this now almost world-wide movement. But those who have studied the prophetic Word to a purpose have looked for just such11a movement to arise, which would minimize the work of grace in individual hearts, and stand for civil enforcement of national religious rites. The beginning has been made in the lines marked out by the sure word of prophecy. More than twenty years ago the writer attended a meeting of the leaders of the present movement in Pittsburg. Then its adherents could almost be counted on the fingers of one's two hands. But the present status of the movement is far from feeble. Let it secure the machinery it so assiduously reaches after, and its momentum will be tremendous. And it is bound to gather strength; for already men high in political stations have seen the trend of affairs, and are lending their influence to its propagation.
World's Christian Citizenship Conference
The conference adjourned to meet in Los Angeles, California, two years hence. In the meantime it will pay all to watch the development of affairs in this line, and so be able to decide what its final object is to be, both as to its adherents, and dissenters from its work. Next week we hope to have some things relative to the final outcome of the whole matter. J. O. CORLISS.
After a lively fight with the London police, 116 of the 1,000 militant suffragettes who marched on the Parliament building recently were arrested. The women made a determined effort to force the police cordon about the House of Commons, and, reaching Premier Asquith, to insist upon the introduction of a woman's suffrage bill. The women presented a sorry spectacle when the fight was over. Since that violent personal attacks have been made upon Mr. Asquith and Winston Churchill. If any evidence were wanting to show that these women do not deserve suffrage, it is their own conduct.
Will the aeroplane prove of worth to commerce? It is said that one carried 1,000 yards of silk from Dayton to Columbus, Ohio, the other day, 62 miles in 57 minutes; and another carried a bag of mail from an outgoing steamer back to New York. But these are not considered within the regular plans of operation. The Scientific American is suggesting and hoping for an aeroplane special mail delivery and parcel-post system. Then we shall have strikes of aviators; and will there be picketing, boycotting, etc.?
Since the crusade against the "white slave" traffic, inaugurated in the spring of 1909, it is estimated that 1,000 panders have been driven out of Chicago. Of the 348 cases investigated, 91 have resulted in prosecution, of which 51 were convicted. Hundreds of dive keepers have left through fear of prosecution. But who will deny that these vice promoters will set up their institutions of infamy elsewhere? May God bless every legitimate effort to destroy this awful traffic.
Frank Abail Flower, special emissary of the United States to Africa, succumbed to the plague in a little Negro village, and lies in an unmarked grave in the heart of Africa. The news of his death reached his family in Spokane, Washington, after three months. He was a newspaper editor, encyclopedia writer, political historian, famous Wisconsin senator, and an appointee of two state governments.
The highest altitude record made by an aeroplane is now 9,970 feet, a height reached by J. Armstrong Drexel in a Blériot monoplane at Philadelphia. Drexel was greatly disappointed when his barograph failed to register an even 10,000, but he said the air at that height was so light it was impossible to make his machine ascend another foot.
The last census shows an awful condition of the birth-rate in Kansas. It seems that a vast number of the American women have abandoned the work of raising families to the foreign immigrant. A great many are outspoken in their resolution to devote their entire attention to female suffrage and prohibition.
There are said to be 1,000,000 lepers in the world. Of this number the United States is said to have 139, an estimate supposed to be far too low. A skin specialist in New York City reported sixteen cases in the last six months.
Abe Ruef, one of the leading San Francisco grafters, has been sentenced by the Appellate Court to a term of fourteen years. His appeal will be carried to the Supreme Court of the United States if necessary and possible.
At the border line near Niagara the Canadians have begun a preventive campaign restricting United States immigrants who would not have sufficient means to make the winter season tolerable for themselves and families.
When the Congregational National Council met in Boston the other day a Catholic mayor extended to them the greetings of the city. Boston, the old-time Puritan town, is more Catholic than New Orleans.
It is reported that twenty-four girls met their death and eighty-five were hurt in a recent fire in Newark, New Jersey.
San Francisco has raised its world's fair funds to $17,500,000.
American Federation of Catholic Societies
The Ninth Annual Convention in the United States
DID we not know the history and age-long principles of the Roman Catholic Church, the recent great meeting, held the second week in November, in New Orleans, could be passed with little notice, simply as a great meeting of a great religious body. It means more, however, than the Methodist Episcopal convention or the Presbyterian convention. It is a religio-political convention, rather than religious, for the Roman Catholic Church is seeking the conquest of the world; not only the conquest of the world spiritually, but the conquest of the world politically.
Bishop James A. McFaul of Trenton, New Jersey
The meeting in the old Southern city was indeed a great one. No building in New Orleans could accommodate the throngs that poured into that city, and great overflow meetings were held in various parts.
The meeting was opened in the ancient St. Louis Cathedral on Sunday, November 13, with pontifical high mass. The celebration was held in the old Cabildo, in colonial days the place of official business of the government. There was present Mgr. Falconio, apostolic delegate to the United States, and direct representative of Pope Pius X. The whole program was carried out with all the magnificence and ornate display of the Middle Ages, and certainly must have had a tremendous effect upon the minds of those who are impressed by such spectacles.
Items of Interest
The national secretary of the American Federation of Catholic Societies presented in his report the following items which will be of interest to our readers (our authority is the Roman Catholic daily, the "Morning Star"):
That the federation has now been practically introduced into every state in the Union, Hawaii, Porto Rico, and Alaska.
That more thoro organizations — state, diocesan, and county federations and leagues — have been established in the following states and territories: Arkansas, California, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Wisconsin, South Carolina, Connecticut, Porto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska.
That twenty different colleges and institutions are affiliated with the federation.
That sixteen national organizations, such as the Catholic Order of Foresters, Knights of America, Ancient Order of Hibernians, Young Men's Institute, are affiliated with the federation. The Knights of Columbus still hold out.
That twenty archdioceses and dioceses with an aggregate population of over 7,000,000 were reported at the last convention by special delegates appointed by the respective bishops. This shows us some of its tremendous issues.
Some of Its Objects
Some of the objects for which it has been working and in which progress is reported are the following:
The strong propaganda against Socialism, especially in keeping Catholic men from joining the Socialist party. He pleads that "our societies everywhere keep up the fight against Socialism, which was born in the brain of atheistic agitators, and which, if permitted to gain a foothold, will bring on a state of revolution and bloodshed." The agitation of the federation, however, has not seemed to affect the standing of the Socialist party during the last two years.
A propaganda in favor of divorce laws along the line of the religious views of the body. The secretary tells us that a divorce bill introduced by Sir Walter George Smith of Philadelphia, a member of the executive board of the American Federation of Catholic Societies, has been adopted in Delaware, Wisconsin, and New Jersey, and is practically a law in Illinois. The "Sir" is a society title.
Anthony Matre, National Secretary American Federation of Catholic Societies
The federation is working against the white slave traffic. There are other organizations working just as strongly.
The secretary further reports that "several of our branch federations have taken decided stands against the desecration of the Lord's day." Notably among these are federations in the states of Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Louisiana, and Wisconsin. Doubtless the federation would stand with the Protestant Church Federation in a demand for Sunday laws. A part of its work for Sunday laws, however, has been done in a perfectly legitimate way, and that is by requesting employees of labor to discontinue voluntarily Sunday labor.
The federation has been carrying on a crusade against immorality, indecent theatricals, post-cards, etc. The crusade against immorality, etc., seems to have been inspired by certain books antagonistic to Rome. Several of these books are mentioned, books, however, which can not be forbidden the mails under present laws, and are not evidently immoral in the ordinary sense of the term, but are antagonistic to Catholic views.
A crusade against monks, priests, and hierarchy. This effort has been carried on by direct communication with editors of papers and publishers whose papers have offended the officers of the federation.
Watching Periodicals
7. The secretary reviewed the Ferrer case and "McClure's Magazine," in which exception was taken by Roman Catholics against an article by Mr. Percival Gibbons, and an apology demanded. As a result of this the federation was asked to set forth the true Catholic view, the result of which was the article entitled "An American Catholic's View of the Ferrer Case," by Mr. Andrew Shipman, a Catholic attorney of New York, which appeared in the October issue. The secretary remarks, "After all, McClure has learned that it does not pay to insult Catholics, and the publication of Mr. Shipman's article may be considered somewhat of an amends to the insult heaped upon the Catholic Church in the article of Mr. Gibbons." This article is followed in "McClure's" by other articles by Mr. Archer, and the secretary tells us that the organization is investigating these.
The St. Louis federation caused, through its protest, the immediate suppression of an advertisement which appeared in a St. Louis daily paper advertising an anti-Catholic story; that exercises of public schools in Protestant churches in some places have been discontinued.
The organization is doing very strong work through its associated press department, in which the press of the United States is carefully watched, and prestige is brought to bear if anything antagonistic to Roman Catholicism appears.
A Hearty Welcome
The federation was welcomed to Louisiana by its governor, Jared Y. Sanders, in very warm words, and to New Orleans by Martin B. Behrman, mayor of the city. The proceedings were opened by Judge Caillouet. The address of the apostolic delegate was upon the subject of Capital and Labor, in which he declared that the only "sovereign remedy was found in the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church;" but in his solution the one fundamental principle which he had to present was the Golden Rule, which certainly belongs to the12individual and to any religious organization as truly as it does to the Catholic Church. He pleaded with both classes to accept society as it exists, composed of "superiors and subjects, masters and servants, rich and poor, learned and unlettered, nobles and plebeians. The real question after all is, If all men should accept the Golden Rule, would many of these orders and classes now exist?
Its Long Heritage
Archbishop Blenk preached a stirring sermon on the review of the wonderful heritage of the Roman Catholic Church through all the centuries of Christendom, and then presented a picture of Pope Pius X, upon whom were hurled the insults and abuses of Mayor Nathan of Rome, and appealed to the Catholics of America "to tell him [Mayor Nathan] that as long as Catholics have any force in their arms, as long as there is any strength in their wills, as long as their hearts are filled with love (and please God these things will never be wanting to them), America will never suffer the greatest representative, the spiritual representative of eternal power, to be insulted, to be abused, to be mocked as if he were the veriest criminal. We will not tolerate this." And then Archbishop Blenk moved a protest against the action of the mayor of Rome, which was seconded and carried amid tremendous applause, and cheer after cheer was given for the pope, and also three groans for Mayor Nathan of Rome.
It may be well for our Catholic friends to remember that He whom they claim to represent suffered far greater indignities than Pope Pius X ever could, that He was treated and branded as a criminal, and that He died as such; and that when he whose successor the pope claims to be, assumed to lift his strong right hand in defense of the Master, he was rebuked, told to put up his sword, and warned against its future use. A little later, when that same ardent Peter received the Spirit of God, he could say of the Master whom he unwisely sought to defend by earthly power: "Who, when He was reviled, reviled not again; when He suffered, He threatened not, but committed Himself to Him that judgeth righteously."
He who has faith in God, and believes his cause to be of God, can certainly commit it all into God's hands, and know that it will be well. He certainly will not arouse and inflame the minds of millions against a human enemy, real or imaginary; rather he will pray with the Master, "Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do," echoed by the words of the protomartyr, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge."
Bishop John D. Morris of Little Rock, Arkansas, reviewed the subject of progress from the very beginning of the church's history, and showed how these organizations had strengthened the church and revivified it in times of weakness. Among the societies which he especially extolled was that of the followers of Ignatius Loyola, the Jesuits, and he concludes that if these strong organizations had been known in Germany and England in the time of the Reformation as in America today, these great countries would never have become Protestant.
Loyalty to God's Law
One of the great addresses of the occasion was that of Bishop James A. McFaul, of Trenton, New Jersey, on the laying of the cornerstone of Marquette University. Taking as his text the question as to the great commandment in the law, the bishop remarked: "You may ask why I should emphasize the Ten Commandments, the moral law, on an occasion of this kind. I answer, Because it is the obligation and duty of a Catholic university to inculcate not only secular knowledge, but to be a great factor in dissemination of religious doctrines, and to form a bulwark for truth and a barrier against irreligion and error."
That is a splendid utterance without question, and if the Roman Catholic Church stood for that, it would indeed be a mighty bulwark against the unrighteousness of the world at this time; but while professing to stand for the great fundamental moral code of God, it has put forth unholy hands and changed the fourth commandment of that code. Tho God says, "Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy;" "the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord thy God," the Roman Catholic Church says, "Remember the Sunday;" and it has by that very act assumed to place itself above the Lawgiver, and declared to all the children of men that no law of God is so sacred but that man might change it. If their great prelates and scholars could but drink deep of these simple principles, they would not wonder that anarchy had followed the church's teaching for centuries. The study of these simple principles would also show them that it mattered not what prestige of centuries was their heritage or how long the papal prelate occupied the papal chair; this heritage is nothing, in the sight of God, tho it be upheld by all the hoary traditions of the past. God is able of insensate stones to raise up children unto Abraham, and that is worth all the traditions of the ages.
The president, Mr. Edward Feeney, gave an address which followed along the same line as that of the secretary's review of the work of the federation during the last year. He declared that the federation would still work for the purpose of inducing the state to pay for the secular education provided for children in Catholic free schools. Mr. Feeney declared: "We want to continue the work of the federation in amity with all our neighbors, and we welcome the cooperation of our separated brethren in our labors for the moral and social uplift of all the people." That of course would include the union of Catholics with Protestants who are working for Sunday laws; in other words, an opening wedge for church and state union in America. The Catholic federation, even as the Protestant federation, has for one of its purposes the effecting of a political object.
Americans need to take home the warning written by an American of Americans, Mr. R. M. Johnson: "Extensive religious combinations to effect a political purpose are always dangerous." Would to God that the great professed Christian church, under whatever name, might turn to the Lord Jesus Christ for His truth and His power, and leave politics and the world forever. Much mightier would be their progress and much less the worship and extolling of the human.
