received, as Christmas
presents in these days. Towards the end of the feast, when the sun was
on its return, and the world was considered to be renovated, a king or
ruler was chosen, with considerable power granted to him during his
ephemeral reign, whence may have sprung some of the Twelfth-Night
revels, mingled with those in honour of the Manifestation and
Adoration of the Magi. And, in all probability, some other Christmas
customs are adopted from the festivals of the ancients, as decking
with evergreens and mistletoe (relics of Druidism) and the wassail
bowl. It is not surprising, therefore, that Bacchanalian illustrations
have been found among the decorations in the early Christian Churches.
The illustration on the following page is from a mosaic in the Church
of St. Constantine, Rome, A.D. 320.

[Illustration: GRAPE GATHERING AND THE VINTAGE.
MOSAIC IN THE CHURCH OF ST. CONSTANTINE, ROME, A.D. 320.]

[Illustration: FROM AN IVORY (PART OF BOOK COVER)
GERMAN NINTH CENTURY BRITISH MUSEUM]

Dr. Cassel, of Germany, an erudite Jewish convert who is little known
in this country, has endeavoured to show that the festival of
Christmas has a Judaean origin. He considers that its customs are
significantly in accordance with those of the Jewish festival of the
Dedication of the Temple. This feast was held in the winter time, on
the 25th of Cisleu (December 20th), having been founded by Judas
Maccabaeus in honour of the cleansing of the Temple in B.C. 164, six
years and a half after its profanation by Antiochus Epiphanes. In
connection with Dr. Cassel's theory it may be remarked that the German
word _Weihnachten_ (from _weihen_, "to consecrate, inaugurate," and
_nacht_, "night") leads directly to the meaning, "Night of the
Dedication."

[Illustration: ANCIENT ROMAN ILLUSTRATIONS.]

In proceeding with our historical survey, then, we must recollect that
in the festivities of Christmastide there is a mingling of the Divine
with the human elements of society--the establishment and development
of a Christian festival on pagan soil and in the midst of
superstitious surroundings. Unless this be borne in mind it is
impossible to understand some customs connected with the celebration
of Christmas. For while the festival commemorates the Nativity of
Christ, it also illustrates the ancient practices of the various
peoples who have taken part in the commemoration, and not
inappropriately so, as the event commemorated is also linked