The sun. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1937-1972, December 23, 1949, Image 15
FRIDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1949
THE NEWBERRY SUN
AMERICAN CHRISTMAS SCENE . . . Symbolic of our nation at this
festive season of the year is this picture of little Ethel Gorman, 4,
daughter of a guide at the Statue of Liberty, as she admires a Christ
mas tree on the porch of Newell M. Foster, superintendent of the
statue staff on Bedloe’s island, dver her shoulder. Miss Liberty her
self stays right on the job, blazing her message of peace and good will.
December 24 this year, the tradi
tion of the Christmas tree in Amer
ican church services will be 98
years old—for it was back in 1851
that a Lutheran minister in Cleve
land. Ohio, lighted the first tree at
such services.
The minister was the Rev. Henry
Schwan. pastor of the Zion Lutheran
Church on Cleveland’s York street
and his action brought on a storm
of controversy which lasted sev
eral years. This was caused by the
fact that the Christmas tree had so
long been associated with pagan
observance of the season that
many conservatives believed it had
no place in Christian ceremonies.
However, some of Rev.
Schwan’s congregation, espe
cially the children, thought the
beautifully - decorated tree,
glowing with candles, was just
the spirit of the Christmas sea
son.
But the objectors had their way
and they were determined that Rev.
Schwan's tree was to be the last
of the Christmas trees erected in
America.
Through the years that followed,
the minister did all in his power to
learn of the origins of the Christmas
tree tradition In order that he might
Show that the tradition was far
from the '■heathen’’ ceremony it
had been cajled.
He wrote countless letters to
friends and acquaintances all over
"the world; he questioned strangers
and made long notes of their con
versations. And, when he learned
that a particular part of the world
already h^d Christmas trees, he
would mark that place on a - large
map which hung in his study—a
dark green tree where the tradition
was established, a light green one
where Christmas trees, at least,
were known.
Pastor Schwan made his
search for knowledge of the
Christmas tree almost a cru
sade.
But as Christmas time ap
proached in 1852, R^. Schwan had
not found enough church support
for the tradition to light another
tree at his Christmas service that
year. So, with great regret, he re
signed himself to the end of his
hope of establishing the custom.
But on December 24, he received
from the pastor of one of Cleve
land's older churches the present
of a new tree. Rev. Schwan realized
immediately that the present meant
the acceptance of the custom by a
churchman far more influential
than himself, and his sadness van
ished.
There was a Christmas tree
In the "York street Zion Luther
an church that year—and once
accepted In Cleveland, the cus
tom spread all over the United
States.
York street where Pastor
Schwati’s church once stood is
changed now and long ago was re
named Hamilton avenue; and the
first tree, decorated with candles
and a gold star at its top, has given
way to trees with brighter, more
colorful decorations.
But the tradition of erecting and
lighting Christmas trees, which is
observed throughout the nation, is
the same tradition which Pastor
Schwan introduced to this country
in the town of Cleveland nearly
100 years ago.
HERALD ANGELS . . . Rehears
ing for the annual Christmas
candlelight service, the children
choristers of the Crawford Meth
odist Memorial church in the
Bronx, New York, make an im
pressive picture when viewed
through a Christmas wreath in the
foreground.
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- Legend not only has identified
the Wise Men as Caspar, Melchior
and Balthasar, it has crowned
them and given them the king
doms of Tarsus, Arabia and
Ethiopia. It has symbolized their
gifts as symbolic of what Jesus
was to become—gold for a king,
frankincense for a high priest and
myrrh for a great physician.
The Gospel text’s specific wise
men from the east logically identi
fies them with Zoroastrianism—an
ancient monotheistic religion of
Persia. Zoroastrian priests were
called Magi; they were powerful
in public and private life since they,
and they alone, possessed the
priestly mysteries involved in the
worship of Mazda—who repre
sented the Zoroastrian power for
good.
The Magi may or may not have
been fabulously wealthy: St. Mat
thew does not elaborate (heir
treasures nor the amount of gold,
frankincense and myrrh which
they presented to the Christ Child.
The gifts may have been mere
tokens of their treasures, or the
sum and substance thereof.
And if they were soothsayers,
mystics and possibly clairvoyants
they were also truly wise—in as
much as they did not return to
Herod, but departed into their own
country by a different route.
^£)eplored
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ft
Puritan disapproval of Christmas
celebrations disembarked from the
Mayflower with the Pilgrims in
1621 and, accordingly, Governor
Bradford issued a statement pub
licly rebuking certain young men
who declined to work on December
25, "ye day called Christmas.’’
This first New England Christ
mas —or non-observance thereof—
should not be credited as the first
Christmas on American soil, since
Leif Eriksen spent a winter or two
on the North American continent
around the turn of the 11th century.
Leif was a Christian, and it is
likely that members of his crew
were Christians, too; although it
is quite'possible that some had. ac
cepted the faith without remodel
ing their pagan natures, since King
Olaf's methods were ruthless' and
his command “Be baptized, or
.else!’’ left them little choice.
Undoubtedly, flagons of crude,
raw wine fermented from, the
grapes of Leif's Vinland were
passed around and the celebration
may have been rather boisterous,
but in all fairness to Leif—who, ac
cording to excellent testimony, was
a sincere convert—it is reasonable
to assume that there was a trace
of religious observance.
Perhaps Leif remembered the
few words of Latin prayer he
learned at the time of his conver
sion and recited them in honor of
the birthday of the Redeemer he
had accepted. . . . Thus, the first
Christmas in America was ob
served.
Newberry Monument Co. \
). B. Coward, .Prop.
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The first Chrismas card was de
signed in 1845.
Poinssttias which have come to
be a “must” for Christmas decora
tions owe their name and popularity
to an early American diplomat,
botanist and Scholar—Joel Roberts
Poinsett.
. . t
END OF THE RAINBOW . . . The
rainbow of at least one human de
sire had fulfillment at the end
when Judy Sue Warschauer found
herself face to face with the doll
of her dreams—and it was the very
one she wanted for Chirstmas.
T^wfile /lie
s46le ta Seuf
“S Rojdestvom Xristovym.’’
That’s what a Russian would say
to you if you were in Russia on
Christmas day and he wished to ex
tend the season's greetings.
The phrase is the Russian’s way
of saying; “Merry t ristmas.”
In the past, the Russian’s Christ
mas was closely associated with
his church; but how the day is ob
served now that the religious life
has been subjugated in the Soviet,
one would have to be behind the
"iron curtain" to know.
But it was not always like that.
In other days, the Russian Christ
mas was much like the Ukrainian.
There was a Santa Claus known as
“Dedushka Moroz” and there were
traditional gifts of red boots for
children and golden slippers for
young girls ^
In certain parts of the country
the “baboushkrf” igrandmothert
was the legendary dispenser of
gifts. According to one story, she
repented of unkindness and ever
since has tried to make amends
by distributing gifts to children at
Christmas.
Christmas has rolled around once
again and Santa Claus with round
red cheeks, jolly smile and chunky
figure looks the same as he did
nearly 90 years ago.
His creator was Thomas Nast
one of America’s greatest cartoon
ists During the early 1860 s he wa-
asked to illustrate Clement Clarl
Moore’s poem. A Visit to St
Nicholas, better known to us a
“ 'Twas The Nig'it Before Chris'
mas ' The result was Santa Clau
as we know him.
Santa’s creator was horn in
Bavaria in 1840, son of a musi
cian in a Bavarian army band.
When he was a fat little boy of
six. Thomas’ father left Ger
many to enlist in the United
States navy, and Thomas'
mother brought the boy to New
York to live.
Along about the time stocky Tom
my was 15 he landed his first job as
an illustrator for Leslie’s Weekly at
$4 a week. By the time be was 20
he was sent to England by the New
York Illustrated News to sketch
the Heenan-Sayers fight, an out
standing sports event of the day
In 1862 he joined the staff of
Harper’s Weekly and began the se
ries of emblematic drawings whict
continued thrmighout the Civil War
From those he created certah
trademarks that have been the in
spiration of cartoonists down to the
present—notably the Republicat
elephant and the Democrat donkey
Famous as the political symbol
are today, Nast's Santa Claus prob
ably holds first place in the heart
of Americans. Before Nast’s day
a few artists had drawn Santa oi
one occasion or another, but could
not seem to agree on how the old
gentleman should look.
Nast changed all that.
He located Santa’s home at
the North Pole and gave him a
sleigh drawn by reindeer He
drew the familiar, fat, merry
old fellow with red cheeks and
white beard, dressed in red,
wearing a cap and boots, carry
ing a pack of toys and smoking
a short pipe.
The artist then gave Santa a
spy-glass so that during the yeai
he might pick out the good children
from the bad, and also a big book
in which to write their names and
keep their records.
This conception of Santa Claus
first appeared in 1863. Since that
time, the pictured Santa has been
the same, although the- spy-glass
and pipe seem to have been
dropped by the wa7.
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There's a wealth of happiness,in store fa'
this Christmas if all our wishes come true^n this
the most glorious season of the year, weare think
mg about our legions of loyal friends who have
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made possible a successful vear for our orgoni-
zation. You have been consideraf
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with your patronage and we are truly ajDpredSTv
of all you have done to make the past
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joyable one. ,
That's why, ot Christmostime^we weipome
the opportunity it affordSo^xptess our sincere
monks and to wish you a pleasant
AMERICAN LEGION POST NO. 24
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