ancient rubrics mention only those of the Passion, of Easter, and of Whitsunday, commemorative of the death and resurrection of Christ, and the descent of the Holy Spirit. Christmas was not observed as a sacred religious festival until the fourth century, when it became customary to observe saints' days; among which, this was the most sacred. The earliest authorities on this point, are Clemens of Alexandria, Origen, and Jerome, as quoted above. Chemnitz, on the Council of Trent, affirms that, for four hundred years, the festivals of the church were, 1. The Lord's day; 2. That of the Passion; 3. Of the Resurrection; 4. The Ascension; 5. Pentecost; 6. The Nativity and Baptism of Christ.* For later acts of councils, see references.3

The festivals of the Christian church resolve themselves into three grand divisions, in each of which there is one great festival bearing a peculiar relation to the others of the same class, as their common centre. These great festivals are Christmas, Easter, and Whitsunday. Of these the first two relate to the scenes of Christ's humiliation on earth; the last to his glorious exaltation and power as displayed in the shedding forth of the Holy Spirit. Each of these feasts is preceded by preparatory rites, and followed by corresponding festivities. So that from the first of December to the Sunday of Whitsuntide these successive solemnities form a connected representation of the leading events in the life of our Lord, from his incarnation to his triumphant ascension. He became flesh and dwelt among us, subject to all the infirmities of our nature; he suffered and died; and arose in glorious power, whereby he is able to provide for all his followers to the end of the world. These are the great truths in our Lord's history which this series of festivals commemorates.

Christmas commemorates the birth of Christ; God himself becoming man. This great event indeed is represented by two solemnities; the birth of Jesus on the twenty-fifth of December, when this Divine Being entered on his earthly existence, and became subject to all the infirmities of human nature; and the day of his baptism on the sixth of January, when he first manifested himself as Christ, the promised Messiah. On this occasion his Divine power and glory were publicly revealed; and, for this reason, the day is styled Epiphany, the manifestation.

*Primitivo igitur et veteris ecclesiæ festa per annos quodringentos, hæc fuerunt; primo, dies Dominica; secundo, festum passionis Christi (Parascave); tertio, resurrectionis; quarto, ascensionis; quinto, pentecostes; sexto, nativitatis et baptismi Christi.

The observance of the birth of Christ as a religious festival began in the fourth century in the church of Rome, and subsequently in the Eastern church, on the twenty-fifth of December. By this solemnity it was proclaimed how the eternal Word became flesh; and how, by becoming man, he made it possible for man himself to become like God himself. But in addition to this union between God and man, Jesus, by being born of a woman, exhibited also the tenderest of all human relations, that of parent and child. Christmas therefore is a festive celebration expressive of the happiness of the human family, and of the purest relations of domestic life.

Since the fourth century it has been customary to celebrate, on the twenty-sixth of December, the death of Stephen the first martyr, as standing nearest the manger of the infant Saviour. The death of the martyr was, according to the phraseology of the ancient church, his birthday. Hence the familiar saying of the fathers: "Heri natus est Christus in terris, ut hodies Stephanus nasceretur in cœlis."

Next followed the memorial of John, the beloved disciple, which naturally connected itself with that of the birth of Christ. He especially taught us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. He was also a martyr; not indeed like Stephen, but in a spiritual sense. For it was the custom of the church to reckon all as martyrs who fearlessly stood up as witnesses for the truth, not counting their own lives dear unto them, though they may at length have died a natural death.

As these days commemorate those who testified their love for Christ, the one by a long life of undeviating fidelity, and the other by an heroic death, so another commemorates those who, in tender, unconscious childhood, yielded up their lives for the preservation of the infant Saviour. The twenty-eighth of December, Innocents' day, was set apart in memory of the innocent children who suffered death by the jealous cruelty of Herod. Thus these martyr-feasts are connected with that of the birth of Christ. This connection illustrates the deep earnestness with which the ancient church regarded the death of Christ.

Between the day of the birth of Christ and of his manifestation, there is another which commemorates an important event of his life, his circumcision. Festum circumcisionis et nominis Jesu. The later fathers of the church connected with the observance of this day the festivities of the new-year's day, by which means it was dishonoured by many wanton and extravagant rites adopted from heathen nations.

The feast of Epiphany concluded the solemnities connected with that of the birth of Christ. This is an ancient oriental festival; and may have been established, through the influence of the Gnostics, as early as the second century.

In the sixth century, the feast of purification, or of the presentation of Christ in the temple, was added to those which are connected with Christmas. The time of holding this feast, styled Candlemas, from the number of lights which were borne in procession on the occasion, was necessarily determined by that of Christmas on the twenty-fifth of December.

The solemnities of Easter stand in close connection with those of Christmas. Of the historical origin of this feast there can be no doubt. With essential variations, it sprang from the Passover, the great festival of the Jews, to which it retains many striking analogies. It is the most ancient and the most significant of all the festivals of the Christian church. It commemorates the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. This momentous event, so important in the scheme of grace, is signalized, both by this great annual festival, and by the weekly observance of the Lord's day.

This great festive season is preceded by a preparatory fast of forty days, the carnival, caro vale!

The solemnities immediately connected with Easter begin with Palm Sunday; commemorative of our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the enthusiastic multitude strewed palms in the way before him. The tragedy begins with a triumphal procession; unnatural, indeed, and inconsistent, because merely an earthly triumph; and oh! how unlike that of the Eternal King on his entry into the city of the New Jerusalem above. The shouts of the tumultuous assembly and their loud hosannas are soon to be exchanged, by the malice of the priests, for their maledictions and phrenzied exclamations of rage. And yet the blessed Saviour, meekly submissive to his Father's will, calmly proceeds, in full consciousness of all this, to meet his certain death.

First of all he institutes the Lord's supper, expressive of the grace of God, and the fellowship of saints. The memory of this transaction is perpetuated by Maunday Thursday, dies mysteriorum, dies natalis-calicis, dies viridium, etc.

Then follows that day of awful suffering, and of amazing grace, when Jesus died upon the cross for the sins of the world,—Good Friday. It is expressive of the surpassing love of Christ in dying for the salvation of man. But the benevolent ends of this sacrifice

were accomplished by mysterious sufferings. All was darkness and gloom. The sun itself was shrouded in darkness. All nature, in sympathy with the sufferings of the great Deliverer, gave signs of wo. How much deeper then the sorrow with which the heart of man should be touched on this occasion. Hence the expressive silence and sadness with which the day is solemnized.

Saturday following was named the Great, or Holy Sabbath. On this day the Lord lay in his grave, and rested from the great work of redemption, as also on the night following. This night was also observed with peculiar solemnity, that sacred night of all nights. The church assembled in silent sadness, and passed its mournful vigils in watching, in prayer, and in torch-light processions. In connection with this solemnity the ancient church was accustomed to foreshadow, by peculiar rites, the second coming of the Son of man.

But when the morning dawned, oh, what a morning! It was announced with the triumphant exclamation, The Lord is risen! yes, verily the Lord is risen indeed, was the universal response. Easter now is fully come. Easter, that day of joy, of salvation, that royal, triumphant day; that day of light, of life, and of salvation, that feast of feasts. Old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. The ancient dispensation has passed away; and the new now begins. For this reason the ancient church began the new year with this day. In like manner, the Christian sabbath, the resurrection day, is not, like the Jewish, the conclusion of the seven days, but the beginning of a new week.

The conclusion of Easter was Whitsunday, Dominica in albis, dies neophytorum, etc. On this day the neophytes, candidates for church-membership, were received into full communion by appropriate solemnities, after which they laid aside the white garments with which they had been clad, and in which they appeared in public on this occasion.

The cycle of Whitsunday commemorates the complete manifestation and exaltation of Jesus Christ. His earthly course is completed; he lives indeed still, but only as our risen Lord. As with the Jews the interval between the Passover and Pentecost was holy time, so also with Christians, the seven weeks between Easter and Whitsunday were religiously observed. It was the favourite time for solemnizing the right of baptism. As a symbolical representation of the resurrection of Christ, all were accustomed, during this interval, to stand in prayer. The Acts of the Apostles were read and expounded, because this book particularly treats of his resur

rection. None fasted during this season. Business was, as much as possible, suspended, and the time devoted to festivity as a prolonged thanksgiving. In a word, the whole was a joyous Sunday, a religious holiday, a prolonged echo of the acclamation of the resurrection morning.

The last of all these days relating to our Lord's mission on earth was the Ascension, when the life of Jesus, which began in the manger, ended in the glories of heaven.

§ 4. OF THE CORRUPT ORIGIN AND INFLUENCE OF THE FESTIVALS

OF THE CHURCH.

IN the institution of these festivals reference was had sometimes to the seasons of the year, sometimes to the festivals of the Jews, and at other times to the festivals of pagan nations.1 These festivals of the church accordingly became an incongruous mixture of Judaism, paganism, and Christianity. As men are known by their gods, so the character of their religion is manifested by their festivals. The degenerate character of the church is partially indicated in this blending of heathen festivals and Jewish observances with religious festivals. These festivals had their origin in a corrupt age of the church, and are a manifest token of degeneracy.

As early as the third and fourth centuries, the church began to manifest an attachment both to Jewish and to pagan forms and ceremonies. The original simplicity of Christian worship, adapted to a spiritual religion, became unsatisfactory. The multitude! craved an outward religion, that should address itself to the senses rather than to the heart; something that should amuse and divert, and appease the religious propensities of men without disturbing them in their sins. Such external attractions the church sought to give to her religion by the establishment of new festivals, and by converting Jewish and heathen ceremonies into Christian solemnities. Accordingly, many such observances were adopted into Christian worship in the sixth century, under Gregory the Great, from the Jewish and heathen ritual.2

This propensity discovered itself at an earlier period, and was often censured, but it only increased with the progress of degeneracy.

The commemoration of martyrs and confessors led to the establishment of numerous festivals in honour of saints, and many other superstitions connected with sacred relics, invocations, and pilgrimages.

The introduction of the observance of Christmas in the fourth century, led the way to many other festivals, as has been already