3 



vest, ships safely arrived with persons of special use and 

 quality," etc. 



After the arrival of the Province charter, only one in- 

 stance occurs of a day of thanksgiving set apart by act of 

 the General Court. This was passed Nov. 13, 1693, and 

 the day appointed was Dec. 21, O. S., corresponding to 

 Jan. 2, of our present calendar. Since that time all 

 thanksgiving days have been fixed by executive procla- 

 mation, and not by act of the legislature. 



CHRISTMAS. 



The next subject discussed was Christmas ; which was 

 at first a movable feast, celebrated, usually, in April or 

 May. It was probably instituted in the second century, 

 but was not fixed by the Catholic Church, upon Dec. 25, 

 until the pontificate of Julius I., in the fourth century. 



The tradition of the church is that the birth of Jesus 

 occurred at midnight, whence the custom in England and 

 some other countries of ringing the church bells at mid- 

 night, early dawn, and again in the morning. 



The different methods of celebrating the day in differ- 

 ent countries and ages were then explained. The revels 

 of the Lord of Misrule commenced at All Hallow Eve 

 (Oct. 31), and continued to Candlemas (Feb. 2). Every 

 day after Christmas was a holiday until twelfth night 

 (Jan. 6). The season was always considered propitious 

 in England, a tradition made memorable by the words of 

 Marcellus to Horatio in the first scene in Hamlet : 



" Some -say that ever 'gainst that season comes 

 Wherein our Saviour's birth is celebrated, 

 The bird of dawning singeth all night long; 

 And then, they say, no spirit stirs, abroad ; 

 The nights are wholesome; then no planets strike, 

 No fairy takes, nor witch hath power to charm, 

 So hallowed and so gracious is the time." 



The Puritans were greatly opposed to the observance 



