ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22895, 16 December 1939, Page 7

ORIGIN OF CHRISTMAS

TO. THE EDITOB Of THE PBBSS. Sir,—ln September, 1928, Signor Mussolini opened a building m Rome to commemorate the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Augustus Caesar. There are two months in the calendar year called after him, and August is the only month with 31 days immediately following .another of th£ same number of days, m remembrance of the man whose memorable decree went forth that the people of the whole world were to be numbered and counted as his subjects. This brought even the Holy family from Nazareth to Bethlehem, a journey of 68 miles, to be also counted, and thus were fulfilled the words spoken by the prophet Miceas 600 years before that the Redeemer would be born in Bethlehem. , . • . Rome has seen many a kingdom, republic, and empire in their commg and going and the heels of many a persecutor,’ but has never seen any empire ever rise again once it had gone down, except that founded by Augustus Caesar. His death took place when our Lord was in His fourteenth year. It was said of Augustus' Caesar that he should never have been born, but having been born, should never have died. Yours, etc., p DOWD Waiau, December 13, 1939. TO THE EDITOB 01 THE PBES3. Sir Referring to the quotation from Browning by “Catholic Truth No. 3, that there is a deficit in our ethical account as expressed by Browhmg in that poem is certainly true. The bal-ance-sheet is, however, deceptive unless we take into consideration the fact that the spirit of that poem and all that is one with it in that spirit is a substantial contra account as significant as that which it deplores.— Yours, etc., H j BurrLE . Barfield, December 15, 1939. STAMPS FOR QUEEN’S HOSPITAL FOR CHILDREN, LONDON TO THE BOrTOB or THE PBESB. Sir,—The following is an extract from a letter from the secretary of the Queen’s Hospital for Children, London: “Thank you for the special parcel of New Zealand stamps. These and all other colonial and foreign issues I can dispose of without the slightest trouble and to good advantage. It-is the used Great Britain stamps which are a difficulty just now, but I am still accepting them and am optimistic enough to hope the market for them will improve when the international outlook is more settled. With most grateful thanks.”' (July 3, 1939.) —Yours, etc., „ ■ C. PYNE. October 29. 1939.