Democratic Sentinel, Volume 2, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 December 1878 — THE STORY OF THE YULE LOG. [ARTICLE]

THE STORY OF THE YULE LOG.

Y r ule-tide, as most readers of English literature know, refers to Christmas time. The word has many derivations, being derived variously by different authorities from the ancient British, Saxon, Danish and Norwegian languages. In the first of these languages, it refers to the sun, in the others to a word signifying a wheel, and having direct refrence to the fact that the sun, pot at his pausing point, turns upon his course to make the circuit of the heavens again. The observance of Christmas, as followed in all Christian countries now, has a direct reference to the commemorating of the birth of Christ. It is observable, however, that all pagan nations from a period of which no history i 3 written, have held festivities at the winter solstice. The ancients called the night of the shortest day in the year Mother Night, and from the day following dated the beginning of their year. These festivities were of course attended, by the common people, with many absurd customs. A large number of these were kept by the same class of persons when the Christian feast had been substituted for the heathen one. There is always a great deal of conservatism among a peasant or uneducated class, which clings with a tenacity born of superstition to the customs, of its ancestors. Among-the least absurd of these customs was the burning of the yule log, to which such frequent reference is made in literature. In olden times a holiday was always preceded by a fast or vigil. Doubtless, from this came the custom of building great fires on Christmas eve. Nothing could be more necessary iu the bleak northern countries whence the custom of the Yule log came, to make a vigil tolerable, than warmth and light, both of which the burning of a great log secured. The Scandinavians at this time in the year were accustomed, before their conversion to Christianity, to celebrate the festival of their great god, Thor, and in his fierce honor huge bonfires were made. The Yule log should, properly, have been an immense birch log, almost an entire tree. This was out down some months beforehand, and dragged homeward from its native forest with great rejoicing. It was then stripped of its bark, and left to dry until Yule even. It was taken into the house, rolled into the great open chimney and a fire built beneath it. Part of the charm and sacredness of this Christmas fire consisted in lighting it with a charred brand from the last year’s Yule log. This custom is still a part of the Christmas observation in the northern counties of England. Much has been written upon its origin. Blount, tlie Christian historian, finds a connection between it and the fact that Christmas w;is called the Feast of Lights in the Latin Church, when large fires and many candles were lit in token of the fact that Christ was the light of the world. But the custom was found among the Pagans anterior to the Christian era, and, indeed, the instinct of rejoicing by means of illumination of various kinds seems to be older than history; to be, indeed, a natural impulse of the human race everywhere. Those in mild climates lit bonfires, carried torches, set off fireworks; in the colder countries, all the light possible, within doors, was secured by means of blazing logs and candles. In Devonshire, England, the yule log takes the form of a great ashen faggot, formed of nine large ash sticks, bound together by withes. Many allusions are made in older and later ballads to this custom. In one of Robert Herrick’s poems it is spoken of thus: With tlie last year's brand Litflit the new block, and For good success in his spending. On your psaltries play, That sweet luck may Come while the log is tending. The burning of the yule log was one of the customs frowned upon by the Puritans, at the time of their accession to power and influence, as a relic of Popery. It lost its firm hold upon the peasant classes then, and never afterward regained it.