Here's a link to Judy G. Russell's latest blog on "The Legal Genealogist" www.legalgenealogist.com where she describes the following law enacted in...where else...Massachusetts in 1659.
For those who are squinting, here's what it says:
For preventing disorders arising in several places within this jurisdiction, by reason of some still observing such festivals as were superstitiously kept in other countries, to the great dishonor of God and offence of others, it is therefore ordered by this Court and the authority thereof, that whosoever shall be found observing any such day as Christmas or the like, either by forbearing of labor, feasting, or any other way, upon such accounts as aforesaid, every such person so offending shall pay for every such offence five shillings, as a fine to the country.
She includes the following citation:
Nathaniel B. Shurtleff, M.D., editor, Records of the Governor and
Company of the Massachusetts Bay in New England, vol. 4, part 1 (Boston:
William White, public printer, 1854), 366; digital images, Internet Archive (http://www.archive.org : accessed 25 Dec
2013).
I highly recommend Judy's blog and would highly suggest that you follow her. She writes on genealogical issues AND she writes in English...not "lawyer-speak". As an added bonus, she has a great sense of humor which makes her blogs easy to read in addition to being information and educational.
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Acts and Laws, of His Majesty's Province of the Massachusetts-Bay in New-England. Boston: printed by Kneeland and Green, 1742. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)[/caption]Related articles
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The proclamation has little to do with Puritan dour emotions and everything with trying to live out a faith according to their reading of Scripture.
ReplyDeleteKeep in mind that nowhere in the Bible are the events of Christmas placed near the winter solstice, and nothing says December 25 as the birthday. The Puritan Calvinists, among others, were quite aware that the story had been grafted to the pagan Roman holiday of Mithra, and they could see through its excesses.
Many also knew that the shepherds would not have been out at night at this time of the year, but rather come springtime.
Many who kept journals in New England marked the day as December 25, "an ordinary day," to be lived out like any other.
Their perspective is a religious flip-side to the argument, "Keep Christ in Christmas." So, before we scoff, we need to listen respectfully. If anything, their objections may be more on target than ever.
I agree with you wholeheartedly! I posted it to underscore the changes in our collective attitudes towards Christmas and how it has become mosty a commercial holiday with only a modest religious theme. Thanks for your comments!
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