HUMAN FESTIVALS UNCHRISTIAN.
The world's festivals, and especially human festivals, are invariably detrimental to Christianity. According to Prof. George H. Schodde, some ancient papyrus records, lately discovered, throw light on the mockeries of Christ at His crucifixion. From these documents he deduces that “every year the festival of Saturn was celebrated by the Roman soldiers, who appointed a mock king upon whom royal robes were placed. Then, for a certain number of days, this king directed the wildest carousals of his subjects, after which he was put to the sword. Mock imitations of these riotous celebrations of the Saturnalia king were a favorite amusement among the soldiers in the cases of culprits who had been condemned. According to the manner of the times they were handed over to the executioners as objects of sport, as also in the cases of other persons who had incurred the displeasure of the soldiers.” Since the dispensation of types and shadows which were nailed to the cross, the Lord has given us no festival days, or weeks, or months. We have but the one memorial day, the holy Sabbath, which the Lord set apart in Eden, and which is to be of special observance forever. No other days were appointed by Him until the ceremonial system was set up in the wilderness, and none have been ordained7since the death of our Lord. All others are of human origin, without a shadow of divine sanctity. “Every plant, which My heavenly Father hath planted, shall be rooted up,” is the testimony of the Master. The result of human festivals is idleness, and idleness always begets folly. They are always averse to Christian growth.