an, who has destined it to celebrate the birth of
the Saviour, the _true_ Sun of Justice, who alone came to
dissipate the darkness of ignorance."[364:8]

_Bacchus_, also, was born at early dawn on the 25th of December. Mr.
Higgins says of him:

"The birth-place of Bacchus, called Sabizius or Sabaoth, was
claimed by several places in Greece; but on Mount Zelmissus,
in Thrace, his worship seems to have been chiefly celebrated.
He was born of a virgin on the 25th of December, and was
always called the SAVIOUR. In his Mysteries, he was shown to
the people, as an infant is by the Christians at this day, on
Christmas-day morning, in Rome."[364:9]

The birthday of _Adonis_ was celebrated on the 25th of December. This
celebration is spoken of by Tertullian, Jerome, and other Fathers of
the Church,[365:1] who inform us that the ceremonies took place in a
cave, and that the cave in which they celebrated his mysteries in
Bethlehem, was that in which Christ Jesus was born.

This was also a great holy day in ancient Rome. The Rev. Mr. Gross says:

"In _Rome_, before the time of Christ, a festival was observed
on the 25th of December, under the name of '_Natalis Solis
Invicti_' (Birthday of Sol the Invincible). It was a day of
universal rejoicings, illustrated by illuminations and public
games."[365:2] "All public business was suspended,
declarations of war and criminal executions were postponed,
_friends made presents to one another_, and the slaves were
indulged with great liberties."[365:3]

A few weeks before the winter solstice, the Calabrian shepherds came
into Rome to play on the pipes. Ovid alludes to this when he says:

"Ante Deum matrem cornu tibicen adunco
Cum canit, exiguae quis stipis aera neget."

--(Epist. i. l. ii.)

_i. e._, "When to the mighty mother pipes the swain,
Grudge not a trifle for his pious strain."

This practice is kept up to the present day.

The ancient _Germans_, for centuries before "the _true_ Sun of Justice"
was ever heard of, celebrated annually, at the time of the _Winter
solstice_, what they called their Yule-feast. At this feast agreements
were renewed, the gods were consulted as to the future, sacrifices were
made to them, and the time was spent in jovial hospitality. Many
features of this festival, such as bu