64 CHRISTMAS, C. H. Cayce The Bible does not give the date of the birth of Christ, neither the month [pg 165] nor the day of the month. No living man knows the exact date of His birth. We are supposed to count time from the birth of Christ. That is, it is supposed that time is counted, as we now compute time, from the birth of Christ, but it is conceded generally that He was born at least four years before the period from which our time is counted. Some chronologists place the time of His birth five or six years prior to the period from which our time is counted. The day, nor month, nor year of the birth of Christ is not certainly known. The beginning of His ministry is more definitely known than the date of His birth. The Primitive Baptist, Feb. 26, 1907, C. H. C.
C. H. Cayce It is generally accepted as a fact that December 25 is not the Saviour’s birthday. At the time of His birth there were shepherds keeping watch over their flocks by night. For this reason it is evident it was not winter. As to Easter, this is only a Roman Catholic invention. All who observe it are only following Rome. The same is true also of the so-called Christmas [pg 268] day. December 25 was first observed as a day of mass by the Catholics, then they began claiming that it was observed in commemoration of the birth of Christ— hence they called it Christmas day— an abbreviation of Christ Mass. December 25 and Easter are both simply Roman Catholic feast days.
The Primitive Baptist, August 18, 1914.
The following is copied from Hassell’s History, page 182:
The precise time of our Saviour’s birth, for some wise purpose, seems to have been lost sight of by chronologists. But it may be set down as having most probably occurred a few months before the death of Herod the Great, four years before the common Christian era, in the year of Rome 750, and in the year of the world 4000. Learned men have investigated this point, but, with all their researches, have not been able to fix precisely either the year or the day of His birth. The early Christians were divided on this subject, and of course it must be a matter of uncertainty to all succeeding generations. In view of this uncertainty, not even the exact year, much less the exact month being known, how groundless and puerile appears the custom of the Romish [pg 337] and English, as well as other communions, as holding sacred the twenty-fifth day of December (new style) as the day of Christ’s nativity, and adorning their houses of worship with flowers and evergreens as a part of their religious devotion on that day!
The following is from the same book (Hassell’s History) page 408:
Not even the exact year, much less the exact month and day, when Christ was born is stated in the Scriptures, or is known to mortals. The sixth of January was in the second and third centuries thought to have been the day; but it was decided by the Catholics in the fourth and fifth centuries that the 25th day of December was the day. (A footnote says, “December being the height of the rainy season in Judea, it is not likely that flocks and shepherds were, during that month, found by night in the fields of Bethlehem.” As Rome, the centre of Paganism, was made the centre of Catholicism, so the Pagan festivities of the Saturnalia, Juvenalia and Brumalia, which occurred in December, were very conveniently and hilariously transmuted by a worldly “Christianity” into the festival of Christmas.
We suppose the foregoing is sufficient evidence concerning the matter of Christmas. Much more such evidence could be produced, but this is enough. We wish our people would cease the Christmas celebrations. The Primitive Baptist, February 9, 1915.
CHRISTMAS, R. H. Pittman Not even the year, much less the exact month and day when Christ was born, is stated in the Scriptures or known to mortals. For some wise purpose, it was, by chronologists, lost sight of. It most probably occurred a few months before the death of Herod the Great, four years before the common Christian era, in the year of Rome 750, and in the year of the world 4000. Learned men have investigated this point, but with all their research have not been able to fix the precise day, month, or year. The 6th of January, was in the second and third centuries thought to have been the day; but it was decided by the Catholics in the fourth and fifth centuries that the 25th of December was the day. Even the early Christians were divided on this subject and, of course, it must be a matter of uncertainty to all succeeding generations. In view of this uncertainty, how groundless and puerile appears the custom of the Romish and English, as well as other communions, in holding sacred the twenty-fifth day of December (new style) as the day of Christ’s nativity, and adorning their houses of worship with flowers and evergreens as a part of their religious devotion on that day. Fallen humanity is prone to the worship of “days, and months, and times, and years,” and God has, no doubt, purposely hid the exact time of his Son’s advent into the world. Let us worship God alone and esteem every day as a gift from the Lord.” (R.H. Pittman)