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Message boards : Cafe CPDN : Christmas Carol that has always baffled me.
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 old_user129342 Send message Joined: 4 Dec 05 Posts: 7 Credit: 26,798 RAC: 0 |
There is one Christmas Carol that has always baffled me... What in the world do leaping lords, French hens, swimming swans, and especially the partridge who won\'t come out of the pear tree have to do with Christmas? From 1558 until 1829, Roman Catholics in England were not permitted to practice their faith openly. Someone during that era wrote this carol as a catechism song for young Catholics. It has two levels of meaning: the surface meaning plus a hidden meaning known only to members of their church. Each element in the carol has a code word for a religious reality which the children could remember. The partridge in a pear tree represented Jesus Christ. Two turtle doves represented the Old and New Testaments. Three French hens stood for faith, hope and love. The four calling birds represented the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke &John. The five golden rings recalled the Torah or Law, the first five books of the-Old Testament. The six geese a-laying stood for the six days of creation. Seven swans a-swimming represented the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit Prophesy Serving Teaching Exhortation Contribution Leadership Mercy. The eight maids a-milking represented the eight beatitudes. Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are they who mourn, for they shall be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are they who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied. Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the pure of heart, for they shall see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called children of God. Blessed are they who are persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Nine ladies dancing represented the nine fruits of the Holy Spirit Love Joy Peace Patience Kindness Goodness Faithful-ness Gentleness Self Control. The ten lords a-leaping represented the ten commandments. I am The Lord your God, Who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a graven image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth; you shall not bow down to them or serve them; for I The Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate Me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love Me and keep My Commandments.\" You shall not take The Name of The Lord your God in vain; for The Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain. Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor, and do all your work; but the seventh day is a Sabbath to The Lord your God; in it you shall not do any work, you, or your son, or your daughter, your manservant, or your maidservant, or your cattle, or the sojourner who is within your gates; for in six days The Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day; therefore The Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it. Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long in the land which The Lord your God gives you. You shall not kill. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor\'s house; you shall not covet your neighbor\'s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his ass, or anything that is your neighbor\'s. The eleven pipers piping stood for the eleven faithful disciples. Simon Peter Andrew James his brother John Philip Thomas Matthew James the son of Alphaeus Simon Thaddeus Bartholomew The twelve drummers drumming symbolized the twelve points of belief in the Apostles Creed. I believe in God the Father almighty, I also believe in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord, conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary. suffered under Pontius Pilate, crucified, dead and buried; he descended into hell, rose again the third day, ascended into heaven, sat down at the right hand of the Father, thence he is to come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the remission of sins, the resurrection of the flesh and life eternal. So there Is your history for today. This knowledge was shared with me and I found it interesting and enlightening and now I know how that strange song became a Christmas Carol... [FONT=president]Click Please  Thank You[/FONT]
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Send message Joined: 5 Sep 04 Posts: 7629 Credit: 24,240,330 RAC: 0 |
That\'s decreased my ignorance a bit. And I didn\'t even know that I was, regarding that carol. Merry Christmas to those that celebrate it. |
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old_user129342 Send message Joined: 4 Dec 05 Posts: 7 Credit: 26,798 RAC: 0 |
That\'s decreased my ignorance a bit. And I didn\'t even know that I was, regarding that carol. Thank You I have gotten some feed back from other forums mostly from a user named Misfit that say this is all wrong his proof is this http://www.truthorfiction.com/rumors/t/twelvedaysofchristmas.ht I have replied to him this way your proof is only a web site KNOWN for not bieng 100% right about there facts [FONT=president]Click Please Thank You[/FONT]
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Send message Joined: 28 Nov 04 Posts: 9 Credit: 687,368 RAC: 0 |
I found this very interesting, thank you. Here in Sweden we have celebrated Christmas long before we were christened. Up here is the night long and cold but after winter solstice we celebrated that the days became longer. God Jul! |
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old_user129342 Send message Joined: 4 Dec 05 Posts: 7 Credit: 26,798 RAC: 0 |
I need to say I\'m sorry to Misfit and the rest of the members I was at my wits end have spent a good part of the day responding to E-Mails about this post. Some folks took it upon them self to E-mail me and not post in the thread as I had posted this story in several forums. I have gone over board in some of my replies I meant no disrespect to any member in my postings or any of the E-mails. It\'s been a really bad year for me with the hurricane season I live in South Florida USA. I wanted to share something that raised my spirits. I should never have snapped at any of the posters the way I did in this or any of the other forums. I hope all have a Happy Holiday Season Stephen Homer [FONT=president]Click Please Thank You[/FONT]
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old_user126291 Send message Joined: 2 Dec 05 Posts: 2 Credit: 56,013 RAC: 0 |
Hey, I liked the story. Sorry everyone gave you a bad day. Even on Christian forums, other Christians appear to enjoy tearing everything to pieces. Hope you\'re doing well in Florida. |
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old_user129342 Send message Joined: 4 Dec 05 Posts: 7 Credit: 26,798 RAC: 0 |
Hey, Thank You It\'s been hard but we are doing better Happy Holiday To You [FONT=president]Click Please Thank You[/FONT]
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