Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-02-12
The series of religious observances may be

III Advent, and they are considered as pre-
paratory to the festival Of Chrlsts birth, cele-
brated on Christmas day. Ofcourse the sea-
son of Advent commences near the last of
November. i
ChrisiDlas.-At the close Of the season
mentioned above, comes Christmas, the day
commemoratng the birth of Christ. 1t is al
ways OH the 25th Of December, or rather, the
night before; for it is Christmas night rather
than Christmas day, which is the real period
of interest, the birth of the Saviour having
taken place in the night. 1t is not by any
means certain, that the night between the
Oath and 25th Of December, is the real ami
versary of this event, nor is it at all necessa-
ry that it should be. 1t is sufficient that there
is agreement
The Sundays which follow Christmas are
called the first and second Sundays after
Christmas when we come to
! Epiphany, Jan. (Which commentaries
the visit pGld to Christ by the wise men OF
the East or more generally the manifesto
ton Of Christ 20 the Gcntiles. Six Sundays
follow, called the first Sunday after Epipha-
ny, second Sunday after Epiphany, &c. and
these bring us to the last OF February, ana TO
the commencement OF a series OF services re-
lating to the death and resurrection ofChrlst.
The commemoration of this event is proceed
cd by the season of Lent, u fast of forty days,
not including Sundays. The six Sundays af-
ter Epiphany do not, however, bring us to
the commencement Of this fast. Three Sun
days intervene, called Septuagesma, Sexa-
gesima, and Quinquageslma, because they
are nearly seventy, sixty, and fifty days be-
fore the Sunday commemorating the resur-
rcction Of Christ, or Easter, as it Is called
We have then Septuagesima Sunday, Sexa-
gesima Sunday, Qunquagcslma Sunday, oc-
curing in the last of February and first of
March, and followed by
Ash Uednesday, the first day of Lent
which is, as before remarked, period OF for
,ty days, observed as fast preparatory to the
commemoration of the death OF Christ The
Sundays occurring during this period are cal
! led first, second, &c. Sundays in Lent, and,
as it is terminated by
| Passion Weck, the week on which are eel
ebrated the death and resurrection Of the Sa-
viour, week which, from the solemn servi-
ces assigned to it, and the solemn assoca-
tions connected with it, is the most interest
ing week in the ecclesiastical year. There
are appropriate services of a mourniul and
solemn character, for every day until the day
of the crucifxion, which is on
4 Good Friday-whch, as the annotator of
| the work before us remarks, is "the most So
! lcmn fast of the Christian Church, observed
in commemoration Of her Saviour's crucltX-
! ion, making atonement for the sins of men,"
| 1t is followed by
Il Easter Eue, which commentaries the pc
| rod between the Saviour's death and resur-
| rection.
Easter Day. is the Sunday of the resurrec-
ton. 1t comes near the first OF March, or I'M
| April, the particular day being determined
by rules which the early Western Church
! specified. This day regulates great many
! others, and its determination is consequently
a matter of much Importance. The day Is
followed by
Easter Heek, to each Of the days of which
appropriate services are assigned.
I Five Sundays follow, called first, second,
third &c. Sundays after Easter,--when we
come to
Ascension Day, which comes on Thursday,
the fortleth day from Easter, and as its name
imports, is designed to commemorate our Sa-
Iviour's ascension, it occurs Of course in May
or June. The Sunday following is called
Sunday after Ascension, and then comes
n Whit Sunday commemorative ofthe day of
l'Penticost. Each day of the week following
has its appropriate services. This completes
what may be called the anniversary celebra-
ton Of the ecclesiastical year, with the ex-
ception of those relating to particular saints,
which to avoid confusion, we have not MOTTO
ed in this brief summary. About six months
of the year, however, remain the first Sun
day Of which is called Trinity Sunday, and
the others first, second, third, &c. up to
twenty fourth Sunday after Trinity. This
brings us round again to the season Of Ad-
went, with which the series Of services be-
gan.
1t will be seen thus that the worship of the
Episcopal Church is, for six months in the
Iycar, one continued and solemn service, com
memorative, in its various parts, of the great
events connected with the life and death of
the Saviour, and the first establishment of
Christianity; and 1t must be evident to every
one, that this arrangement, provided the con
d grcgation can be so far interested IN it as to
: keep it in mind, and understand and apprcci-
ate it as whole, must be most powerful
means of producing the right kind of moral
$ and religious impression. If the pastor enters
v into the spirit of the service, and by his
h preaching follows out and sustains its mean
ing and design, he must awaken a deep inter
est rs hc advances through the successive so
: lemnites Of the year. We can conceive o
scarcely any opportunity which faithful
e evangelical pastor can have, for producing
: deep and lasting impression upon the mem
y bers of his flock, more favorable than that af
. tordcd by the mournful services OF Passion
4. Week, closed by the sublime solcmnitc,
A commemorative Of the resurrection morn.