The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1859-04-23
sTHE nTHPATCH


Christian Passion WEI
rne s.e,t Of the Jewish Passover, wn'c. -
~s-" A.. .,oa,. AZ rerse, from Egypt Nneu
- s.0..s-s.~ s,~.,. ON the night before saeH
sas-.s -. al, ,ns sr,t born Of the EeyptisAs,
-. 49, -. IN. houses Of the Hebrews, eos-
49, =. Monday afternoon. At tins tesss'
.ls.'"~ -. ~. p.rched Lamb, lamb without
-. :. n,.m,sh. A male, and OF that year, was
IN N. High Priest, and IL was as It's ami.
.. r.. Christ, the "I.smb Of God" was s'Aio'
-. .,.,n on the third day, called Easter
$500 The feast Of the Passover, says . contem~
....-v continues week, bat the Jews out OF
r.,..tiue extended IL TO eight days, according 70
=. .,c,eat custom, by which tho sanhedrim sent
,vo man to observe the first appearance OF tue
va moon. Who Immediately gave notice OF IL 70
~ ehief Of the council. For fear OF error tne.
rant two DAYS Of the festival--one was ea''e"
the day Of the new moon not yet seem ahu VI.
o.her aths dsy Of the new moon making Hs h,''
apuearSuce,s So that the frst two DAYS OF 'ne
paseover. and tho last two also, are ssereo, oo'o
from labor and business. For the four Intervening
a.ve. n h only forbidden to work, and tney are
a,st,.euished from working days only oy some
o.rt,ca,srs. During the eight days OF the ieas',
a.. Jevs eat only unleavened bread, aud u snet
.oxed them to have in their custody any ieaven or
h,..d leayened. They examine all the house win
. vsr- scrupulous care, in order to cast out what
eve, may have any fermens In it. The feast was
Generally observed BY the Israelites OF this city,
and BY "the chosen people" in all lands.
The Christian Passover, the Lords Supper, vas
instituted by Christ when, at the last jewish
Passover Supper, He gave them bread to eat,w which
he called His body, and wine to drink, which lie
called His blood, aud commanded them by this
sacrimsnt to show forth His death till He came
The week, Immediately preceding the festival Of
H.ster. n denomiuatsd Passion or Suffering
Week, because in that week our Savours passion
or sufsrings and death happened.
The Primitive Christians called 1t the Grea
Week. They paid this season extraordinary re-
gard, which consisted In additional exercises o
devotion, longer fastings, more liberal aims, vaca
ton from ell civil business, and general reeas'
of prisoners, some particular cases OF criminal
only excepted. The Thursday of this week, thu
day on which Christ was betrayed, was observed
with some peculiar customs. Friday, the Day o
Crucinxion, was the great fast Of the season
The Saturday Was known by the name of the Gred
Sabbath. It was observed by the Greeks and SOM
of the Westerns as fast, all other Saturdays beini
observed a. festivals. On this day they continues
to fast, not only till evening, but till cock GROWING
II
our saviour's Resurrection. The preceding tim
of the nisht was spent in divine service, praying
preaching, and baptisiug such of the catachumen
a. presented themselves.
The Easter festival begins tomorrow, and com
neuorstes the Resurrection of Christ Che nam
of Easter, according to Bede, was given to thi
festival ct the time when Christianity was frs
introduced among the Saxons in the British isle'
Those people, says Bede, worshipped an imagiuar
deity, called Eastre, whose feast they celebrate
every year. at this season; the name RENAME
when the worship was changed. Others concefv
the name to be derived from an old Saxon wor
importing risiug-Easter day thus signifying th
day of resurrection. DR.. Hook states that Easte
Sunday Is not strictly the anniversary of our sa
viour's resurrection but 1t Is the day appointed
the Church to be kept in remembrance OF tbs
event. Amer great difference of opinions, it wa
decided In the Council OF Nice that Easter'da
should be kept on the Sunday following the JEWS
feast of the Passover, which passover IL kept o
the l4th day, or fall moon, of the Jewish mo ut
Nisan At the same time, to prevent all unce
taiuty In future, IL was made farther rule th
the full moon next to the vernal Tor spring. equ
nox should be taken for the full moon ia Il
month Nisan, and the 21st of March be accounte
the vernal equinox. Easter Sunday, therefor
10 always the Sunday following the full moo
which falls on, or next after the 21st of March.
Easter is thus observed with reference to IL
feast of the passover, on account of the typic
quality of that day; the annual sacrifice con
msnded by the Jewish law being regarded as
type Of the greater sacrifice of Christ for our r
demptiou, and the deliverance of Israelites ont
Egypt a. q type of our deliverance from sin az
death by His merits. Easter is observed by Il
Roman, Greek and English Churches as the grea
est festival, except Christmas, of the year.
Rome, the Pope assists at High Mass, and gives b
benedi:tion from the balcony of St. Peters, to IL
assembled multitude