The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1868-02-26

THE LESrEN FAsT.-This Is ASH
Wednesday, OF the hrst day OF Lent;
Che fast of forty days before Easter
excepting Sundays, which are always
festivals, observed by the Catholic
Church throughout an the world. The
popular name of Ash-Wednesday has
been acquired by 30 from the custom OF
blessing the ashes made FROM the palms
distributed on the Palm sunday OF The
preceding year, and signing the cross
with them ou the heads of those who
ku-lt before the officiating minister,
Tor the purpose, while he said, ere
member, man, that thou arc dust, and
unto du., shalt thou return
The primary object of the institution
ola fast before Easter, was, doubtless,
chat of perpetuaung ina the hearts OF
every generation of Christians the sor-
row and mourning which the Apostles
aud Disciples ielt during the time that
.he Bridegroom was taken away from
them. This SORROW had, indeed, been
turned into joy boy the Resurrection,
yet no Easter Joys could ever erase
from the mlud OF the Church, the memo
~ 0i those awful forty hours of blank
aud Qt-oIatIOu which followed the last
.uderlgs of her Lord; aud she lives
over year after year, the time from
che morning ol Good-triday 90 the
morning of Easter Day by a repre-
s~rtIrDu 0i Christ evidently set forth,
erucIued Among us. lpal. 300: D.. This
probably was lao earliest idea of a last
before L8slsr. Sat 90 almost necessd-
uIy f0lI0wes ths, sorrow concerning
the death of Christ should De accOmpa-
MED by s0rr0r c0uceI1ug nej0i0l cause
% llsl Death. aud hence the Ltuteu
Fast became period of self disclpliuti
aud was SD, probably, from It's hr9t ln-
-utuuOn n Apostolic tunes. And, ace
c1rdIng t0the hterui habit whichthe ear
.v church had of looking up Co the pat
tern of BIER Divine Master, the forty
davs of HIS lasting iu the wilderness
while he was undergoing temptation
became the gu8ge of the servants Lent,
deriving -ull more force as an exam
pile. from che typical prophecy OF 20
which was so evident I'M the case OF
Nose. and Elijah.
IS. Chryso,tOm speaks of the great
strctugss lu lasting ON the part OF
many m his day. Ia one of his hOmi-
lies be also speaks of men being pur-
lied, boz the days of Lent, by prayer and
aIms deeds, by fasting, watching,
Gears, aud confession OF sIus. The gem
eral modeOf fasting seems t0 have been
tl abstain from food until after SIX
O'Clock iu tine afternoon, aud even then
uUt 90 purtake of animal food or wine.
Yet. Dc may well be doubted whether
SUCH "a mode Uf .ite could have been
continued day after day Tor ,IN weeks
us those W hose duties called upon them
f.r much physical eNeruou; aud % DO
possible that we ought not tu interpret
-1 literally as this, illusions 90 the fast
ng of ordinary Christians which We
meetwItn in early writings. The work
tbat i- set before most persons, lu
tna providence of God, GO the present
iav. makes 90 quite Impossible Tor
those who have t0 DO 90, Co fast every
day for six weeks until evening or
even I1 take one meal only iu the day.
And tho ordinary mode off living Is or
should bee. So e.trHIued among re-
IIeiuu. persons, shat such u custom
would soon reduce them tO an invalid
condition. Iu which they could not 40
fh-Irduls properly Boa the station ul iiie
Dob which Sod hH. called them, whether
Iu tine world UI Iu tue sanctuary, Auu
although ne may seem at ur-l, inal men
ought to te able to fast DOB tne 1871
century 8s strictly u- they oit 900 ihe
I5.h. tIe 18th. or the 80. set % should
bee remembered chat lhe continuous
labor nf IIle Was unknown t1 the great
majority of persons lu ancient days. as
De- r-4t Inc present time 900 tbe Eastern
Church and bon southern Europe, ami
rnt. fls quantity and quality ol the
food which now forms H lull meal l-
only equivalent tO what would lave
been ar extremely spare one until COM
arr..Ive.v modern days. The problem
which tnt modern Christian, therefore,
has Il solve BOO Ili- matter, Is that Ot su
rerouc.uus tbe duty of fasting lu Lent,
and 100 other times ordered by the
Church. with the duty OF properly ac-
r.muI shin. Che work which God has
set him tl DO. that le may fulfill both
duties ASA faithful servant of God.
impossible 90 lay down any gen
erlI laws as Co tue amount Of austl-
rruca from food which l- thus Cumpau-
Dob. with modern duties. nor can any
one. except a person possessed of much
acumeu. determine what
d, t0 bt tue rule for another. But the
general rules may De laid down: lst,
chat DO d. u0s,. ule for all tu diminish ON
some degree the quantity of food on
fasting days without harm resulting;
ID. that many can safely abstain alto .
selhar from animal food for some days
ln llp week; 30, that food should be
taken uu fasting days as necessity, .
and BOO quality so regulated ilat % shall .
NOT uo % luxury; Alb, that all can deny
themselves telcicIes on fast days
which may Dee very properly used at .
other times.
The objects 0f this discipline 90 the .
body have been well stated thus; l.i, /
To chaslise the flesh that DO be not too /
vaulou, but tanned and brought into .
subsection t0 the spirit 2i, "Ihat Che .
.uII.t may Ue more iervout and earnest .
u prayer. 3d. "Ihat our last be "a
testimony aud witness with as before
tod of our humble submission to His f.
High Majesty
Finally. 90 may uo remarked, that as .
.ha changed habits OF life have dimiu- F.
.."|N |.. N.... n 30. .N.".'a.A A'.'r '''.tAA .
...I tor long periods, $50 they have iu- /
creased oar opportunities OF sacrificing F.
our pleasures uy abstinence from luNu- F.
rIes. Theatres. balls, pirate parties F.
rlre' reading, mere ornamental pursuits, .
Unnecessary dcIcIrfeS. Si11pfH0UN caS- .
.U.H.,.- these are things which may F.
well boa selected a- tlu subjects of our .
81st.neuCe, If, boz Lent, Or 900 our geuer- .
lI hit. we desire 90 adopt a sricter
Christian habit than I- commonly me- .
.essary. From time so saved many AN
hour can be gained boo which 90 attend .
divine service, .o use extra private de- .
vouous and Co engage in works of
charity.
CoRpoEAr0Rs' MEETING several of
the corporators of the Peninsular
Turnpike met 10 the office of j. p. Gill
christ, ESQ, Union Hall building, yes
.erdav afternoon TO 8 o'clock. An or
gau.aion was effected by calling
Lewis Luusford, Esq. TO The chair, and
Adams Dodson, Esq. was made Secre-
.ary The object of The meeting was TO .
devise the best means To- secure the
early construction Of the road. Books
of subscription were authorized to be
opened and placed in the hands Of the
r.. r.,...r-.4- cont arrsar.. Maeara /