The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1870-04-13
DAILY PRESS.
hSoHIIAANN - .
wednesday Morning, April 10, 1870.


L
| Two great branches of the Christian cb,,rcb
| -o Ansiican and the Romish-are now eel
s Ta.s WIN devout religious observances
pe,ioi IN the church calendar which clos
INV t1en'eh season; itself reminding us of
'o'y uays lasting and temptation of our
'ioi' rasslon, or Holy Week, follows our
nofu through his agony and atoning death to
iiiS glorious resurrection, commemorated in
.ne services OF next (Easter) Sunday. Palm
ounaay liast Sunday derives that name from
INST entrance into Jerusalem, riding on an
ass colt In iuliillment.of an ancient prophesy,
anu anohS thousands of disciples who cast
'heir garments and strewed palms in the wav
| -lhe most glorious royal procession the earth
has ever seen. 1t Is unrecognized bv speciaI
services in the Anglican church but ir the
Homish church it is the usage for the priests
to bless the palms, or such other bits of green
as in these northern climes serve to represent
palms, for tie people who bring them to the
| church.
| Tomorrow is known as Holy Thursday, or
| Maundy Thursday, because on this day Christ
laid on his disciples the command (manda-
tum) to observe the Lords Supper in his re-
membrance. The Holy Communion Is gen.
orally celebrated in the Episcopal churches on
this day and in some parishes it occurs at the
evening service, the hour when it was institut-
ed.
Good Friday commentaries the scenes on
Calvary, and the blessing of the great sacrifice
is appropriately impressed upon the worship
pers in the solemn services of the day. But
on Easter morning the church joyfully well
comes risen Saviour, and the forty days of hui
initiation and fasting give place to glad festi-
val-the glad6est of the Christian year, ex-
cepting and equalled only by the Nativity. -
1t is interesting to note the advance which
these festivals and fasts have made in the pop
ular estimation in New England within the
last quarter of century. Christmas, but a
few years ago, scarcely recognized and more
rarely observed by the great bodies of Chris
tians in this section, outside of the two above
spoken of,now has the sanction and recognition
of the civil law, and the denominations which
decline to acknowledge it as special religious
occasion, use it as prominent social festive
holiday. Easter, with its holy memories, Is
speedily coming forward to take its place be-
side this as day to be equally honored and
observed by the Christian world. And there
is an increasing respect for the Lenten season
by the non-Episcopal denominations. Our
Governor, in his proclamation for the Annual
Fast-Day, it will be observed, gracefully and
properly refers to this season, reminded of
Him who bore our griefs and carried our sor-
rows"
We notice that the New York papers have
lately made an effort towards securing more
general observance of Good Friday than here.
tofore. In England it has been observed from
time immemorial as a holiday, and as we be-
come more closely conn ected, socially and
commercially, with the mother country, the
value Of the tme-honored religious seasons
which the English church has retained and
preserved through so many centuries will be
priced the more highly. We do not propose
to discuss this question; but none will deny
we think, that it is well for US to subordinate
the concerns of the world to the interest OF
eternal life, and TO pluck at least one week
from the year to share in the sufferings oil
Christ for us men and our salvation"