The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1872-02-22
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FAcron PoMr yt, Fcb z6th, 1872
M. E1itols
"Wednesday Of last week was the first
day Of Lent WIZ you kindly allow me to
take up a portion Of your pace in simple /
explanation Of the name and purport Of 4
tile observance Of this season, dear to 4
many Christian people, highly priced by /
them as sacred time for Christian cul-
ture and discipline, and which isHot gen
orally understood aud consequently is /
subjected to much adverse observation /
and criticism. Lent is the name of the /
Spring fat observed in the Episcopal and
other churches alld takes its name from
the Saxon word signiHing Spring or the
time ofthe lengthening days. It com
manpes on Ash Wednesday, so called
/ from the ashes ns well as the saek-cloth
/ III which the first Christian penitents APP
peared when they wished again 70 be adj
mitied to the privileges Of the church
/ from which they had been shut out on ac-
count of theif sins, and closes at the Fes-
4 tiyal of Easter the time of our SaViour's
/ Resurrection. II embraces a period of
/ forty days exclusive Of the Sundays in it,
which are called Sundays IN but not Of
4 Lent, because Sundays as commemorating
4 Christs Resurrection are never observed
as fasts but always as festivals. The rea-
son Of its continuance for forty days is
supposed 10 be in commemoraton of our
/ Sayioul's temptation and fastings in the
wilderness and also, it is probable, that
4 the Christian Lent originated from re-
gard Of those words of the Redeemer
'"The days shall come when the Bride
groom shall be taken from them and they
shall fast in those days." and we learn
from history that primitive Christians
supposed that this passage of Christs al
luded to particular season of fasting and
prayer in His future church. Accordingly
in the first instance they began this sol
emn observance Oh the afternoon that
commemorates the Crucifxion and con-
tinued its observance until the morning
of that of the Resurrection, a period of
forty hours. By degrees this time, being
changed at yarions periods and places,
soon became fixed at forty days, and that
at an early day, for the observance Of a
Lent Of forty days eau be traced 70 a pc
Rod very near that Of the Apostles from
the writings OF the bishops Of those days,
who, III yndication Of It, refer TO the ex-
ample Of Moses, Elias, aud our Saviour
Himself, all Of whom tasted forty days.
The priv cipal days Of this season are
the first day, Ash Wednesday, aud the
= last week which is called Holy Week aud
Is considered ils mosi solemn season. On
i Thursday in this week IS eeiebratcd the
institution Of the Lords supper il being
on this dos that Christ frsi paFtooh Qf H.
and Oh the following day are commemor-
atcd the suacriugs and particularly the
death Of our Saviour Christ and from the
0 mighty aud blessed effects Of these In tho
redemption Of man the day {. nppropH'
alcIy called Good Friday, day kept holy
by the church from the earliest times and
observed with the strIctcst devotion and
humiliation.
Fasting as duty IS frequently alluded
10 10 The Bible. ltwas customary IN tic
church Of God long before the ntroduc-
! ton Of Christianity a may be cen IN the
old Tcgiamgnl ssdpturcs. Il was sane.
toned By the Sayiourau Ills apostles and
tbat Il wa. intended TO be continued IL
Tie future church can scarcely be ques
toned. lu tie Acts 0f The Apostles oc
ia anf several NOTICES oi hstings connected
4 with religious devotion. saint Paul rec
ognIzed I'll observance Ia Che CoriuthiaI
church and makes some observations fol
jis continuance From The days Of th,
Apostle. 3 lie present time fastings ol
absliuauec from food aud dc control 0
Tao body aud its appeuies las been 10
aspled as valuable auxiliary to peui
lehce aud godly living Ia the obseryanc'
u fasting the intelligent christian vii
D not reel iH llie outward act bat regard
- a. d valuable means 10 d good end, an'
tho great end u its observance i 10 efiec
lae soul and increase genuine conuiti0I
A 81 heart and gody sorrow Coz sln. Thi
bclag tie case absieinnee viii be AZ
proved of God add made conducive to
growth III spiritual ife
As evory season y tie natural year, 8
/, comes around, bnag, a. special dq
ties aud requires Of the hasbanaman
change 81 occupation, 70 the Chflsiia
ia year La se4s9u of preparation aud
season II jog, season gt self denial, au
= season q s5uow, season q trump