, 1875-03-28
EASTER-SUNDAY.

close of the penitential season OF Lent, WAS well
coined with much rejoicing. When tho sway OF
the Church made itself felt more generally than
now, when the edicts Of Pope, Bishop. and
Priest, regulated the actions aad Affairs Of life,
and presumed to give or withhold permission to
cat drink, OF be merry, and men, like children,
meeklY permitted these ceusors to take from
them their pleasures for season, what wonder
that they rejoiced to feel themselves free from
their shackles again, and found q child's delight
in wild and riotous observauces? TIE, who have
now generally outgrown the idea that any special
obseEyauces OF devotion or self-denil are in
cumbeut upon ua in Lent, are less inclined. to
mark ita departure with enY unusual demon
strntions-
The derivation Of the name Easter is somewhat
uncertain. It is often derived from the name Of
Saxon goddess. Eostra, who presided over the
Bpripg-time and opening buds and flowers, and
whose festival was observed about this time.
Others derive it from the same root that gives
Us the word East, q Saxon word Oeter, that
means rising. Thus the resurrection that it
Nature at this time from her long winters sleep,
would seem to be expressed in it's name.
This day marks one Of the threo great fessts
Esster, and Whitsuntide. From the earliest
timea in the history Of the Church it hiss been
observed as the queen Of festivals, with solemn
pomp, praise, and rejoicing. The erent thnt the
day commenorated WAS kteadfastly kept in mind,
songs of joy repeated 1t, and forms and ceTe-
monies sYmbolized it while yet its memory WAS
flesh in the world. and unbelief had not built it
self temple upon the foundation Of forge:ful-
ness. The early Christians Wcre wont to greet
}hortv vtrh ha
to which reply Was given "He is risen in
deed, and hath appeared unto Simon" In the
Russian and Greek Churches that custom is still
relgiously observed.
ia the movable feast, on Which all the others de-
peod. It gives place and name in the church
calendar to the nine Sundays before 1t and the
eight following, and when tt is fixed al the other
movable fea1ts and fasts fall into plaza immedl-
atel7. In early times the Eastern &nd Western
churches could not agree upon the suitable tune
On which Easter should fail The Eastern
Church, following tue example OF st. Philip and
St. John, observed it On the third day
of the 18th OF Nissan, whatever day Of the week
it might be, the date OF The Jews
f1ion- Tho Western Church, on the contrary,
observed it on the first day OF the week lmne-
diatelY following the full moon OF Nissan. taking
no heed of the date Of the Passover, Tor the
double PURPOSE OF celebrating the Lords 1esur-
selves from the Jews. From this difference
most intensely bitter controversy arose. The
Bahop of Rome endeavored, though without
SUCCESS, to compel the Asiasio Churches to alter
their custom, aud for more than two centuries
tha Quarrel raeed until. in the time Of Con-
ntautlno, contention was quelled BY canon
passed By the Council Of Nico, which fixed Easter
IN the first Sunday after the full moon which
falls upon or after the ve:na equinox, OF the 21st
CT March. Thus controversy WAS t:alned for
several centuries, bu. later, o"lnR TO dinesence
in the calendars, there arose quite ner1ous dis
agreement between the Church at Rome and the
Church in Great Britain with regard 70 this same
matter, which Uas not settled until the calen-
dars Tera made uniform
During tho Middle Ages, Easter came to par
talo Of tho nature OF q great feaat-daJ simply.
It was observed with banquekings and 11oange,
and the miracle plays camo to be very i'm
portant feature in their ceremonies. ChHsts
trial death. and resurrection Were dranatlZed IN
acted by ribad testers, who had as little con-
ception Of the eacrlegiousueas Of their actions
sn the ignorant ho1des who looked on
With childish delight. The student OF
human nature is Impressed By no CHARACTERISTIC
Of the partially developed man more than BY his
in,enge realism. He can be reached culy through
his bodily senses, and tha religion that can he
mt into genuine forms that 1e can sce, touch,
and handle, be best appreciates. It is we'll TO-
remember that these miracle plays we're per
formed for the mas8ee 00I3. 4Ao all.1H puttAou
Of Christians nho we're really cultured always
objected to them
/ cur1ou. supezsition prevailed IN Cantral
and Southern Europe during the fifteenth and
gixteeuth ceuturies, VIZ: that meat eaten on
Eas.er-;unday always produced fever: More
thau 0ue Council Of the Church protested against
th1s absurd idea before it could be overcome. In
Fn1land, however, it became q national custom
tn at A CANNON OF bacon on that day a. dl-
rect protest against their dotested enemies, the
Jewa. L quaint legend, too, has long been cur
rent among the common people, especially in
Ireland, to-wit: tLat the sun dances Tor JOY
upon his rising On Easter-morn- Our Htber-
man eerving-maids have long made US familiar
gith this superstition, but We are yet surprised
to know that nnsiquarians Have extended to
such m absu1dity not only 80 much re-
apcct As to investigate its origin, but
to discIaim rs truth. 8ir Thomas
Browne, one Of the most learned and delightful
authors of tho seventeenth century, in his quaint
and charming cyclopedlA Of Old supers,itions,
. Pseudodoxia Epidenica," grAvely ssaorts that
the belief that the sun dancos on Easter NOM
inF has no foundation in fact. frequently
o{fered explanation Of the idea eccredits it to
liz Ignorance of Home half-witted observers OF
ancient times, who happened to see tho redec~
tion Of tla sun dancing in the water Of some
pool, md thereupon lsaped to the concludon