The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1877-04-29
GOOD FRIDAYIN CIVILIZED, CHRISTIAN
ENGLAND.
IN. Y. World [

r ENGLAND.
, N. 2. World
4 The London journals devote considerable
space to the descriptions of the doines OF
| cockney dom on Good Friday. At the
, Crystal Palace 25 900 people were present
and from morn TIL eve there was constant
repetition OF first class facred music. Music
was not the only art that contributed to
the pleasure of the day. An important
attraction was the new collection of pic
lures, which was opened to the public for
Gne hrst tine yesterday. The gallery was
nightly popular. There are in it upwards
OF twelve hundred oil paintings and water
S"iors by British and foreign painters
Considerable sentimental criticism was
evoked by one of these. 1t is called "The
Last Sacrifice the sacrifice being that { f
young girl WHO is parting with her luxu-
rant hair to relieve the poverty of her
household The money he'd up to her
eyes oy the delighted purchaser, who lie
| evidently trying to cheer the maiden, has
no power to relieve her of her sadness and
the popular voice, as represented by the
sympathetic young lady home from school
or the uneophisticated country cousia,
warmly condemned the Gold bag who in
the picture dares to clip the girls hair.
On Hampstead Heath which is popular
resort of those who cannot afford ;" gate
money" place of Amusement, there were
enormous crowde, described as being order
" and we'll behaved. Commencing at the
END OF the East Heath road, and stretching
away over tne vale OF Health, was long
line of booths and stalls for the sale Of
those edibles and toys which are peculiarly
dear to the holiday public of the lower
order. Largely mixed with these were the
establishments for the carrying on of camea
OF skill and hazard and for the exhibition
OF that class of entertainments that USUALLY |
distinguish country fair. The unwhole |
me-iooking men who break stones on |
tnelr foreheads aud who emu late the fe ia
OF the Davenport Brothers found large
AUDIENCES, who rewarded the performers
with plentiful showers of copper money
bands OF negro comedians, attended by |
nondescrlpt following of spectators, shoot |
ing galleries, Aunt Saliies, long SUFFERING
eHSles which stood throughout the day To
% punched in the chest by amateur a.h
ie'es' anu hundred other means whereby
one might exhibit his proves and sprrS
his money. CocOanuts abounded evarv.
"here, and 80 did damaged oranges and
s'a'e mute, while of gingerbread aud sweet
meats tGere was enough to Ii ave satisfied a
most. Among those who appealed to the
passer 10y for attention was All open air
preacher, who preached all the afternoon
10 an ever-changipg congregation. Int
whose mlnistrations were carried on under
tne dlthcultles arising frum the drum and
pipes of an adjacent Panch and JUDY
show. The Hampstead Heath donkevs
OF tender age, al d for those of more amhi-
Ilous minds there were string of nags of
sorry appearance, but of surprising e1dn
rance. Tho only grumblers appeared tn
20 The vendors of ecent squirts, "ladfes,
t0rmentors" and other nuisances. wboea
trade lang uished under the rivalry of other
and more rational amusement.
commenting upon these facts; the LON
don CmirerSe Gays:
rood Friday in En-
TO say, anything but a day Of mUnrninSy
instead OF mourning England puts on robes
Oh Joy' Puo!lc companies advertise, in
s19uy pr0fusion, their cheap trips, whilst
individuals cater for pleasure parties, Bv
t'a ooats ana rail the world goes out
pleasure are crowded TO excess. The
national vice. of intemperance runs rint
h'ch AT poor alike seem bent on makjno |
Good Friday the blacklist day throughout
Ine year. In word, Good Friday is Eng
ranu sat9rnalla. And, despite all this,
we are told that England is a Christian I
lar Armed with the Bible-at least so
Z grand boaste-in which the history of the
uay Is set forth in the most plautive and
sorroWtul language, one would exnect
1000 friday to present an aspect of 81 !
ent grief. One would naturally concInda c
mat biblical readers would crowd ar Z
and there offer some atonement
u commemoration of the greatest sacrifice o
'uSC Hod could make for man. Bot the
'plrit OF England's Christianity is misdio N
eCnea and sadly misguided. No amount OF
u blole reading or psalm singing can nal .
iate or atone for the shameless and heath c
like manner in which protesting Chris. F
lahs observe Good Friday. Led on nv tho "a
otce OF example, we are afraid that too in
many OF our Catholic people are particina. IN
ors In England's saturnalia nj
ReVniar |