The Leavenworth weekly times., 1878-03-21
LESSONS IN LENT.
The Observance of the Fast of Forty
Days Not Strictly Adhered to.
At Least, not Probably According to
the Rigid Letter of the Law.

Now that the winter is virtually past,
and the Lenten season fairly begun, the
natural presumption is that society's doors
will close, and the world of gayety and
merriment seek the secluded and sombre
repose which these holy DAYS offer. But,
sIngularly enough, there seems to be very
prevalent disposition to cling to the old
pleasures and assemble at
THE HAUSTs OF FEsTIvrrY
frequented so often during the past winter.
| 1t may be the nature, but not the disposi-
| tion or the inclination, OF the average cili-
zen OF this goodly metropolis TO clothe him.
self in sack-clOlh and ashes, and wear the
cast-down looks and tread in the severe and
narrow path o: the Puritan. Whether this
is the result OF an absence or an indiffer-
ence to fatigue, or an actual disregard for
| The season, is a query which very naturally
presents itself, and which is probably not
the easiest problem in the world 10 answer.
The observance OF Lent in this city 50 fa-
has
NOT BEEN so PAINFULLY APPARENT
as perhaps it ought. Its not to bepresumed
that during this season weare TO shut our
selves up In our houses and not permit the
spring breezes to fan our faces. There is
plenty Of time to enjoy life's pleasure with
out encroaching upon time set apart for
an observance which has such a peculiarly
interesting history. 1t isn't expected, by
any me ans, that those who are now
prolonging the gay season, will at once Cease
all pleasures and retire 10 the required Sc
clusion. Ii il were expected it wouldn't he
Il 'ha LII t,,i,a of
West and North do no, feel like dropping
everything at once and
GOING FROM GAY To GRAVE
too quick. The change would be apt TO
prove hurlful. But throughout the South
the season is observed most religiously by
nearly all who profess the occupancy of
place In society, and it may be that as the
metropolis OF Kansas, grows older and
more sedate, a strict adherence to the es-
tablished rules of the Lenten season may be-
come prevalent. However, but few weeks
now intervene between the present and the
he eited term, which will most etfectually
terminate indoor pleasures; and the sins
Of those now making merry will not be so
great as to be unpardonable at the COM
mencement of next season. Society is now,
however, be ii said,
ALEAST SATISFACTORILY
in state of fast Not a fast stale, but
growing economical for the temporary
time being The Catholic Church tells her
members plsinly what they must not eat,
and when they may partake OF the diet
which is allowed them, but the Protestant
Episcopal Church is less explicit. This
church gives no particular commands, and
simply eSor;s all COMMITMENTS to fast,
leaving TO the conscience of each individual
the direction and the degree. The theory |
is, that what is sell-denial for one person, |
is not self-denial for another, and that a |
real fast consisting not in any uniform alb |
stinence from one thug "r another, but in |
self-denial, the whole matter must there
fore be left to the individual conscience |
We don't mean to say, by any means, that |
there are none who have so far observed /
Lent We only say there are a great many |
who have not, which will, however, not, at
least We hope, bar the more careless of us
out from all chances of redemption.