Daily Los Angeles herald., 1878-04-21
Easter Sunday.

In view of the general observ'
ance of Easter by the whole Christ.
Ian family, we reproduce the fol-
lowing data from Chambers's En-.
cyclop@dia: a
Easter, the festival of the resur.
rection of Jesus Christ, derives
probably its Teutonic name from
the festival of the goddess Ostara,
lin Anglo-Saxon Eastre) which the
Saxons Of old were wont to cele-
brate about the same season at
which the Christian festival OF
Easter occurs. In the ancient
church, the celebration of Easter
lasted eight days. After the Elev-
enth century, however, it was linn
tied to three, and In later times,
generally to two days. 1t was form
erly the favorite time for perform
ing the rite of baptism. The courts
of justice were closed, and aims
dispensed to the poor and needy,
who were even Toasted in the
churches-a custom which led to
much disorder. Slaves also re-
ceived their freedom at that season ;
and as the austerities of Lent were
over, the people gave themselves
up to enjoyment; hence the day
was called the Sunday of JOY"
70 the popular sports and dances
were added farcical exhibitions, in
which even the clergy Joined in
some places, reciting from the pull
pits stories and legends, with q
view to stir the hearers to laughter.
Against this indecency, the reform.
ers of the Sixteenth Century loudly
and successfully raised their voices.
During the whole week before
Easter-that is, in the interval be-
tween Palm Sunday and the Begin
ming of the Easter festival-daily
services were held. On Easter day !,
the people saluted each other with
the Easter kiss, and the exclama-
ton SuweTit (He has risen); to
which the reply was were surrerit
(He Is risen indeed). The chief
solemnity always consisted OF the
celebration of the LORDS Supper.
POPULAR oBsERvANCEs.
Many of the popular observances
connected with Easter are clearly
of pagan origin. The goddess Os-
tara or Eastre seems to have been
the personification of the morning
or east, and also of the opening
year or spring. The Anglo Saxon
name of April was Estermonath,
and it is still known in Germany
as Estermonath. The worship of
this being seems to have struck
deep root In Northern Germany,
and was brought into England by
the Saxons. It continued to he
celebrated in many parts in the
north of Germany down 10 the be-
ginning of the present century, by
the kindling of bonlires aud nu,
merous other rites. Like the Nav
observances of England, it was es-
pecially Ii festival of joy. With
her usual policy, the church ell
deavored to give Christian sig
nificance to such of the rites as
could not be rooted out; and in this
case the conversion was particu-
larry easy. Joy at the rising of the
natural sun, and at the awakening
of nature from the death of winter,
became joy at the rising of the Sun
of ELECTROMAGNETIC the resurrec-
ton of Christ from the grave. The
bonfires can be traced in the great
".paschal tapers," sometim es
weighing 800 pounds, with which
the churches We're lighted on East
or Eve. In the ancient church dis
bursements of st. Mary-at-Hill, in
the city of London, there is even
an entry "For quarter of coles for
the hallowed fire on Easter Eve,
6d.u
The most characteristic Easter
rite and the one most widely diff
fused is the use of Pasch G. Q. East
cry eggs. They are usually stained
of various colors with dye. woods or
herbs, and people mutually make
presents of them. Sometimes they
are kept as amulets, sometimes
eaten. Games are also played by
striking them against one another.
In some moorland parts of Scot
land it used to be the custom for
young people to go out early on
"Pasch Sunday" and search for
wild TO wis., eggs for breakfast, and
1t is thought lucky to find them.
There can be little doubt that the
use of eggs at this season was orig
inally symbolical of the revivifica.
ton of hature-the springing forth
of life in spring. The practice is
not confined to Christians; the
Jews used eggs in the feast of the
Passover, and we are told that the
Persians, when they keep the fes-
tival of the new solar year, in
March, mutually present each
other with colored eggs.
From the Christian point of view
this "Feast of Eggs" has been usu-
ally considered as emblematic of
the resurrection and of q future
life.
Notwithstanding the inclemency