Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1881-03-03

| inc tollOWlnB TeHaTks concerning tne
season upon which we have Just entered
are copied from the Altoona Tribune. The
penitential season of Lent began on We'd
nesday of this week. To many Il ia a
season of fasting and prayer, while TO all,
especially the gayer world, it is time for
much needed rest from social demands, such
as parties balls, entertainments, etc 1t
concludes with Saturday, the 10th Of April,
at which time the white robes Of Easter
rejoicing are brought forth. The setting
apart of forty days as season Of fasting
and special devotion has It's origin in SINH
lar seasons mentioned both In the Old
Testament and the New. Moses was on
Mount Sinai with the Almighty Tor forty
| days and nights. Elijah tasted forty days
and nights rs he went to Mount Horeb
When Jonah proclaimed to the Ninevites
that their city would be destroyed If they
| did not repent their term of grace was fixed
at forty days, during which time they
proclaimed fast and put on ssckcloth,
from the greatest to the least When
Jesus Christ went into the wilderness TO be
tempted by the devil, his term Of exile was
forty days and nights, during which time
he TASTED. BY the people Of the Old Tes-
tamen. fasting was observed as an accom-
paniment 10 prayer and other acts Of dcvo-
tion. There are intimations in the New
Testament that fasting, If devoutly prac-
ticedr would be acceptable to God. In the
early church there seems 70 have been a.
great diversity Of opinion about the duty
Of fasting as among modern Christians. In
the first century fasting was Joined with
prayer in connection with the rite Of bap-
tism. In the second century il became
customary 10 fast before Easter, not in
such protracted measure a. the Lenten
fast, but rather with series Of solemn
| services. These were principally on Fri
days, to commemorate the day Of tho cru
cih1ion. Al Alexandria Wednesdays and
Fridays were observed as fast days, com
memora,iye Of the betrayal Of our Lord on
Wednesday and his crucifIion on Friday
As regular DAYS Of fasting became more
and more fixed institutions the custom in
creased Of preparing by feasting on the
days preceding the fast. There IS high
authority for this In the account Of Elijah
and his fast. Before entering on his forty
days Of abstinence he ate a substantial
| repast and event In the strength Of that
meat forty days and forty nights unto
Horcb, the Mount Of God" In the times
Of the carly fathers, Chrysostom, Angus
tine and others, this fcasting was 80 greatly
in excess as to cause the oUppoken con-
dcmnation Of these Cody men But human
nature Is much the same In all generations
As fasting became more Of prescribed
duty preliminary fcasting grew in favor
In countries where the Lentcn fast il made
the most Of the carnivals which preccde it
are most eminently favored with jollity
and the consumption Of creature comforts.
The season Of Lent in it, forty.day con-
unuanee gradually became fixed custom,
both in the Eastern and the Western
churches. For long time fasting was
voluntary. By the Council Of Orleans in
81 it was made obligatory. The Eighth
Council Of Trent in the next century for.
bade the use Of meat during the fast before
Easter, and dccrced that those who ate II
during that time should 20 without II for
the rest Of the year. Various councils
from time 10 time took action A. o. the
details Of fasting. In the English Church
Lent was commanded by Ercombort, sew
enth King Of Kent, in the eighth century.
The Protestant Episcopal church Of this
country has closely followed the practices
Of the Church Of England as to Lent.
In all the churches which observe Lent the
Ash Wednesday services are partially
solemn and peniiential. There is general
abstinence from worldly business IL not
from food. In all the churches where
fasting prevails the rules Of abstinence
from food are now 50 modified that no
privation need be undergone so great as to
be dangerous TO health. The sick, the
feeble and the hard working are exempted
from fasting as il would be injurious to the
physical system. To thsiruly devout who
accept the duty Of fasting as help to
spiritual life and TO communion with God
1t would seem that there must be advan.
tage in 1t. The world suffers from glut-
tony and ovcrfesding far more than from
eating too little.
Among the officers recently elected to
preside over the affairs Of the borough Of
Philipsburg we're three gontlemon-w. T.
Balm, S. +. Lytle and L. c. Jones-who
we're chosen TO Gil the somewhat novel
position OF church trustees. When their