Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1883-02-16
I.I:NI.
something About its History.

LENT.
SOmcIhiu. About its History.
Lent is shortened form of Lcuctcn,
Anglo-SlXon turSpring. In Latin QUdd-
ragcSiu}u, from which were derived the
Italian, QHU6siHtu, old French, CurcSDic,
modern French, t0rCnlc, means the "for-
ty DAYS The observance of fast prior
TO the great yearly commcmoratiOn OF the
Resurrection of Christ is one of the most
ancient customs of the Church. In the
writings of lrcnpus, who was Iorn MS
early rs \. ID. 40. it is stated to have cx-
listed long before his time and Tertul-
lian, tifty-four years later, atlirms that
Christians derived it from the Apostles.
At the first the duration OF the fast APP
pears to have been limited to the period
Of time intervening between the Cruel
tixion and the resurrection This inter-
val was fixed hy tradition ut forty hours,
and was revercntly associated with our
Saviour's words, Tile days will come
when the Bridegroom shall be taken frum
them, and then shall they fast. st.
Matt, IN, II. Eu. IN course of time we
find this Limit variously extended in diff
ieicnt branches of the Church, but no.
where exceeding thirty-six fasting days,
until sometime between the sixth and
eigth centuries, when the addition Of Ash
Wednesday and the three other days
brought the number up to forty. This
limit was adopted, no doubt, ont Of re-
gard to the great tests of like duration,
Of Moses. Elijah and our Saviour, as re-
corded in the Scriptures Counting in
the Sundays, which aye always feast days,
makes iorty-six days in all between Ash
Wednesday and Easter.
Differences concerning the time when
Easter should be kept led to some seri-
ous troubles i'll the early centuries
These differences arose, drst from the
fact that =. some places the feast was
observed without regard to the day of
the week. on the third day after the feast
of the Passover, which came On the four
teenth day Of the first moon i'll the new
(Jewish wear while in others the proper
day was held to be the first Lords day
after this moon was full. And further
difference arose from the various cycles
in use for computing time, none of which
We're correct. The disputes over these
questions were partly put at rest by q
decree of the council Of Nice, A. ID. 325,
which ordered Easter 10 be kept on the
first Sunday Gftor the full moon which
happens upon, or next after, the ver.,al
equinox. tine DIST of March. But 1t was
long after this before anything like uni
formity WAS secured by the geUe,al a,lop
tion sf the 5al..c calendar A correction
made in our calendar in l5Sa, not having
been adopted by the Russian Church
brings our Easter now at different tint
omtheirs.
In keeping the fast, the custom was
in early times when bodily iniirmitie
did not Interfere to abstain entirely
from food throughout each day unit
evening, end then 10 partake moderate
iy OF plain fare. There was no exclusion
Of any particular kinds Of food, excep
suoi as were commonly regarded rs lux
uries. The foolish notion that absti
nence from flesh meat, and other simpl
and hcalthful articles Of diet was i'll ii
self fasting did not prevail, although
was by no meats unknown. A story
told oi Il bishop iii Cyprus that, strange
called upon him i'll Lent, and he, havin
nothing TO set before him but piece {
pork, ordered that to be prepared, Blu
the stranger refused to eat it, saying ths
he was Christian. The Dishop repliel
"For that very reason thou oughtest NJ
30 to refuse it; ior the word OF God hl
pronounced all things clean to them thi
are clean.
In the greater churches, and presume
bly,, also, in the lesser ones, they ha
special Services and sermons thruughol
the season. The Holy Communion WI
celebrated ON every Sabbath and Lord
day, that is, Saturday and Sunday, e
ceptiug the Sabbath after Good Frida
A canon OF the fourth century forba,
celebrations on any other days But
later tunes it became customary to col
memorate the institution Of the Lore
Supper on Thursday in Holy Week. u
modern confusing custom Of calling Il
Lords Day the Sabbath is much to
regretted Both were everywhere O
served as Holy Days in the primitl
Church, though the Sabbath does Il
appear to have been kept with the sal
strictness as the Lords Day was,
while we iiud many stringent rules &C
cerning the proper observance OF
latter, the want of similar provisio
for the former would seem to indies
that ordinary labors and diversions We
suspended u.ly for attendance at pub
worship, Ar anG.eni canon, which v
Fe-aiiirmed by the council OF Nice,
forth that, 'lf any clergyman be fou
fasting ON tie Lords D1s, or on a
Sabbath except one only (Which v
Easter Eyen) let him be deposed. A
if it be layman, let him be suspende,
A similar law decreed "If any Bish,
Fresbyter, Deacon, Reader, or SIM
shall not fast in the holy season of lie
or on Wednesdays and Fridays, let h
be deposed unless he be hindered
bodily weakness. And if it be a layn