The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-04-11
Customs and Traditions of Easter.

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From Lippincott's Magazine for April
The celebration of Easter in the
United States is now an established
practice. New England was the last
section to adopt a festival upon which
settlers of Puritan Massachusetts, looked
with particular adherence. ALI this is
changed, and in a general way the cities
are setting the fashion to the country
with such heartiness as to indicate that
before long the festivities of Easter Sun
day will invade every village and every
hamlet throughout the coun-
try. Some of the States, like Virginia
and Louisiana, have always kept Easter
after a fashion, and so have certain de-
nominations, like the Catholics, the
Anglicans and the Lutherans. But
fifty years ago these denominations were
neither strong nor popular in this oun
try, and the influence of Virginia and
Louisiana, upon the manner of the
American people was not as great as it,
perhaps deserved to be. Nobody knows
why Easter has of late become popular;
but nobody regrets the fact, except pos
sibly a small group of Puritans, to whom
the founders of New England are a
model of conduct and belief.
1t is impossible to name the exact
I time when Easter began to commend it.
self to many people and many churches
that had looked upon the Christian fes-
tival as a Catholic or quasi Catholic err
ror. 1t appears that about twenty
years ago the Presbyterians began to
preach Easter sermons and to adorn
their churches with Easter flowers.
These churches seem to have followed
the example set to them by their sister
societies. 1t had oeen customary 20 SEM
bellish the sanctuary with flowers, and
the wal period made it natural for many
people to remember with special fervor
the Christian lesson of the resurrection.
The movement thus begun was aided by
the season ii which the older churches
celebrated the resurrection Of Christ,
while all nature proclaimed the revival
of Spring, its flowers and its hopes.
Even now, however, il is In the cities
rather than in the country that Easter
is most generally celebrated.
By a singular coincidence, polite
society and the churches have entered
upon q quiet agreement to make Easter
q marked day. When Lent begins So
ciety gives up dancing parties, and all
ladies', who choose, may rest from their
social labors. This period of compare
tive quiet ends on Easter day. On that
day the Spring season of society begins,
and young wome& appear for the first
time in their Spring bennets. Milliners,
caterers, dressmakers and flower dealers
understand this law of the social world,
and latterly the manufacturers and deal
ers in Easter cards have developed a
taste both novel and popular. Indeed,
American Easter cards have fairly out
stripped the English article; and the
American consumptions of these pretty
commodities exceeds that Of England.
I'm our churches Easter is marked by
a special abundance of pretty flowers, a
certain preference being apparently
| given to red and white. On no Sunday
is the attendance in our American
churches quite as general as on Easter.
The French have q phrase-faire ses
Pasques-do ones Easter duty-which
might almost apply to our young peo-
pie. very few Of whom fail to attend
some church at Easter, If Only to admire
the Howersdisplays, or to hear the music
which Is discoursed IN all well-appoint-
ed city churches. And where Easter Is
at all recognized in tlie pulpit, it is not
uncommon to find timely illusions to
the dead ofthe year. This remembrance
is natural, and may possibly give our
American Easter d certain memorial
character which il lacks in Europe.
For the present, however, the celebra-
ton Of Easter III America, its society and
It's churches, is somewhat tentative.
The day is honored the mode Of hon
orinQ It differs with the cssSSaazisnecs.