The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1885-04-09

ferenceS OF celebrating the Easter were
styled, "The Paschal Controversies" In
Asia, before the fourth century,
the Christians celebrated on the
fourteenth of Nissan, or April,
perhaps March, though the greater num-
Der celebrated on particular day. In
the eighth century, believe, the time
that we celebrate was fixed. To find
this day you ascertain when the moon
is full, on or subsequent to the 21st of
March. If the moon Is full on the 21st
of March the following Sunday will be
Easter day; and if the full occurs on the
22d of March or some day thereafter,
then Easter is the next Sunday. So that
the earliest time that We can have Easter
is the 22d of March. aui the latest the
25th of April. But Tia. 22l of March Is
of rare occurrence. For Instance, Easter
fell on that day in the year 1918. but it
will not occur again until tllv year 1885
or for 467 years.
A noteworthy feature connected with
Easter was, that, in the Primitive church
the ecclesiastical year began with Easter
day, but now it begins with Advent.
And the first Sunday in Advent falls on
the Sunday next following the Both of
November.
We have many interesting and curious
customs which were in vogue during
the early centuries in connection with
Easter. According to one authority,
1.-The day was usheTed in by a vigil kept
up through the previous night in bril-.
liantly illuminated churches. The east.
ern church still keeps up the custom.
The profusion of light showed that the
darkness of sin is resolved-for, on the
Paschal vigil, lights are Iavished in
public and in private, till the night is
as bright as the day. There was SYM
bolic appropriateness in the display of
light, for it was the time of spiritual
illumination. In the fifth century there
was q midnight service at which the
salutation, THE Lord is risen indeed"
passed from mouth to mouth. Neo-
phYtes, IN sacramental garments, were
admitted to their first celebration. The
fragrance of flowers brought in from the
country to deck nave, chancel and altar
made the midnight service of the Pas
chal vigil time never to be forgot.
ten. The Tyrolese, too, keep it
with great ceremony. Bands Of
musicians marched through the valley
singing beautiful Easter hymns to the
accompaniment of their guitars, calling
out the people TO their doors, who join
them IN the choruses, and together re-
joice in the glad anniversary.
The following account Is given of the
modern Greeks by an eyewitness: A
small bier, prettily decked with orange
and citron buds, jasmine flowers and
boughs, placed in the church with a
Christ crucIfisd rudelY painted on 8
board for the body. We saw it in the
evening, and, before daYbresk, were sud-
denly awakened by the cracking of a
large bonfire, with singing and shouting
in honor of the resurrection. They
bread. With them so many and so great
celebrations of this MISUNDERSTANDING
too, which have been uniterruptedly
kept up tor upwards of fifteen centuries,
is it any wonder that we find ourselves
all alive and participating in the Easter
festivities and celebrationsP 1t is NO
wonder. The wonder would be were we
so Indifferent as TO seclude
ourselves from services SO truly in
keeping with the best and truest inter.
Protestants long kept sloof from Christ.
mas and Easter celebrations. But II
were madness to resist that which seems
as truly to demand recognition as the
human heart feels to respond to the good
and pure. SIust there not be some In
nate power Ia that which pertains tc
Christ, since Unitarians, UnIversalists
and the iron posterities OF the Puritans
vie to see who will most honor Jesus, the
once crucifed One.
Never before in the history of the
Christian church were the people SO AMI
mated, 80 laVlsh with homage, so gener.
of the Church as now. For from the
mammoth sheets of the great metropolI.
tan daIlies down to the smallest pubIica-
ton in our smallest, newest villages
much space is given to Easter descrip.
lions and its ornate, inspiring services
And no church seems to be either un.
willing or narrow in rendering praise
alteration and decorations to Joyfully
celebrate this queen of festivals.
The display of beautifully bound, illu.
minated and hand.painted books and
cards for the season Is astonishing. One
wonders how such quantities of matter
can find purchasers, some of which cost
ing $40 and upwards. Nothing that ART
and money can do is spared in setting
forth the glories Of Easter. Surely this
rejoicing, these decorations, this time OF
giving and receiving presents must have
their cause In other than earthly things
Indeed, we cannot fail to perceive that
God has endowed man with this great
gift of rejoicing in what is beautiful in
SAS0e oAN SO0AN oh6 AMoSiAatlOu
Then
"Pluck lilies rare and roses sweet,
And strew the path Of Jesus feet;
Throw fragrant palms before our King,
And wreath the crown the saved shall bring -
The singular but interesting customs
which cluster around this festival are SO
many that very much more space would
be needed.than We can afford even to
name them. Wewill, however, mention
one or two concerning the mystical egg
Eggs appear always to figure conspicu-
ouslY in Easter symbols, among Jews
as we'll as Gentiles. The Fins believed
that e mystic bird laid an egg which was
broken in the water, the lower portion
of the shell formed the earth, the upper
the sky, the liquid became the sun, the
yolk the moon, while the fragments of
shell were changed into stars. In an
Gent times others considered the egg
the symbol of the Ark. And the Hin
docs believe that their God, Brahma. in
q cycle OF ages enters into the egg with
the whole animated universe, and floats
like the Ark on the waters of eternity
till the time comes to produce himself.
And the Swedes also have curious super
stitions connected with Easter week