Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1885-04-03
EASTER.
Some Facts Worth Knowing about
this Most Ancient of Feasts.

tween the last of March and the last OF
April. 1t is regulated by the condition of
the moon, being always the first Sunday
after the full moon which happens upon
or next after the twenty-first day of March,
and II the full moon happens upon a
Sunday. Easter day Is the Sunday after.
There has been continual controversy in
regard to the proper time for the celebra-
ton Of Easter and as 1t is the most an
cient Of the movable feasts of the Chris
tian Church, 1t is also the most important,
as it determines all the rest. The dispute
arose between the eastern and western
churches, the former contending Easter to
be equivalent TO the Jewish Passover, and
that therefore it should be celebrated on
the fourteenth day Of the first Jewish
month or moon. The western churches
celebrated it on the Sunday after the four
tenth day, holding that it was the COM
memoration of the resurrection of Jesus
The Council of Nice determined in favor
of the western usage (325 A. d.; the de-
cision has since rested in that favor, the
principal object being now to prevent
Easter from falling on the same day as
the Jewish Passover. They did, however,
occur together in 1905 and in 1928, and will
do so again in the years 1903, 1923, 1927,
and 1881. This year, Easter. though
happening early, will seem consistently
cious. and the Sunday that Introduces
the inheritance of joy to the Christian, the
occasion OF feasting to t he faster, tn
signal of spring to the invalid. the oppor-
tunity of gain to the school-boy, the cue OF
change to dame Fashion, the hope Of sun
shine to Nature herself, promises to be a
faithful harbinger of all that is expected
Of it; The worship OF the Goddess Ostard
or Easter perSonifying the morning or
east, and also the opening year or spring,
seems to have been strictly observed in
northern Germany, whence it was brought
into England by the Saxons. The Anglo
Saxon name OF April was Estermonath,
and it is still known in Germany AZ Oster-
moDath. So 1t appears that many of the
popular observances connected with
Easter are OF Pagan origin; they only
grew into religious rites through the poi
icy Of the Church, and it was found a sim
pie matter to give a Christian sigrifi-
canoe to Joy at the rising of the natural
sun and at the awakening of nature from
the death of winter, since these sentiments
became synonymous with joy at the rising
of the Sun of Righteousness, at the re-
surrectiOn of Christ from the grave. The
kindling of bonfires at Easter Is an old
German custom; but the one most charac-
teristic and widely known Is the use of the
Easter eggs, used in many ways. They
are eaten, games are played with them,
presents of them are exchanged they are
made the foundation for aesthetic skill
from being colored with various dyes and
herbs, to being PARTED In artistic designs
and ornamented with silkep cords and
tassels, ribbons, and even mounted into
jewel receptacles, cabinet ornaments.
and boxes. of course when utilized in
this way thu meat of the egg is removed.
While 1t is hardly necessary to state,
these late devices are of modern origin !;
also tho imitation of eggs is Of q late date,
and hardly carries out the Christian idea,
as from their point Of view the feast of
eggs' was considered enblematic of the
resurrection and Of future life. In Scot
land years ago Easter morning early, was
the hour Of frolie for the young people
They would start at dawn of day in search
of wild-fowls eggs for breakfast, and the
number found was their evidence of luck
for that year at least. In Ireland they say
the sun dances on Easter morning, if you
only arise early enough to see it, but IL
recorded. In the Tyrol Easter is remem-
bered with every ceremony. Bands of
musicians traverse the mountains, sing
ing the Easter hymns to the accom-
natives wear Spanish hats, orna-
mentented. with .garlsnds. end
bouqets of flowers. Crowds of happy
children are amidst this motley gathering
and when the darkness of evening en-
velops them these little ones carry lighted
torches of pinewood and baskets of colored
eggs. Imagine how picturesque must be
the scene,-Swiss mountains, quaint COS
tunes, weird music and shadowy lights
The merriment generally finishes with u
repast of eggs and wine,. given 70 the
singers by the higher class of farmers in
payment for the joyous carols. In Ches-
are of no small Importance. The town it
self is SO old and withal so thriving q
piece of antiquity that most of the ancient
customs and games are kept mp. Such
curious pranks as they sometimes resorted
to seem to the prosaic people of these times
almost improbable. For instance, the Gus
tom of lifting" one, too, really in memory
of the Resurrection. A party of young
gallants would carry satin lined chair
through the streets, into which when the
opportunity occurred they seated fair
damsel. lifted her rs high in the air rs the
ability of the young men would allow, nor
was their precious burden released until
she donated a kiss TO each OF her tormen-
tors and paid fee besides. No rank could
save the individual from the chance of
lifting" nor was the privilege confined
to the male sex, for 1t Is said that King
Edward was Gifted by certain ladies,
and that he paid f400 for the honor. This
is only one OF the many singular customs
in vogue at Easter in Chester.
Eggs were used for all sorts of
games; even the clergy could
.zatf ha inc # h.,
and played ball with the eggs during
church service, dancing the while There
were professions with music all day long.
and the streets were q continuation of
banners, emblems. and crowds of noisy
worshippers Within late years fancy Eas-
ter cards have been almost as numerous and
varied as valentines on the 18th OF Feb
ruary. and some of them are extremely
beautiful; many are paitned III water
colors, others are from the firms of Prang,
Marcus Ward, DE La Rue, etc, and are
gotten up In unique designs. One
especially appropriate was in the shape of
large egg about ten inches in length,
colored. finely decorated, and containing
six leaves tied with delicate shades of
satin ribbon. Each leaf displayed Il verse
of poetry under six different headings,
Faith" Hope" CHARITY" Repent
ance," Forgiveness" and Peace. 4"
Another was a card simply but SO ex-
Quisitely tinted as to be almost an object
of art. The subject was a group OF ruddy-
faced cherubs supporting huge egg, the
whole being drawn BY arihban-reined lamb
Others there are OF dainty flowers, nestled
eggs, emblematic devices, all suggesting
some suitable sentiment in q well selected
verse. Others are merely egg
shaped boxes, covered with satin or silk
delicately painted; some also of solid
candy, wood or paste; but the greater
number of them are made to open and dis
play either q pleasing picture or u feast Of
sweets,