Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1888-04-01
EASTERTIDE
Origin and History Of the Great Christian
Festival.
It's ROMAHCES And LEGENDS.
Something of the Customs in Different
Countries.
EOsTRE, The GODDESS OF SPRING.

To-day ia Easter. Accepted as the ami
verssry Of the browning event in the career
upon earth of the Son of God, the great
Third Day when the Crucifed arose from
the dead, and the watching angels within
the sepulcher gave forth the glad tidinks,
HE is risen;'' revered as q festival co equal
with Christmsstide, marking, as it discs,
the date Of the Sivior's second birth into
the redeemed world, Easter Day yet re-
mains, as it has ever been during the nine
teen centuries which have rolled by siace
the days of the Holy Nazarene, a day chief
among the festivals Of the Christian
Church.
Yet is it = day far older than Christian
ity, the periods Of its observance as an an
nual festival extending back through
ancient Jewish and Roman civilization TO
a time when the coming Of the Messiah
had as yet not even been foretold in
prophecy, and from the remotest days the
season, known by whatever name, has ever
been the occasion of that same general
kindliness and good feeling which distin-
guish it to-day.
SIRE, H GODDESS OF SPRING.
Coming down to times more modern by
comparison we find Easter, the world
itsslf-in Auglo Saxon known as Edstrc, or
EOSter: in German OStern to be o survival
from the old Teutonic mythology, and &C.
cordiug to the historian Bsde, finding It's
Anglo Saxon Goddess of Spring, Eostre OF
Ostara, 10 whom the fourth month Of the
year, otherwise April, was dedicated under
the name Of Eostur-monath.
This fair and radiant deity was wcr-
shipped Of old with n veneration which
had in it nothing of solemuity or gloomy
awe, but the date of her annual return to
earth, bearing the abundant gifts with
which she showersd her loving worship'
ers, was held rs q season OF light, hearted
and general JOY, upon which nothing Of
sorrow might intrude.
Before the bslmy breath Of the goddess
the mist OF winter faded away; beneath
the radiance Of her glistening wings the
snow aud ice melted from the earth; where
her silvery feet rested. flowers sprang with
fragrant life; beneath the brightness of her
smile the hearts Of the young turned long
ipgly each to each, and lovers tales were
told and tender vows exchanged; all things
grew bright with the joy and happiness OF
the present, and the promise OF the full
fruition of summer and the gsrnerei riches
OF autumn. The icy letters of winter had
been broken once again, hardship and pri-
walton for the time were no more known,
and everything Of good followed in the
path Of this bright harbinger Of happiness.
THE JEWISH EASTER.
Among the Roman nations the names by
which Easter is designated - pdgue in
French, paScud in italian and pdsqud in
Spanish-are all derived from the Latin
paScha and the Greek pdscha, from q yet
more ancient and Chaldaic or Aramean
word, signifying the Hebrew festival Of the
Passover, pdS0eh, which commemorated the
time when the destroying angel passed
over the houses of the Children OF Israel in
Egypt" while shifting the first born Of the
Egyptians.
That the festival had no necessary con-
nectIon with Christianity "a a religion is
sufficiently attested by the entire absence
OF any mention Of the fact in the New Tes-
lament Or the writings of the apostolic
fathers.
The apostles" writes The ecclesiastical
historian, Socrates, "had 10 thought OF ap-
pointing festival days, but of promoting a
life OF blsmelessness and piety;' apd the
introduction of the festival into the
Christian church he attributes, doubtless
justly, to tue simple perpetuation Of an
usage, lust as any other customs have
been established
1t seems, indeed, only natural that the
first Christians, all intimately connected
with the Jewish church, should have con-
tinued TO observe their old time festival of
the Passover, though in a new spirit,
Christ becoming, in the lew light which
had been admitted to their minds, the
true Paschal lamb, the first fruits from
the dead.
Continued on Second Page.