Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-03-05
THE FORTY DAYS FAST.
The Lenten Penitence and its OBJ
servance.
What the Season Commentaries to
the Christian WorId...how It Is
Kept Spiritually and Bodily.

eAoA AoosAaS oHo paw ho oSooSA W
ginning tomorrow and in commenoration
Of the Savio,'s forty days fast in the
wilderness. is the most solemn IN the
Catholic. Episcopal, Greek and Lutheran
churches. including as it does the last
forty sorrowful days of the life of our
Lord Jesus Christ. The season ends with
Passion week. the first day of which ia
Palm Sunday. when He entered Jerusa-
lem with the multitude finging palm
branches in His path and singing hosan
mas In His name, the same tickle and
cruel multitude that Eve days later were
clamoring for His blood in the judgment
hall of Pontius PLATE. with the fearful
CRY of Cruelty Him, Cruelty Him" Spy
Wednesday. which follows after. is so
framed from the activity displayed by
the agents of the high priest and others
in authority to find something on which
they could base criminal charge.
On Holy Thursday. Christ endured His
mental agony in the ever memoir
able garden of Gethsemane 1t was
there the disciples unknowing the
tremendous events that were to transpire,
slept while their master suffered in silence
and sweat drops of blood as He prayed
His Heavenly Father that the bitter cup
might pass from him. On Good Friday
He was cruci1ed. On Easter Saturday
He slept in the sepulcher prepared by
pious hands. and on Easter Sunday His
| resurrection was announced to Mary by
the Angel of God. 1t is fitting that these
great events. the greatest in the history
of mankind, should be duly observed by
the christian world The festival of
Easter is what Is called movable one
1t is regulated entirely by the course of
the moon. The festival is always placed
/ after the first full moon following the
vernal equinox and has therefore a range
of twenty-eight days, the period of the
lunar month. This year the season is
nearly or quite as late in the year as 1t is
possible to be. following as 1t does the
full moon of April Is. Easter occurring
on the following Sunday. April 81.
Rev. r. F. Sweet. rector of Trinity
parish, has issued the following Lenten
letter to his parish:
The season of Lent again calls us tc
self denying discipline.
| Tho 20
not its sacred duties be summed up ir
two words--discipline and devotion
| Would it not be well II all eagerly EN-,
braced the yearly recurring opportunity
of learning these secrets of a holy life
If the self denying discipline Of Lent has
been ungrudgingly adopted. would moi
the experience gained prove to be great
blessing to those whom changed circum-
stances may compel to accept frugality al
the constant rule of lifef
Lenten experience in plain living has
also bearing upon personal health. The
health may be benefited largely by such
experience. Unbroken righteousness Of
diet often induces bodily state border.
ing on Ill health, if not bodily derange.
ment that destroys all the comfort OF
life, and leads to premature death. Sim
pliCity of living, such as Lent gives i'll
sanction to. will often help on a rsstora
ton to health 30 thorough as to brins
with it feeling Of surprise that such
beneficent result can be 30 easily secured
As to specific forms of abstinence, it IL
difficult to give rules. 1t may be irksomt
to abstain, but it must be selfdenyine
effort, abstinence from wonted indul.
gences. We must gain control of the
body, and this is impossible without self.
denial-obedience TO a rule Of life
Such strictness is of great benefi
to the soul as we'll as the body.
leads not only to improved bodily health
but also TO increased mental vigor
Lent, as it yearly recurs. provides ben
eflcent opportunity to all who symbolic
by their adoption of some form of alb
stinence, their willingness to be obedien
to the higher influences OF the church, Ii
her services and sacred duties and hol,
sRcraments.
The church, by the sacred season o.
Lent, guides her children into higher
paths of spirituality. 1t is part of heI
divine mission to the world to uplift fol-
universal recognition the idea OF Lenten
abstinence, not as mere will-worship, bu
as the way of higher, purer life. Give
by some self sacrifice, at least a portion
of your time and means to the church, a!
you humbly profess to follow In the foot
steps of Him who loved the church anc
gave Himself fer it," Do not let these
weeks of prayer pass without resolution
and effort, laying hold of the means OF
grace, for higher and nobler life. Us.
all the means. Have definite plan ant
carry it out. Come to all the services Of
the church.
These forty DAYS we'll spent In fidelity
to our Lord. to His church, and to one
another. will make a change in many 6
home, many a soul, for which there has
been great need and long waiting. The
Easter JOY will be deepened by the CON-
partnership of many souls who are now
unconscious of the love of Him who
waiteth to be graciousl May it be deeper
in your hearts than you have ever felt il
before. All this is real Lent will give
you. Make 1t real.
Regulations for the observance of Lent
| in the Catholic church are:
| /. Ash Wednesday falls on the 9th of
March.
| 2. All the days of Lent are fasting ex.
cept the Sundays.
3. All persons who have completed
their twenty first year, unless legitimately
dispensed, are obliged TO keep the fast
Custom allows a cup of coffee, tea or
chocolate. with small piece Of bread, 10
be taken in the morning. In the even
ing collation. not exceeding the fourth
part part of an ordinary meal is allowed.
4. By dispensation the use of fresh
meat is allowed at the principal meal on
Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sat-
urdays, except the Saturday in Ember
week and the Thursday and Saturday in