The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1890-02-22

Will answer as we'll .Ahu ~ ~ -. ="
ra nged, and the girls are TO have their
ball, and prudery is appeased by a
score or two appearing In swell tights
and whatever else fancy may Suggest
in the line of bifurcate dudish integu-
ments. Modestly restrain your imagl-
ton from picturlng the spectacle!
The Lenten Season.
On the observance of Lent, Rev. Il.
Keating. pastor of st. Columbus
church, has received the following
circular from Bishop Spalding:
"REy. AND DEAR SIR:-The FOL
lowing are the Lenten regulations for
this diocese:
list An the days Of Lent, Sundays
excepted, are fasting days. ,
(2ndl An those who have completed
their twenty-first year are, unless law
fully excused, obliged to fast during
Lent. Custom has introduced the
habit of taking cup OF coffee or Tea
with a small piece OF bread In the
morning: and in the evening "A COLA
tion. or the fourth part Of an ordinary
meal, Is allowed.
l3rd BY dispensation, ilesh-meat
may he used at the principal meal on
Mondays, Tuesdays. Thursdays ana
Saturdays, except the Saturday IN
Ember Week, and the Saturday IN
Holy Week.
t4th) The use OF fish and flesh-meat
is not allowed at the same meal.
9th Those who are under twenty,
one years of age, or perform hard
work, or are unwell or convalescent, or
unable to fast without serious injury
to the health are exempted from the
fast. Those who are excused from
fasting, by reason OF age, or hard
work, or III health, may eat meat al
more than one meal on the days on
which its use is permitted. In case
of doubt the advice of the pastor
should be asked for.
(8) The time for fulfilling the Pas-
chat duty extends from the first Sun
day OF Lent to Trinity Sunday.
j. l.. SPALDING,
-.,.. Bishop of Peoria.
p. S.-Tbe annual collections for
the Negro and Indian Missions Will pc
taken up in each parish church on the
second Sunday Of Lent and on the
Sunday following"
ORIGIN Ole THE OBSERVANCE.
Irenaeus, Bishop Of Lyons during
the latter part OF the second century,
and one OF the most distinguished
ItheOlogians of the anti Nicene church,
mentions in his writings that the Gus
tum OF keeping a fast before Easter
Sunday was Old even In his DAY, DuG
that no uniformity OF observance had
up TO that time been established,
some thinking they ought to fast for
one day, Others for two days ana
Others for longer period. Tertnllian
gave it as his opinion that Christians
ought to commemorate by a religious
fast all the time during which the
bridegroom was taken away The
period of fasting was gradually eX--
tended, but without uniformity OF
practice. The diversity OF usage Gov
cred by a common name Is referred by
Socrates as a source Of perplexity TO
him. He tells us that In Rome the
custom was to fast three continuous
weeks before Easter Saturday, sun
day not being included; lllyria and
Greece and Alexandria, the period or
abstinence extended over six weeks
and I'm some places which he does not
specify. the custom was to begin the
fast seven weeks before Easter, but
actually to observe it at intervals only
for three periods Of five days each,
! Leo |. alludes to the fast OF forty
days as having apostolic authority. In
one of the homilies Of Gregory the
Great the precise number Is fixed, as
by Casslanlis, as thirty-six, but this
figure is obtained by reckoning from
the sixth Sunday before Easter ana
deducting Sundays only. In the
Corpus Juris Canonici" this passage
is reproduced, but with an important
change, which must have been made
before the eight century. 1t is that
in order to make up the sacred mum
Der of forty days dedicated to fasting
BY our Lord it is necessary to take IN
as fasts the four days proceeding
Quadragcsima Sunday.