Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-02-14

persons u both sexes has become nm
extensive one. The manufacture Of
what are now called "valcntines,' Is a
gigantic industry, and Il Ia little won.
der the l'ostman who groans aud sweats
under weary load Of doggeroi verses
Is likely to lose his temper. The prac.
tlcc Is, however, avery old one, mud a
very popular one, aud II looks ~ IL 1t
would moi Loss It's popularity.
Pcpys, that famous Engllshman who
kept sary away back In tho old days
OF The stuart', makes mention OF this
custom aud says II was not confined To
unmarried persons Of both hexcs, but
It prevailed among the British mairons
u the time.
Further back sim the Observance OF
the day was an established Institution
In The British Islands anl In Western
Europe. On the eve Of the ii.h Of
February, the maids aud bachelors Of
village would assemble and in-cribe
NAMES or marks Of Identification on
little billcts, aud then throw them Into
au urn, and grand drawing would
follow. or course tho bachelor would
draw u maid ur vicc.vorss. The person
drawn Ia this manner becomes the
valentine Of tho drawer. The custom
Il connected with the name Of -. Val.
entine, n martyr Of the early Christian
Church, but In what way no writer has
clearly shown. The Saint, however,
Is as, ciaIed with the love making Of
the day.
Classical historians connect this Gus
tom with the buporcalln u the Roman
pagaga. Luporcus was the god "
fertility, aud about the middle Of Feb.
ruary the religious obscrvances In bis
hopor took place.
The place whore these rites were
performed as called the Lupcrcal,
and was situated on the Palatine hill
Of ancient Rome. An image of
tho god covered with goat
skin, graccd tho place. Some Of
tho ceremonies consisted Of aacrl1 cling
gUula aud dogs. The priests were
called Luperci, and they cut the sklus
Of the goats into thongs, then went
about the streets lashing tho women
with these thongs. Tue women who
were thus stricken felt honored, be-
cause the striking meant. the inIcrlIily
Of offspring.
This ancient custom or religious OBJ
scrvancc Is said TO be- the source OF our
Nalcutlne's day. In the carly days Of /
the Church la Rome II was found I'm. !
possible TO wean the people from the old |
pagan rites. TheChristlans Il II thought, /
set upa statue TO ono Of their martyrs,
perhaps st. Valentine, In place OF the |
god Lupcrcus, aud n more sensible
method Of celebration was substituted
than that Of staying goats and dogs. Il |
certainly was au Improvement on the
old plan but II was not Christianity.
This fact furnishes 10 us additional
evidence that what Is called Christian.
Ivy IA largely I,oman aud Creek pagan.
Ism reconstructed for now environ.
ment. MoAt, II not all, the icasis,
festivals, aud sacred obsofyancos Of the
"Chriatians" Of tho fourth,
fifih and sixth centuries were
thus instituted. Even tito present
Christmas day wns Instituted and fixed
10 @ to conform to pagan opinion, and
TO substitute Christ for Jupiter.
Valentine sending would bo a harm
lcss custom u Il were not for the iusults
often offered under cover OF misslves
sent through the postotlice, aud tho
rowdyism indulged In by boys In tho
West who frequently 20 ~ far AZ TO
damage property by throwing rocks AT
the doors OF houses where they leave
their usually stupid valentines. All
this h perversion u tho timc.honorvd
custom aud should bv eliminated from
1t through the force Of public opinion
and efforts 10 raise the tone Of juvenile
sentiment. Education rather than
legal force Is needed In this direction,
though the arm Of tho law should be-
worked II there is no other power avail.
able for tho protection Of citizens aud
their property. Naleniine's day
ppmlsca 10 remain for many yean
marked IN onc OF the red.lctter days OF