Omaha daily bee., 1891-02-08
FAST In THE WILDERNESS.
Its Annual Commemoration Will Be It.
augurated the Present Week.
LENT AS OBSERVED BYyARloUs CHURCHES
The Methodist Hospital Project and
the General Conference-work
for the MIssion-News OF
Local Churches.

The forty days season of fasting and
prayer known as the "Lenten Season. be-
gins this year on February H. which is next
Wednesday
This event was originally time when
Christians abstained from eating anything
but the very painest of food and gave up to
great degree all secular and social pleas
ures and occupations. The time was called
Lent" it is SAID, because the days begin to
lengthen and because the ancient Greeks
lived through that season principally upon
the .entil plant Modern society has very
much modified the formerly strict rules for the
observance of the lenten season. 1t Is in
tended, OF course, TO commemo-
rate the forty days fasting of the
Lord in the wilderness and is
made time of special sorrow for sins COM
mitted and of fervent and sincere supplica-
tion to God for simplicity and purity Of
heart. Many of the evangelical churches
have ceased to observe Lent in the manner of
ITS early observance and Others simply make
it season of partial relaxation from the
luxurious and fashionable enjoyments of
the age. There are great many people, how
ever, in the churches which hold on to the
observance OF Lent as part of their creed
who spend much of the time during these
forty days in quiet meditation and prayer
and in self inspection, seeking earnestly
and honestly to free themselves from
the natural sinfulness of the flesh aud
acquire more of the pure and unselfsh mo
tiveS that characterized the life and labor Of
the meek and lowly Nazarene, who prepared
himself for the trying scenes of his eveptful
life by forty days fast in the wilderness
The call sent out by the Episcopal church
Tor It's members to prepare Tor the lenten
season contains the following as its more
prominent iniunctions: again our mother
| church sends forth the lenten call for her
children to fast In regard to sensual gratifica-
| tions, worldliness 10 every form and all
| earthly pleasures. She calls you away from
| these to feast of spiritual things to solemn
| thoughts of repentance, TO more fervent
| faith in our suffering Saviour, to more fire.
| quent and earnest use Of the means of grace,
| to closer walk with God in Christ, to a re-
newing of the Holy Ghost.
| "Seek to understand yourself Set apart
| some period of each day for the resolute scru-
| tinty Of your own character Trace your
| motives to their source. Test yourself by
| Christs teaching. Take his precepts one
| after another in turn, and ascertain to what
| extent you are living them out. Lent is a
| time to search not for the mote but for the
| beam
"Alms-g giving is linked with fasting and
| prayer by our blessed Lord. Lent is time
| OF special self denial and gives, therefore in
| creased means for the exercise of aims CIV.
ing. Paying our debts, providing for our
| own necessities, whether spiritual or physi.
cal, expendng money for our comfort
| Wneuncr at nome or IN church; none OF these
| things are giving of aims. Remember this
| Lent the poor and the needy with larger gifts
| for the Masters sake, and he will repay YOU
| with richer gifts of grace"
| Bishop Patricks lays down the following
| rules for Lent:
Let every one of us lay aside on this Lent
our fine clothes, and let us retire ourselves as
| much as possible, making no visits, nor will
ingly receiving any, if nothing but civllity
| oblige us to it,
Let the time be spent in this retirement
In reading and prayer; in examining our con
sciences, and bewailing our offences in tax
ing view of the miserable state of mankind
| and imploring the Divine mercy towards
| them, in laying to heart the sutfcrings o1
many OF our Christian brethren, and such like
| exercises.
Let the rich, especially those who live de-
| lclously, deny their appettes, keep slen
der table, and punish their excesses with
harder fare.
Drink no wine nor strong liquors without
necessity: make no feasts nor accept of in
vitatiOns to them.
Give aims literally, and frequent the pub
| lie prayers; forbear music and dancing, anC
such like pleasures.
"tinally, let there be a general abstinence
from all manner of recreatlons, unless thu
preservation of health make them necessary
and then use them privately. Leave the
playhouse quite empty, and make the
churches full; go to no public shows no.
meetings, but spend the time when you com,
from church, in setting things right at home.