Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-03-29
HOW IT MAY BE TOLD.
A simple Explanation of Why tho Eastes
Date Varies Annually.
fPetersburg Daily Index-AppcaLl

Petersburg Daily Index-Appcall
Hours OF unique amusement may 10
spent in tho great shopping centres IN these
DAYS noting the number OF times you VIII
oyerhear remarks something like these
Dear me. Easterin March, Why, Ishsn't
be half ready How can one wear :
spring hat in March, anyway? thought
Easter always came IN April" :,
People that fully understand the reif-
gious significance Of Easter know. ofcourse,
Something about the changefulness OF tho
date. but only a smaller percentage OF them
perhaps could satisfactorily explain the
matter. Ii you should ask ten intelligent
people how far the Easter date can vary,
the chances are that no one wouil De aple
to answer you correctly without nfst con-
sulting book of reference.
AxosTH's VARIANCE.
The fact is that tho date varies more
than month, though many years eiapse
between the widest variations. IL ~ possi:
bic for Faster to come rs early as tho "a
Of March. and il may como as late as the
18th of April. Five years ago, in 1856
Easter fell on the 25th Of April. but Il will
not again come SO late rs that until tho
Youngest reader OF these lines shall DO OLD
enough to be grandparent-in 1913.
The moons monthly journey around the
earth is the foundation OF the eccentric
Easter dates, Just as the earths annual ex-
cursion around the sun causes the trouble
that necessitatss leap-years..
Easter il simply q Christian aiaptation
OF the Jewish Passover. The word Easter
dates back further than the time OF the re-
ligiOus observations that nowicharscteri
il. The Anglo-Saxon name Of April was
Eastermonath, meaning the month OF the
spring morning, or the sun warmth. which
awakened nature from its winter torpiidity,
The early Christians adopted this idea Of
natures spring awakening TO typify the
resurrection OF the Saviour. just ~ the
Jews used II to commemorate tho events
connected with the escape Of thar people
from Egyptian bondage.
WHY THE CHANCE.
But the sntipathy of the Christian u.
ward the Jews In those early days led them
TO make an attempt TO have the Faster Oh.
servances always fall on dates other than
those that commemorated the Passover.
The system that we now have for fixing the
Easter date IL due to that attempt. Aftg
~ much thought and calculation - were
given TO the tinkering OF the calendar
complete plan was adopted, and here Is -
attempt to make 1t ineligible IN . few
words.
Il was determined, In the first place, thst
Easter must invariably fall on tbs. nrss
Sunday after the fourteenth day OF the
moon that happens 70 be reigning at vszral.
the date Of the equinox should DO srbttro.
rily made March 21st, Although the equino3
really comes sometimes httle earlier o. .
little later than tho 2lst. For example,
suppose the equinox.moon II lust fourteen
| days old on the 2ist of March and that The
| day falls on Saturday; then tho nexe ooy
lBunday) would I'll the condition noted
| above, and consequently be Faster.
Can xAsxLy occuA
OF course you can readily pRcsive ~
| 20 early an Easter date can very goro1v
| occur. The principle that eAuseo ~
wide range between equinox time ana ~
latter part Of April Is analogous 20 ~
which gives Is Ave SUNDAYS y ne pee1,9o
nsIlv 4 sort Of thsrksgiying obeeyva1oo
isstine eight days. This coafoemo3
somswhst 70 the levgth o. time dsvo1e1
| ~ peQans 70 their sprfnx festivities en1
| sDurocched tho duration Of The JeUi0k
| Pnscnal obsorvanceA The ei0ht-6ny
period was sfterwaTd c1t doyn 20 the6o
DAYS, after thai TO two. and AnaIly =
became, = ys have . nox. : day Co.
nsuo :n.sr s o sss ss'q rssx -
). le :sss 4 s s Is ss,',s AZ
| iona, and sinoe Ne tine fue M - 4
varics eli ths way fkoQ ~ eoontSo1l1 VI
storm 70 nearly uAy-deR = = - ~
thst e4?pgen ~ eanoysd ~ - e1olV -
~ Ia IN pssoHo.
euooklva 2i(a1 !. /. :
81 ! 8! :::;;s;;'||