Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1892-04-12
ON sTyls-

Early In the last century ignorant
people Ia England imagined that they
had been robbed of q part of their lives.
''Giv- us back our eleven days" they
went shouting through the streets.
Protestant England had AZ last adopted
the revised calendar by which, for more
than a century, the Roman Catholic
world had measured time. The very
fact that the author ~ the reform wss
Pope of home hid get the fro,estants
sgainst u. They were driven Ia accept
u st last because, by the Gregoriin
calendar. the true astronomical year aud
the civil year were practically Identical.
To TIL. DAY, wherever the influence of
the Greek church prriomlnstes, a. In
Russia, Ser,is, Bulgaria aud Grcccr,
time .. still measured by the old Julian
calendar. last New Year. dav In New
York dawpcd twelve days earlier than
the New Years ~ ~. Petersburg. IN.
Julian calendar assumes that the length
20 the solar year !. JBs ~ days, while,
az q matter of fact. II !. eleven minute.
aud few second. lees. The result u,
that, while the difference between the
Julian and the Grcgorian cslendar.,
when the reform VA. adopted, "a. ten
days, II 4. now twelve days, ani frpm
800 To- 400 Inclusive Il will BE- thirteen
days.
The scientific men 10 Russia ~ og.
niyc the lmperfe'tIon. II their calendar,
and many II them desire 10 throw u
over ani conform IN futur, Ia the sy.-
TEN nov In vogue Ia most II the civilized
world. TIL. Important question Will b-
hrought before the meeting ~ the .cien-
tile .ocirtie. of l.u.sis, to b- hcld Ia
November next. u will b. the opening
sedge; ani, though u I. not AZ al
probable that ID. Urrgorlsn will b. sub
.tl,ute,i immediately for the Julian
calendar within the domain ~ the Grrrk
church, Il IL likely to pave the Way Tor
the reform that IA Inevitable sooner or
later.
Educated l,u..lsn. admit that their
calendar L. erOncous, bat they ask u
the Gr,gorian calendar !. perfect. They
admit that our measurement ~ the dnrt-
tIou II year !. nearer the truth than
that ~ the julian calendar. but. sllll
they ssy, error cxists. Why shOuld
they now rrjcct the Julian calcnthf,
when II !. possible that more con-
,,nlent method than the Grcgorian sys-
/ ten may IL il.co,.rcif And they .pe IL
10 our month. 20 unequal lengths, Of
| February, With n. = aud - days, aud
ak II Il !. not possible 10 remedy th"sc
| In, ou,enicucr..
The great difficulty In the way ~ In
PRODUCING the reformed c-lsndar doe.
not d.psni upon such CRITICISMS a.
these. The church stands Ia the Way.
| Her sacred day. aud festivals have &C.,
Cured for ccnturic. upon hNcl days,
/ designated In the julian calendar. The
chufrh hold. "a tradition. anil u Il N'ry
difficult Ia oScriuru her rOUt-d customs
l aud pt-judic... II va. easy enough Tor
/ the Catholic world, b-caus. th. Top"
ordered the change. The Car may De-
autocratIc; but the Russian people s,y
thsnsel,c. that there can - no die
/ crrp,ncy b-twccn their civil aud .crle-
| .lasticaI calendars, aud that there vi
IL NO reform until the church agree To
\ II.
The Or-ck church, however, has no
Pope Ur-gory Mil Ia pronounce In
favor ~ reforming the calendar, no cen
trail authority "a promulgatc IL. dlctum
\ aud exact Obedience. The church IN
each country l. practically autonomous.
None ~ the pstriarvhit.. would separate
\ frum IA. othsr. Ia the matter of the
/ G calendar, for none vould willingly Incur
the accusation 20 provoking .shi'm.
I Ia. common voice IL the church, Tor ~
sgain.t the proposed reform, could ~
heard only thrOugh an ecumenlcal coup-
/ ell: bat the Eastern church has not had
/ such a conSOc.tion for c-nturlc., aud nn
/ ..ntim.nt Ia favor 81 th. reform has vt
/ developed sufficient strength "a bring
together the head. ~ the church 10 cOn-
slider iis claims.
The course the advocate. 81 the Gre
gorian calendar In Russia are nov TAX
/ log seem. a. b. the only prsctlcsbl"
policy. They Intend 90 keep the idea oi
I reforming Ga. calendar before the couu-
try. They will try Ia win Tor IL the sup
port of the educated Glasses, Ia popu-
larise Il, To agliAte IL In scientific gath
ering.. II may be- long time YET bv.
fore the time for decisive action shall
I srriSe: but .ome day IL I. SURF Ia co'nr,
/ for the iDconS.nien,,s of Adh-ring Ia an
un.ci.ntihc standard ~ time measure.
mcnt. Will slowly bat steadily Increase.
View York sun.