The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-03-30
real as they were to the disciples ~ CEN

In other countries, however, it has been
different. The solemn meanings of some
ceremonies have degenerated into puerili-
ties, and religious rejoicings have drifted
into farcical and hilarious exhibitions The
closing of legal tribunals, the dispensing of
aims, the freeing of slaves and the turning
loose OF Gagged birds, all typifying the de-
votion OF each to the joys following free
dom from the bondage Of sin and the free.
dom of Christ from the letters of the grave,
have been characteristic of all countries,
but in many have assumed different phases.
Liberty became license sometimes, as when
the priests and clergy joined in the farcical
exhibitions. told jokes and read very ques-
tionable stories from the pulpits, played
handball from the altar and joined in feasts
which became riotous orgies, even inside
the church building.
These were in time suppressed, but many
of the customs which would now no doubt
be considered coarse were then deemed
quite harmless, such as the taking off
of shoes" and the lifting" for penalties,
etc. In many countries girls and women
rarely appeared on the streets Easter Mon
day, because whoever met them might stop
them and take their shoes, to be redeemed
only by fees or kisses. The women could
retaliate upon men and boys the following
day. The origin of this, it is thought, was
the ancient custom of removing the shoes
when standing upon holy ground
Centuries ago the custom of lifting" on
Easter morning was universal. Men would
go through the streets in pairs, carrying be-
tween them a gayly decorated chair, into
which they would seat every woman en-
countered and lift her as high as they could
above their heads. This custom originated
in the ascension or lifting upof the Saviour
and in later years degenerated into the
lifting" which caused every man to give
up Easter Monday to the sport. Dispensing
with chairs, they would enter houses with
out ceremony. Women would retaliate
next day in the most boisterous manner
all of which finally eliminated in such
scenes as the one III which the ladies and
maids of honor of the court entered the
bedroom of King Edward I, and lifting
him from his bed carried him around the
rOCm
With the progress of civilization came
improved ideas on these and kindred sub
jects and the disappearance of musty ira
ditions and hazy legends. The pious no
longer keep watch all night for the monks
to hold up to them each Easter morn the
image of Christ risen once more. The Lords
second coming is no longer assured for
Easter eve. The rising son on Easter morn
still typifes the Son Of Righteousness. and
the close of Lent-or the death of winter
still typifies the defeat of the grave, yet
even the children of today no longer rise at
daylight ITO see the sun dance''-a belief
which writers of less than a century ago
soberly argued was without foundation
and the great bonfres which for so many
years represented the ancient paschal ia
pers have been quenched by the waves of
modern thought.
THE EASTER EGG.
= Almost the only thing left us is the
paschal egg-the emblem of the resurrec-
ton, the symbol of renewed life-which
has come down through the ages to US.
The old German custom of three eggs (pos-
sibly representing the Trinity, and the Aus
trian egg of gold or silver filled with costly
knichknacks, and the dyed egg of the poor
er classes, all look back to their predecessor,
the paschal egg, that was handed down
from the Egyptians, and ages before the
same emblem of renewed existence was
given as an offering among the Parees and
on the banks of the sacred rivers of India
Borrowed by the early Christians and
made use of to typify the renewed spiritual
life, it has come down to us today-almost
in the Goth century-with most of it's leg
ends scientifically explained and most of
its old customs forgotten. The chief rem
nant of the old legends and customs in this
country is the Easter egg, which children
find in the early morning and believe are
laid by white rabbits And perhaps it is
natural and best that the last of the SYM
bolical lessons to disappear should be that
of renewed spiritual life, associated with
the emblem Of purity.
HARRY w. COCKERILL