Evening journal., 1894-03-17
ABOUT EASTER TIDE.
Many Busy Shoppers Were
Out To-day.
THE GODDESS OF DAWN OR SPRING

Was ''Eastra." or in Teutonic "Ostara,"
and That Is the Derivation of ,he Word
Easter Brighter and Warmer Days
Assure the RejuvenatIon Of Nature. Esgi
The streets have been crowded these
fair spling.like days with women.
Women young and old, big and little
fair and not fair, all intent on Easter
shopping" Some were on the look out
for dress goods, from which to fashion
the bewitching and stylish gowns for
which the Wilmington women are noted.
All were interested in the Easter bon.
net, though not all the millinery shops
have had their spring opening.
The windows are crowded with all
sorts of pretty things that are delight
to the feminine soul. Many Of the
Easter decorations are very pretty and
appropriate.
The word Easter, derived from the
Anglo Saxon "Eastra, or, in Teutonic,
.'Ostara, the goddess of dawn or spring,
whose chief festival was celebrated about
the time of the vernal equinox, is
probably Of the same root with East, sig.
nifying bright" or shining" The
Germans to this day call April the "Os-
termouat.
Easter comes rather early this year
falling on the 25th Of March Once only
in this century it happened on the same
date, in 1888. and only once will IL occur
on the 25Lh of March in the twentieth
century, in 1851, although within the Eve
hundred years between 1900 and 2000
A. ID. Easter Sunday was celebrated on
that same date eight times heretofore
in 1543, 1854, 1927, 1888, 1649, 1922, 1888,
aud 1744. Four times only Easter fell
on the 22d of March, the earliest possible
date, within the same five centuries, in
1873, 1868, 1861 and 1918. but neither in
this nor in the coming century will such
be the case again. Four times only did
Easter fall on the latest possible date,
April 25, during the same half-thousand
years, in 1916, 164l, 1876 and 1886
This will again occur in 1913. In 1895
Easter Day will be on April IA in 1896,
April 8 in 1897, April IS; in 1898, April
10 in 1899, April 2 in 1900, April 10.
Most of the popular observances of the
day which the church partly adopted bg
introducing them into its Easter services
are clearly of pagan origin. Eastertide.
long before Bonifsce brought the gospel
to the Germans, was period of Joy and
iubilation. Spring had arrived. Ostara,
the bright and victorious divinity, had
conquered. Brighter aud warmer days
assured the rejuvenation of nature.
Mans hope and activity revived. Like
the Ushas Of their Hindu cousins in far
off Asia. Ostara, the youthful goddess.
danced for Joy. a symbolIcal belief which
the church adopted in the legend that
the lamb was seen on Easter Sunday
frisking in the rays Of the rising sun at
dawn.
Sir John Sucking alludes to this
superstitution in cCmplinenting a young
lady, saying:
But. oh. she dances such way,
No sun upon an Easter Day
| Is half SO fine a sight"
In a similar manner the presentation
of eggs, the symbols Of creation and new
life. was introduced from the East. For
the Christian It symbolized the resurrec.
tion of Christ, and their usually red
color was an allusion to the blood of
| redemption. Other customs, as the light
ing Of fires, to this day practiced in
Germany on the hillsides Of the Harz,
obtaining the holy water from the streams
at Easter midnight, when the good spir
its move the waters, aud presentation Of
cakes, shaped in the form Of the rising
sun, are more plainly traceable to the
feast of the Saxon deity, Eastra, as are
also the ''paschal daughters, (risus
paschales,) evoked by funny stories told
In the churches by tue priests When
the solemn chant of the "Salve Caput
Oruentatum" (aail, Sacred Head, now
wounded) Of Good Friday was folio Sed
by the joyful singing of "Surrexit
Christus Hadie, Christ is risen this day }
then all Christians would salute escu
other, Christ is risen, greet one another
with fraternal kiss, custom still re-
tsiued in the Greek church.
For Easter is the festival Of Joy, re-
newed hope and action Even Faust
drops the poison he is about to take
when the choir of the near church sings,
"Christ Has Arisen"
what hum melodious, what clear, silvery
Thus draws the goblet from my lips awayl
Ye deep-toned bel s, do ye, with voice SUBJ
Announce the solemn dawn of Easter
Dayfn
Awakened to new vigor and life, he
hurries out into the open air Of the
Easter spring day, for as he hopefully
now declares
. at is our innate impulse. deep and strong,
Upward and onward still 10 urge our hight L
When far above us pours its thuliing song
! The lark, afioat in azure light.
, A new-h born impulse wings my hight.
2 / he 1u ha nHnfuu