St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1894-03-25
EASIEKr

EASTER.
AS long as the Christian faith shall
endure. and mans hope for immortality
shall survive. Easter will he the most
sacred or seasons. 1t commentaries
the final triumph of the greatest of all
men-the GOdlike ii not the God. man
over death. and His resurrection from
the grave.
The story of the redemption has been
oft-tlmeS told, but it never ceases to be
the one story of all the rest that has
permanent place in the literature OF the
heart. If Illusion it is. there is great
beauty and fascination in the illusion,
and it teaches lesson more important
than the web of any romance or the
stirring scenes of reality. In adopting
the human form, enduring all the ills
10 which humanity is subject passing
through temptations. poverty and per-
Secution. He became man. By over
coming all, and dying as ransom for
His fellow men. He became divine. And
this day commentaries His final tri-
umph over death. sin and the grave-a
triumph i'll which all mankind has
part, glory in which all human beings
share.
After the season Of fasting which
closes With the advent of today, Chris
tians should be prepared for new sea
son of activity in religious effort. They
have mortified the flesh for forty days,
and have learned lessons of self-control
and seif-denial that. if rightly minded.
have been Of great value. They have
often thought of the trials through
which their divine Master passed. and
pondered the amazing love He thus dis
played for the racs-a love beyond COM
pare, that mystiiies and daZZles the in
teiligence and confounds human reason.
1t cannot be reconciled with philosophy;
it was simply wide departure from all
usage, and startling innovation upon
the widest tradition OF fight OF the
Imagination.
When the feast of Easter was estab-
lished by the fathers of the church they
had wise purpose i'll view. 1t was
made day Of rejoicing and OF consecra-
ton, for which the preceding fast mad
tendency to prepare the. devout mind.
The physical powers had been renewed
by abstinence from excuses that had
tendency to enervate and debilitate,
and the mental faculties had received
an access of energy, fitting them for
persistent and effective effort. There
was nothing more natural than to eX
pect most potent results from such con-
ditlons. And results have proved the
wisdom of the conclusion. For the post
~ AZ
in the annals of the church as time of
unusual spiritual awakening, whose re-
suits have been most beDeficent.
The renewal of worldly gayeties that
succeed this day will be q source of
pleasure to the devotees Of pleasure.
The fast of Lent may not have proved
of benefit to them, except as to their
physical condition. But in that, at
least, it has proved useful. In every
walk of life we ought to experience re-
yivifying results. Business Will be the
first department of life to feel the bene-
fits. The somber garb that has pre-
vailed during the dreary winter season
will give place to more gorgeous rain
ment iii keeping with the reawakened
joy in nature and in spiritual life. For
few weeks, at least, society will revel
in complete abandonment, and prepa-
ralions for the summers outing will 20
| on apace. There will be balls aud re-
ceptiOns, weddings and Journeys, house
warnings and pleasure excursions
without number, and money will flow
freely throughout ali the channels of
trade. Each individual in the commu-
nifty will feel the stimulus.
Many Will be glad to throw off the
restrictions imposed by the Lenten sea-
son. They are irksOme, useless and
meaningless TO thousands, but to those
who rightly look upon them their pur-
pose will be nIanifeStly beneficial. 1t is
not religious use alone that is served
| by these obServahces. The abstinence
| enioined during the season conserveS
the physical powers and renews the
mental activity of mankind. And al
though all will rejoice that the days
| of peDitential observance are past, thou
sands will have occasion to thank them
for benefits conferred, physical, mental
! and moral
The Lord is risenr' With the OBJ
, Servance of that event we can also cele-
| brate the rising of a new and reinvig-
Grated manhood, which is destined to
have its impress for good upon human
| destiny and history.