Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1894-03-24
EASTER SUNDAY.
JuHlI ATOMS THROUGHOUT THE
CHRISTIAN WORLD.
xosaorrow Peans of Joy will Be Sung to
Orate the Triumph of the Redeemer
over Sin and Death.

Y0mOrrOW VIII De a udH Ol luDild-
fjon in the Christian world. Forty
tlays the church has been in the
DESERT of mourning and humiliation
with her Divine founder, but tomor-
row she " i'll assume her gayest at
tire and peans OF joy will be sung to
col1memOrate the triumph OF the Re
fIeefner over sin and death. Easter
sunday is the day of days upon
which the church rejoices. Christ
mastide brings to her the remem-
l}rance OF the nativity. but Easter
commemorates the resurrection, and
this is the cornerstone upon which
the structure of GhristendOm is
erected.
One Sabbath day, over eighteen
fundred years ago, the Roman
alinrds were watching over the
gloomy sepulchre in which the re-
mains OF the erucified Christ had been
placed His enemies remembered
the prophesy, ION the third day
shall rise again, and fearfulful lest
tile prediction might be fulfilled, they
exlmpelled Pontius PLATE to surround
flIe tomb with Gordon OF his trusty
henchmen. But all the precautions
were futile. When the Sabbath had
PASSED and Mary appeared on the
scene, bringing with her spices for
her work of mercy, the ponderous
stone had been rolled away and was
affDrding a seat for the angel, the
guards were speeches. and in place
Of u corpse the Redeemer himself ap-
peared in glory. This is the event
which the church commentaries,
and the Joy and gladness demon
strate the devotion of Christendom
to the anniversary of the dawn of
the church.
The origin of the name of the
festival has been variouslv at
tributed. The English Easter and
the German "Ostern" are supposed
! to have been derived from the feast
of the Tentonic Goddess Ostera
tGoddess of Spring., for which the
early missionaries substituted the
Ghristian festival According to
Adelung, however, the word is de-
rived fromm the old Saxon word
soster, meaning arising, because
all nature arises anew in the spring
JHntnfies ago the churches in west
ern Europe observed the Sunday
nearest to the first days of the Jewish
month, Nissan, about the time of the
yernal equinox. The Asiatic churches,
however, adopted the 18th day OF
the month Nissan and celebrated the
FESTIVAL of Easter on the third day
following, whatever day that might
BE, This difference OF opinion led to
serious dispute, and at the time there
we're prospects of a rupture between
The two sections of the church.
Flnaliy a council at Niece decided
that the festival should be
celebrated upon the first Sunday
inter the full moon which happens
upon or next after March 81, and if
the full moon happens on a Sunday,
Easter should be on the Sunday fol-
lowing. By this arrangement Easter
may come as early as March % or as
late as April %.
In America the preparations for
enc feast of the resurrection are ex-
lenslye and elaborate. In the
Episcopal churches the greatest care
exercised in preparing the sacred
ealilces Aisles, pillars and sanctu-
afles are usually decorated with
evergreens and flowers and the for
mula OF the Book of Common Prayer
ls superseded by n special service.
Ahurehes OF all denominations also
put forth all their energies and do
S s'ieir utmost to give the semblance
ssoI festive air to the Easter cclebra-
II kion. la all the shurches the musical
portlon OF the service will he the
Riihcipal feature. Some churches
aengage special vocalists of some re-
pute, and Others augmett their choirs
and anthems. TIE Deums and HYMNS
.nre rendered in such a manner as is
heard but once a year.
3 In the Catholic Church the festival
ls celebrated withconsiderable pomn
he realms of Flora are exhausted in
hn
"a ne decorations Of the affairs. and
nc myrlads OF candles CLEAN over
81 ne rich canopies and glittering vest
zz.'ehts. The priests will be clothed
Y spotiess white, and the full core
MONIES incident to solemn high mass
WI, De performed. Clouds of incense
VIII rise over the heads of the kneel-
ny multitude. land the music Of
Mozart Haydn and Beethoven win
peai forth in exhultation and
Triumph Gnu