Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-04-11
Origin of Easter.
Whittier.

| Aurora-the dawn-who was known
to the Germans and Saxons as Ostara,
or Eastre. The latter goddess was
often worshiped with fire, probably as
an emblem of the dawn-Osterfeuer.
When Germany became chrlstianlzed,
the new church did its best to trample
out all the old pagan customs. But
they could not do it. The Eastre fes-
tivals in particular had taken, a deep
hold on the hearts of the people, and
the heads of the new church wisely
decided to make the best of them. So
they turned them into christian OBJ
servances instead Of heather rites.
The people held fast to their eggs.
Let them 90 they would not. They
kept on coloring and giving them as
presents quite as much as though they
still worshiped the goddess Eastre.
One must 90 back to the Persians
for their first observance of the egg
day. Before their conversion to Mo-
hammedanism the Persiaus reckoned
the beginning of their new year from
the dav in which the sun enters Aries,
which is in March. According to one
of the ancient cosmoganies, all things
were produced from an egg, hence
called the mundane egg. This cos
mogany was received in Persia, and
on this account there obtained among
the people of that country custom OF
presenting each other with an egg,
the symbol of a new beginning OF
time on every New Years day that
is, on the day when the sun enters
Aries.
Among the Jews the season of the
ancient New Year became that Of the
passover, and among the christians
the season Of the passover has become
that of Easter.
In olden times the fires were always
ouenched in all the churches on Easter
eve and kindled anew from the flint,
and the new fire being hallowed by
the priest every one could take home
brand, to be lighted, when needed,
as a preservative against tempests.
Less we'll observed is an old custom
of putting the house in order on Easter
day, particularly the kitchen.
In many parts of Ireland and Eng
land in olden days the belief obtained
that on Easter morning the sun danced
in honor of the resurrection. On the
evening of Holy Saturday great prep
arations were made for the finishing
Of Lent. Many a fat hen and dainty
piece of bacon were put in the pot by
the cotter's wife, and woe to the per-
son who should taste it before the
stroke of II, but at that hour would
be heard the clapping of hands and
cries of "Out with the Lent !" All
would be feasting and merriment for
few hours, when the good people
would retire, to rise about four o'clock
in order to see the sun dance.
1t was an old custom in England to
break the Lenten fast by eating a
CANNON of bacon on Easter Sunday,
and thus show the adherence in which
the Jews were held on that festival
day.
A custom obtained in many parts Of
England in which, as soon as the SER
vice of the church was over, the boys
ran about and laid hold of every wo-
man or girl they could meet on the
street and accosted them with "Pay
for your shoes, if you please" at the
same time stopping to take them of
which, if they were not paid, they
would do and would carry the shoes
off, leaving the hapless female in hel
stocking feet.
At Twickenham two great cakes
used to be divided in the church OIL
Easter day among the young people
while in the Peak Of Derbyshire a GUS
tom known as sugar cupping obtained
The children used to repair on Easter
morning to spring called the Drop
ping Tor" with cup in one hand, a
quarter of a pound of sugar In the
other, and having caught in their cups
as much water as was desired from
the dropping of the spring they dis.
solved the sugar in it and drank it.
1t is the custom of German families
on Easter eve TO place sugar and real
eggs, the former filled with sugar
plums, in a nest, then to conceal II
with dried leaves in the garden, that
the Joyous children may hunt for then
on Easter morning.
1t is a superstition all over the