The Dakota chief. (Gann Valley, Buffalo County, S.D.) 18??-1913, 1896-04-02

ed - 1890
~ ,;.r-ory Ndz.aazcl 1000 years ago
',..1.... "puc,r day Of days. thai eXcels
SO. a+ far as the sun exceeds the
81. ,.o... and which IS still known in the
as thr bright day" Another typical
Name te Easter IS the "iloliday Of Hope"
T.,r.is Il wonderful charm and fasci-
cq..,. In This queen festival of the year.
n,.. dominates the whole world with its
y..Jorful lessons of returning life. Not
,an, .+ the deep religious significance of
,ln occasion illustrated in the most attrac-
rty. and beautiful form as IA lesson TO the
owe. and through that to the heart. but the
i,yru! features of Easter. the upspringing
,f hon, and the miracle Of returning life.
inspire a condition of JOY and happiness in
fine I've, Of y,1ng and Old. and the most
;n,,r>.hlr 0bjcc; becomes Il part of the
carnival Of JOY.
Easter was not kept as a festival until
tn if,A or sixth century. but previous to
that he question of establishing it as Il
fpl,; day came before the council of Nice,
when it was decided authoritatively that
Easter was hcuceforth TO be the Sunday
fo1 ..-1c i. 18th w ?f ne calendar
ImIon Which Happened upon 5r next after
the list Of March. 50 that if this 18th day
be- sunday. Easter was not to be on that
dare but on the next following Sunday.
Easter day. therefore. may be any day
within five weeks inclusive of March 90
and .tI..l -. 1t cannot happen earlier
no" laicr than those two dates. In 1883,
Easter occurred on March %. and again
in 1884. which will be twice in the pres
ent century. In 1851 it will occur again
un March -.
1t has often been asked why an egg is
the symbol of Easter. The use of eggs for
Easier can he traced t. the theology and
philosophy of Egyptians, Persians. Gauls.
Greeks and Romans. among all of whom
an cG& WAS II symbol of the universe. the
work of The supreme Divinity. The Per-
sans gave presents of eggs at the feast
of the y"rnal ~cqu;noX-;n honor of the re-
ncNai of all things. The Jews adapted it
10 SUI, the circumstances of their history
rs 4 type of their departure from Egypt,
and It was used in the feast of the pass
OYER as part OF the furnishing of the table
with tlc paschal lamb. The early Druids
also used the egg in their ceremonies.
The custom of coloring Easter eggs
seems 10 be as Old as the use of the egg
rs Il symbol. In Germany sometimes in
S;oqd Of eggs at Easter, a curious print
illustrative % their use is presented. An
Easter custom brought from Mesopota-
ma IS that Of cgg-rolling or egg-p.tting.
Inc manner Of this sport is 10 strike the
eggs one against the other, until one is
trohcn, which is the spoil of the owner of
1le egg which remains whole. Another
egg j. then p;tted against the winning one,
and 50 On until the last one is victorious.
Every year ut Washington the children
pi All classes of people meet in the grounds
OF the White House, and with the Presi-
dent ana his family looking on, and great
rr'Wds of spectators in attendance, pro.
recd to roll eggs OF all the colors known
10 humanity. and in such quantities that it
would seem as if the hens of all the world
had contributed. 1t is one of the sights of
Washington ON E-ster Monday. In this
eggs of all colors are used for
the rolling sport, but in Mesopotamia they
are red only, III remembrance Of the cruci-
In France It was once customary at the
of Easter to seek the largest
'G2S rs Il tribute to the king. and when
-" Easter high mass was finished. in the
'hapel of the Louvre. to take them into the
presence, handsomely gilded and
'arr!ed il pyramids. Then the chaplain
blessed them, after which they were dis
Routed 20 the people.