The evening bulletin. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1887-1905, 1896-04-04

w 1SplenuOr scarcely less IMAM
~ Christmas. Each year, too,
1t grows in public esteem
u and becomes more closely
associated with social and religious OBJ
servance. On the other hand, Wbitsuntide,
perpetuating the Pentecostal miracle Of
the gift Of tongues, once under the old
papal regime, crowned with quite as much
ceremony and romance, has been greatly
shorn of its dignity. The skill of human
artifice, by which the teaching of Jesus, SO
simple, practical and pellucid, has ramified
into such complex structure of theory
and organization is more wonderful than
any marvel of steel and iron. The one has
harnessed the spirit; the other matter.
! The record of either Is q more fascinat-
ing story than any chapter of wholesale
slaughter from ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS to Napo-
leon. These and all Hike them have been
sent to grass, while the splendors Of reli-
gious conquest shine with increasing glory
and have shot their tentacles through all
the parts Of the social body. Nowhere do
we find q better example of the subtle
policy by which Christianity has subju-
gated the most intelligent sections of the
human race than In the institutions known
as its holidays. While the growth Of these
was in part spontaneous 1t was further
guarded by the wisdom of the serpent as
we'll as by the innocence of the dove.
1t was inevitable that the birth of the
founder of Christianity should become a
celebration Of paramount Importance.
There was no clew to the exact day nor
the month nor even the season in which
the prince Of Peace, to use the most
beautiful of all the titles Of Jesus, was
born into this wicked bloodthirsty hui
manity of ours. At different times In the
very early period 1t was supposed to be
about the middle of September, from the
LIST to the 9Th of January, and again about
at the time of the vernal equinox. Finally
the primitive fathers manufactured q suit
able date, which would connect the event
indissolubly with the religious naturalism
and symbolism of the pagan world, there
by disarming opposition and linking the
Christian faith with the whole continuity
of religious belief. The time of the win
ter solstice witnesses the very earliest re-
naissance of dead nature. Then the sun be-
gins his northward journey, which is to
end In the fervor and exuberanco Of sum-
mer. That was the period of the Roman
saturnalia when universal peace and good
will relaxed the iron discipline of society
wherever the imperial eagles were plant
ed. Then the Druids, crowned with mis-
tletoe and holly, performed the most sacred
sacrifices of the year in the depths of the
forest. Then the Teutonic pagans lit great
fires, and for a week worshiped with q
sort of mad jubilee Mt the altar of the sun
god, Balder. The philosophy of adopting
this most universal and joyous of all
heather festivals as the period of celebrat-
ing the birth of Jesus Christ is at once APP
parent. 1t helped to make the heather at
home in their new religious clothes.
The date of Easter, commemorating the
resurrection from the grave Of the cruel
fed saviour, needed no such selective and
arbitrary choice. Its motive, being the
final climax and conservation of Christ s
mission in the minds of his followers, was
not less thrilling and significant than that
of his birth. From the earliest period of
ecclosiasticism it was endowed with the
most gorgeous pomp and attire of outward
devotion, The church then smiled be-
nignly on its devotees, babe them dance
to the sound of pipe and tabor, enjoined
the wearing of the freshest garments as if
going to bridal and permitted the free
enjoyment of all reasonable 6eshly as well
as of spiritual delights. AS one of the IA
theirs of the church quantity observed,
from its swinish defoulment to be cleansed
in "A spiritual fountain, so all its delights
do become innocent and of sweet SAVIOR to
the children of God" This was before the
day when savage austerity and hate of the
harmless things of the body were made
by churchly teaching the highest evolution
of the sanity life.
The Biblical record, of course, fixed the |
date by its association with the Hebraic |
passover. Whatever controversy there |
grew out of it was narrowed within GER
tain definite bounds not connected with
any uncertainty as to time. . Yet this
tempest in a teapot embroiled all Chris
tendon for hundreds of years and Is today
one of the cardinal points of difference be-
tween the Greek and Roman churches. 1t |
may DO expressed in nutshell The early |
Christians promptly adopted the symbol
isin of the situation. Christ was the true
Paschal Lamb prefgured in the animal
sacrifice of the ancient passover feast.
So the Christian passover was the resur-
rection, and the commemoration Of the |
season fixed itself by the analogy. Those
churches of the first century most closely |
Hobraio In their sympathies followed the
old rite exaotly-that is, made the celebra-
ton on the 14th day Of the first month,
being the lunar month of which the 14th
day either falls on or next follows the
vernal equinox. But the western Chris
tian calendar attached more Importance to
the fact that Christ arose from the dead
on Sunday, the first day Of the week, and
80 they celebrated Easter On the Sunday