The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1897-04-23
HAPPY EASTERTIDE.
How 1t Was Celebrated in
Columbia.
Elaborate Ceremonies and Gorgeous
Floral Decorations.
Fashion DOnhed Her Most Charming
Gown, And All Nature Seemed
to Rejoice.

"Christ, whose glory fills the skies,
Christ, the true, the only light,
Sun of Righteousness, arise!
Triumph DER the shades of night!
Day-spring from on high, be near,
Day-star in my heart appear"
"He was crucifed, dead and buried.
On the third day He rose again."
Last Sunday was the anniversary
of the third day, and all nature
seemed to rejoice. A lovelier Eas-
ter Day could not be imagined. The
air was fresh and balmy, the sky
was clear and bright, and earth
seemed clothed in her choicest Eas-
ter garb of sprouting grass, budding
trees and blooming flowers. Fashion
smiled her prettiest and donned her
most charming gown. The season of
penitence had ended, the season of
song had begun, and everybody
looked reiuvenated and happy. The
cloud that for forty days and forty
nights had rested like a pail over
the religious world, had been dis
sipated by the Easter sunlight; the
world sung "Alleluia," and nature
smilingly Joined in the refrain.
Easter is the greatest and at the
same time the most peculiar festival
for which the Christian religion
stands as patron. There is no event
other than this where religion and
fashion go hand in hand, and the
place of worship is also made place
for the display of fine raiment.
Years ago, Easter was observed
almost solely by the Episcopal and
Roman Catholic churches, but in
these latter days every denomina-
tion has joined in what is now the
universal celebration.
Easter is the oldest of Christian
festivals. Nearly nineteen hundred
years ago, the stone before the tomt
in which Christ had lain for three
days, was rolled away, and the
Savior of all mankind was resur.
rected from the dead. That was the
first Easter morning, and since then
every year men have in some man
ner celebrated the rising of Christ
although it was not until the fifth
or sixth century that it was KEEP
as festival. The first day of eact
week was kept holy by the Apostles
themselves in honor of Christ''
resurrection, and with this weekly
observance there came the
great annual commemoration Ii
early days there was mucf
diversity as to the date of keeping
the festival, and twas not detinitel.
settled in the way of universe
agreement until the question wa
taken up by the Council of Nice
That body settled the date as tn,
first Sunday following the 14th da!
; of the calendar moon which hap
pened upon or next after the 2lst o
March; so that if this l4th be a Sun
day, Easter was not to be on tha
, date, but on the next following Sun
day. Easter, therefore, may be an,
date within five weeks, inclusive o
: March % and April %. 1t canno
happen earlier or later than thes
, two days. The name of the feas
= probably was derived from the Ger
man or Teutonic name of the god
+ dess of spring, Ostera Eostre.
g 1t il difficult to ascertain tn
! precise origin of the graceful Gus
tom, more or less prevalent through
OUT Ile WOIlu, vi OueIlHS 6SSo db VII
t festival of Easter. In Christia
countries, from the fourth century
the church prohibited the use Q
! eggs during the forty days of Lent
but as the heretical hens did no
t cease to lay, large quantity of egg
= were found to have accumulated a
: the end of the period of abstinence
= These were usually given to tn
Il children, and in order to rende
: them more attractive, they wer
e dyed with gay colors or Otherwis
. ornamented.
Easter, 1897, was, in more or les
3 fervid degree, celebrated by all th
d churches in Columbia; some wit
V elaborate ceremonies and decOrS
h tions, and some merely with Easte
sermons.