Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-04-03

night they ought to be, but, true again,
they are not of the frivolous sort
Hank to the peals of the organ In the
innumerable churches of every denomina-
ton! Peer through the cathedral panes
at the heads bowed in prayer. List to
the happy blending of voices from hun
dreds Of choir lofts:
Glory be TO God on high
God, whose glory fills the sky;
Peace on earth to man forgiven,
Man, the well-beloved OF Heaven.
That is Americas Easter.
The customs peculiar TO Easter are
many, and few know their origin CT
meaning. The most common Is the pre-
senting Of eggs as gifts symbolic Of the
season. The use of eggs for Easter can
be traced 10 the theology and philosophy
OF Egyptians, Persians, Gauls, Greeks,
and Romans, among all of whom an
egg was the symbol of the universe, the
work of the supreme divinity.
The Persians gave presents OF eggs at
the feast Of the yernd equinox, in honor
of the renewal of all things.
The Jews adopted the egg TO suit the
circumstances of their history as a type
of their departure from Egypt, and IL was
used in the Feast Of the Passover as part
of the furnishing Of the table with the
paschal lamb. The early Druids also used
the egg in their ceremonies.
In some countries of Italy eggs are car
ried to the church TO be blessed, and then
taken home and set out with flowers on
the table Every visitor during Easter
week is invited TO eat an Easter egg, an
invitation which must not be refused.
Eggs in all countries are sent as tokens
at this time, and enter into the senti-
ments and pastimes OF old and young
alike.
COLORED EASTER EGGS.
The custom OF coloring Easter eggs
seems to be as old as the use of the egg
as a symbol. In early times the tender
blades of wheat, which AT this season
were just beginning TO show above the
ground. were used for coloring. 4
handful of the wheat blades was thrown
into a pot with the eggs, and turned
them a dark green. Soon after colors
were obtained from mulberry leaves, and
the Persians used their splendid dyes
with great effect. The people then learned
to write upon the boiled eggs with
a creased stick-a custom still observed
by our North American lndians-and
other methods Of decoration soon became
known. In India the Parsees exchanged
red eggs.
In Germany, sometimes, instead OF eggs
at Easter, a curious print Illustrative or
their use is presented. one OF these en-
blematic prints is preserved in the print
room Of the British Museum. Three hens
are depicted as holding basket In
which are placed three eggs. ornamented
with Illustrations of the resurrection;
over the central egg the "Agnus Del"
with a chalice representing faith; the
other eggs bearing the emblems OF charity |
and hope.
An Easter custom brought from Meso- |
potamia is that of egg rolling, or egg |
hitting. The manner OF this sport is 10 |
strike the eggs one against the other, |
until one is broken, which Is the spoil or |
the owner Of the egg which remained |
whole. Another egg is then pitted against |
the winning one. and so on until the last
one is victorious.
Every year at Washington, the children |
of all classes OF people meet In
the grounds Of the White House, and |
with the President and his family look
ing on. and great crowds Of spectators
I'm attendance, proceed to roll eggs In all |
the colors known 10 humanity, and in
such quantities that 1t would seem as /
~ the hens Of all the world had contri-
buted. IL is one of the sights OF Wash
ington on Easter Monday. In this coun-
try eggs of all colsrs are used for the /
rolling sport. but In Mesopotamia they !
are red only, in remembrance OF the |
crucihxIon.
In France. II was once customary at
the approach OF Easter TO seek the largest
eggs as tribute TO the King, and
when the Easter high mass was finished
In the chapel OF the Louvre, to take them
into the royal presence, handsomely giid-
ed and carried in pyramids. Then the
,haplain blessed them, after which they
we're distributed TO the people.
SOME EXTRAORDINARY CUSTOMS
In European countries some OF the ex-
Easter customs are sacredly
xept alive In Durham, England, on
Easter Monday, the men claim the privi-