The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-02-20
FIRST LENTEN SUNDAY.
GIimpses Of What Is Going On in a Re.
lieious Way.
SS.s.---SAlNTS. SINNERS AND SALVATION
The Way In which the Lentcn Fast
May He Observed with an Adj
vantage TO the Faithful.

II there Is not more general desire
than in former years to keep Lent, there
is at least disposition to give the sea-
son a certain amount of legitimate re-
spect.
Yesterday was the first Sunday in. Lent
and this, together with the fact that the
day was an unusually bright and pleasant
one, conspired in nlling the various
churches.
There are hardly any two persons who
will exactly agree as to how Lent should
be kept. Tho general idea is that the cut
ling off from the bill of fare of some high
ly priced article OF food does the business.
In connection with this many people de-
prive themselves OF some cherished enjoy
ment. notably in the line OF gayety or con-
VITALITY.
On this point an eminent authority says;
Lent has become with some a term of
reproach. because women who glory in
being High Church have used the forty
days before Easter to make up gay clothes
for the spring carnival of fashion. These
external observances have been the excuse
Tor people of prejudice TO say that. even
II there should be any seasons of sef-ex-
animation to test the power of the world
or 10 bring the body under, 1t would az
least be safe to Ak them at some time
altogether disconnected with the period of
the Savior's humiliation and sacrifice. This
idea is altogether unhistorical, and can not
force things out of what may be called
their natural channel for any length of
time. AS rule tho argument Is that every
day should be IL fast--that there are no
days of solemn Joy; but those who reason
thus are not much given TO such denials
as Will give them an insight to their own
weaknesses. They are often unrestrained
by any sacrifices, and perverting the idea
that bodily exercise protiteth nothing
they fall under the impression that sensu-
Gus Indulgence is not only compatible with
true spirituality, but II proper protest
against false asceticism -
AT the beginning OF Lent there Is al
ways sudden cessation of social enter
tainments and of all kinds of amusements,
good, bad and Indifferent. The music and
dancing cease, the church bells ring and
there is hush in the community Many
see in this an argument against the OBJ
servance of Lent. They say ii offers an
opportunity to crowd all our religion into
forty days and tends to make people more
worldly in anticipation of the season OF
humility. And 1t can not be denied that
there Is force In this objection, There Is II
tendency in nature to commune with God
and to sin in the expectation of repentance
and forgiveness. But this tendency does
not belong TO any particular form of wor-
ship, nor does the objection lie against any
one holy time There are people who are
religious only In time of revival. There
are Sabbath Day Christians and camp
meeting Christians and So no doubt, there
are Lenten Christians. But this Ia no ar
gument for abolishing the Sabbath, prayer
meetings and Lent.
a conservative pastor in preaching yes
terday upon the observance of Lent said
Let us all, each in what way seems best
to himself, keep Lent. Not with long
visage nor bitter creed OF the ascetic but
by loving lingering with the Master and
greater living among friends. Let us be
more forgving. less quick to take otfense,
kinder to the plain people we meet every
day, more patient with the wearisome
things which tax us and more generous
with our charities. In such spirit we
can all keep Lent, and SO shall the season
bring measure of soul profit to lis If we
are Christians by whatever name called "