Twice-a-week plain dealer. (Cresco, Howard County, Iowa) 1895-1913, 1899-02-17
Ash Wednesday and Lent.
ABSOLUTELY PURE
aoyA! aAE!sa powoEa co.,, NEW YORK:

My heart is with my dear people to-
day. How pleasant it would be to gather
in our neat little church, and kneel at
the sacred altar and give thanks and
prayer to God for his abundant mercy in
sparing us to begin the active work for
him belonging to this season of Lent.
From the very first days of christianity
it was customary for christians to set
apart some time for special and more
frequent services, humiliation and SELF
examination, not only as preparation
for the joys of Easter, but to get clearer
views of Gods will and purposes in their
own lives among men. Ivenaeus, who
lived but ninety years from the death Of
st. John, and knew and conversed with
st. Polycarp, as Polycarp had with st.
John, has let us know that at this sea.
son of lent was observed in his time 40
it was in that of his predecessors. The
christian lent probably took its rise from
the Jewish preparation for their yearly
expiation. They began their humilia-
tion forty days before the expiation;
wherefore the primitive christians fol.
lowing their example, set up their fast,
or lental season at the beginning Of
christianity as preparation for the
commemoration for the great expiation
of the sins of the world. The number
forty days seems to have been fixed by
imitation of Moses and Elias in the Old
Testament, but principally in imitation
of our Savior's fast IN Ethe New Testa-
ment, that" as st. Augustine says, i've
who might as far as we are able, con-
form to Chrlst's practice, suffer with him
here, that we may reign with him here.
after" 1t receives its name from the
time of the year in which it is observed.
"Lent" in the old Saxon language signi-
fies "spring," now used to signify this
spring fast, which always begins SO that
it may end at Easter; to remind us Of
our Savior's sufferings which ended at
resurrection. In this sacred season the
church, by the voice of all, have holy
services, calls the world to repentance
from the rising of the sun to the going
down thereof. Ifthere ever was an insti-
tuition calculated to promote the glory
of God by forwarding the salvation OF
men, it is this opportunity of certain
set time for persons to consider their
ways and to break off their sins and to
return from whence they have fallen
through the infirmities of the flesh and
the prevalence of temptation. Though
it should be the constant endeavor of all
christians to live as becomes their pro.
fession at ali times, and to have great
respect for what is required OF them, yet
considering the manifold temptations
which they must meet and with which
they must do battle, It's very necessary
that there should be some solemn season
set apart for more frequent services, and
for special self examination and prayer.
Our mother, the church, in her expert
ence of two thousand years, almost,
knows what her children need for their
souls health, and has always pro6ted by
this season of lent. Again she calls US
to approach, more closely, to her sanctu-
ary and to each other. sincerely hope
that we may all be able during the latter
part of lent to have number of profita.
bic services aud among them the mis-
sion services which were deferred.
Cordially,
A. V. GoRRELL.