The record-union., 1899-03-06
4 RITE THAT IS UNIVERSAL.
LENTEN FAST OBSERVED By
ALL RELIGIONS.
Catholic Saints Commended to
Professionals as Models of Prayer
and Holy Living.

D. L. Moody, and the fact that this Is
the Lenten season, Rev. }. Is. SllcoS
preached in the Congregational Church
yesterday morning on the observance
of Lent He took for his text (Mat
.. 14, Then came to Him the dlscl-
pies of John saying, why do We and
the Pharisees fast oft, but Thy disci-
pies fast not.
Men reveal their character, said the
pastor, by the questions they ask. When
a man asks, "What must I do to be
saved? ?" How may 1 obtain eternal
nfe?" How may 1 enjoy a closer walk
with God?'' Glow may I make my life
more what God intended it to be?"-
when man asks such questions il
shows that he is getting near to the
heart and core of true religion.
The question of the disciples of John
the Baptist, why do we and the
Pharisees fast oft and thy disciples
fast not?" was in one sense a super
fetal question. 1t touched only the
externals of religion They were per-
picked because Jesus and His disciples
did not observe the sacred and solemn
fast days of the church. 1t would ap-
pear that the day they came, was fast
day, and instead of fasting, Jesus and
His disciples We're attending a feast in
the house of Matthew the publican To
feast on a fast day appeared to them
most irreligious.
In answer to the question, Jesus said
the children of the bride-chamber could
not mourn so long as the bridegroom
was with them, "but the days will come
when the bridegroom shall be taken
away from them and then they shall
fast- He further told them that they
Were not to put the new wine into
OLD bottles. The new life that Jesus
came to impart could not be held in
the old forms of Judaism It must have
ITS new and appropriate forms of ex-
preston. The Lords Supper and not
the Passover is to be the great mem
orlal service Of the church in the fu-
ture. Baptism and not circumcision
is to be the initiatory rite into the
church. The first day of the week
and not the seventh, is to be the day sci
apart for rest and worship. The new
Wine of the gospel will have it's own
new bottles or forms. Religion does
mot consist in observing days and rites
and ceremonies. AS physical life man.
arrests itself in various forms, so relig-
aous life will assume various forms. The
outward form of religion will change
but religion itself, the life of God in
the soul, will be the same under all
forms.
Jesus said His disciples would fast
when He was taken away. This was
the first intimation He gave of His
crucifixion
The Christian world has again swept
round to that period known as Lent
This est commentaries the saddest
and most tragic experiences in our
Savior's life, beginning with His
temptation in the wilderness and end
ing with His crucifxion on Calvary
The Lenten season emphasizes the
temptations that beset the Christian
life and calls the soul to increa sed
watchfulnessi and prayer.
In the Roman Catholic and Episcopal
churches there is a prescribed fast Of
forty days. The Congregational. Meth
odlst, Presbyterian and other churches
do not observe this fast The cues
ton OF Johns disciples naturally arises
why do the members of some churches
fast and others fast not? The cues
f1on suggests a profitable theme. name
~ the observance of Lent What is
Its origin and purpose? Is it well 10
observe the Lenten fast?
In the time of our Lord the Jewish
church observed many feasts. AS
these men said, I'VE and the Pharisees
fast oft" Jesus did not observe the
many fasts of the church, neither did
He teach His disciples to do SO. These
Of L.
ment. 1t is a significant fact and in
dlcates the joyous character of relig-
ion as God gave it, that the law of
Moses prescribed many feast days but
only one fast day. The Jewish church
IN the time of our Lord had so far de-
parted from the spirit and intent of
their divinely given religion, that they
attached special Importance to fast
ing. The Pharisee in the temple re-
hearsed his goodness saying, st fas;
twice in the week. He made for him.
self hundred fasts where God had
commanded but one. The great dav
OF atonement was the only fast dav
appointed of God. 1t was to be strict
ily observed as a day of abstinence from
food, a day Of penitence and PRAYER a
day when a man should afTiict his soul
and turn anew to God 1t was kept as
solemn Sabbath It was an occa-
sion for the discipline Of the soul. II
reminded man that he lived not by
bread alone.
Jesus did not prescribe any set fasts
for His followers. When He said that
His disciples would fast when He was
taken from them, He indicated a fact
but did not issue, a decree. He did not
forbid fasting, neither did He enioln
1t. What He did do was this: He
sanctioned the principle when it was
observed in right spirit and for a
right purpose. Fasting, said Dean AL
ford, should be the genuine offspring OF
inward and spiritual sorrow, of the
sense Of the absence of the bridegroom
in the soul, not the forced and stated
fasts of the old covenant now passed
away. Bishop Ellicott says the phrase
then they shall fast" can hardly 81
looked upon as a command to fast
'but beyond all doubt they sanction
the principle on which fasting rests. y
The self-eonquest implied in absti-
nence, is the natural and true express
sion of the longing of the soul for a
closer fellowship with Christ.
Fasting was and is yet an almost
universal religious custom in the East
The Hindoos fast. The Mohamme-
dams fast. Mahomet called fasting the
gate Of religion. The Greek Church
has fast of forty eight days in Lent
and thirty-nine days preceding Ad-
vent. The Jews tasted when special
occasions demanded it. In times OF
national disaster, a solemn and univer-
g.
his elders tasted after the defeat of All
David tasted when his child low of f1,e