The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-02-27
WHY FlXeDAT FORTY DAYS
THE ANCIENT MANNER OF OBJ
SERVING LENT.
2 PREACHERS WHO MAY BE CALLtD HERE
They Preached Splendid Sermons Sunday in
the Two Leading Baptist Churches Of This
City. Neither Of Them Are Of
Sensational Sort.

Tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, the be-
ginning of Lent.
1t Is a sacred season of venerable anti
putty and whether it was observed by
the Apostles as a fixed period of fast
Ing or was not established until the or
ganiZation of the church, all authorities
agree in saying that for time at least
before the anniversary of the ReSnrrec-
ton of Christ "A, fast vase observed by
the primitive Christians; and it is the
general concenSuS of modern opinion that
this fast of forty days was practically
the ancient type of the modern laws.
In st. Luke ", So, Christ said: But
the days will come when the bride groom
shall be taken away from them, and
then shall they fast in those days" This
was taken by the early Christians TO
mean that there should be a period of
self-denial and fasting before the events
leading up to His Passion and Crucifix-
ion We're commemorated.
Even if Lent was not a long season
of fasting among the primitive Chris
tlanS, it soon became so, and there are
ecclesiastical records to show that prior
to the Fourth century the Lenten season
was generally fixed at forty days and
this period preceded the festival of the
Resurrection or Easter. The custom has
lasted then for at least 100 years, prac-
tically as it is today. The Roman &c
clesiastical name for Lent is Jejunium
Quadragesimale, ''the fast of forty
days" The English word Lent is from
the Anglo-SaXon word Lencten, meaning
Spring, with reference to the season in
which it occurs.
The manner of observing Lent during
the first seven centuries of the Chris
tan era varied, yet 1t is also true that
very strict laws for its observance We're
enacted, and Charlemagne when he con-
quered SaXony went to the Length Of or
dering that n Saxon should be liable TO
death if he Wantonly disregarded the
prescribed observanceS Of the holy sea-
son
1t has always been the general opinion
that the early and finally the prevailing
idea of fixing the Lenten period at forty
days grew out of the forty day periods
in the Bible.
Jonah In his denunciation gave Nine
yah forty days of grace. Moses and
Elijah were forty days in the Wilderness
Christ tasted and underwent temptation
for forty days. SO it was natural that
a great commemorative and penitentia!
observance like Lent should by general
and gradual consent and custom fix itself
upon d period of forty days.
Successive edicts of the church nodded
Lent into its present form over 1000
years ago and since then it has re-
mHined practically unaltered.
Many Protestants voluntarily observe
Lent with prayer and penitence aud
fasting
In the Roman Catholic church the
Greek church, the Anglican church, and
the Episcopal church in this country.
which is one in doctrine with the Angh-
can, or English church, the observance
of Lent is obligatory.
The custom of celebrating Easter Sun
day with elaborate services Of song has
been greatly -amplified in the Roman
Catholic and Episcopal churches within
the past few years and nearly all the
Protestant denominations. particularly
in the cities, have begun to take notice
of the day
Ash Wednesday falling on February
2Sth this year makes Palm Sunday April
8, Good Friday April Is, and Easter
Sunday, April 10Th.