Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1901-02-23
lent Begun.

The day that ushers ia the church
penitential season is SO called partly
as a general reference to the sackcloth
and ashes SO often mentioned In Old
Testament Scripture and more partic-
uiarly 10 the Roman Catholic custom
Of the priest making the sign or the
cross on the foreheads of the peni-
tents with the ashes of the palm
branches used on Palm Sunday OF the
year before.
Ia ancient times the Jews had
similar period Of mourning and the
penance In which they were accustom-
ed 20 cover their heads with ashes and
clothe themselves in sackcloth. In
| Anglican churches of ritualistic ten
denotes the reading OF curses directed
against impenitent sinners takes the
place of the ashes upon this day.
Originally this ceremony of marking
the forhead with ashes was made on
" upon public penitents who came be-
fore the Bishop barefoted and IN
penitential gnrb. Gradually, how
ever, many others wishing TO manifest
their humility or to show affection
to some one Of the penitents Joined
the procession similarly CARRIED aud
We're marked with the ashes.
The number became so large event
ually that the whole congregation had
to be included and the ceremony took
its present form.
Ash Wednesday was not always IN
cluded ia the Lenten season, either.
Lent began the Sunday after Ash We'd
nesday in the fifth and sixth centuries.
and lasted six weeks, which, emitting
the Sundays made il thirty six days.
Just when the other four days were
added isn't positively known but a.
snredly before ia, as in that year 4
capitulary Of the Church Of Toulon
describes the Lenten period as SINH
lar 10 our own. The change, Of course
is easily understood, as IL makes this
fast Of the same duration as those Of
the Bible, those Of Moses, Elias, and
our Saviour As with most set days.
Ash Wednesday has It's curious GUS
toms in the various countries.
In number Of places in Germany
one practice might well be called
foolish. Here the youths used to get
all the girls with whom they had
danced during the year and take them
in cart or tumbrel drawing it them.
selves instead of horses. TO the near~
est lake or river, and there wet them
thoroughly.
A jack o'lantern was Il feature "a
olden Ash Wednesdays. This wns
scarecrow like figure, IMPLYING Lent.
and carried in procession to be bent-
en- with sticks by the crowds Frencl1
peasants used to carry around q
similar figure on this day. only H.
was intended to represent good cheer
AS Ash "Wednesday put stop ID
good cheer for d period, they solicit-
ed money for burial Of the figure
personifying, good cheer. After n
number Of seemingly silly mum
meries the body was consigned 70 u
grave.
Perhaps the most singular Of Lel-
ten customs came to an end during
the reign Of George ! through tho
hurt vanity Of his successor then
Prince Of Wales. An odd practice q
the royal household had an officer
called the kings cock Grower, during
Lent crow for every hou- Of the
night, instead of the watchmnn pro-
claiming il, as was customary.
The first Ash Wednesday after the
Hanoverian succession, however when
the Prince Of Wales, who afterwarl
became George II. sat down To hin!
supper the kings cock Grower an
peared and gave forth ton shrill
crows. The Prince thought some
affront was intended and his astonish
ment was unequaled by his wounded
feelings and ii is said he was furious
ly angry. From this on the Growing
OF cock no longer called the inhabi-
tants Of the palace to repentance KAN
he did Peter. which this was sup
posed to typify), hut was left to their
own consciences.
Deafness Cannot be Cured.