The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-06
Easter in an English Cathedral.

Faster means more to an English Protestant
than TO an American Protestant. Here in Amer.
ica it is one April Sunday, marked by beautiful
floral Gecora ions, and the elaborate Efforts Of the
choir. There il four days season, Good Friday
being the most solemn of religious anniversaries,
Easter Sunday the most triumphant festival and
Faster Monday one of the most popular Of the
four national bank holidays Of the year.
10 spend these days in the cathedral town Of
Wells was in itself a hcightening Of interest.
Here is a town in which the cathedral absolutely
dominates The cdihcc il SO truly satisfying
that habt,al cathedral pilgrims pronounce it one
of the most precious architectural jewels in Eng
land. They do not seek il because saint was
murdered here, nor king buried here nor be-
cause OF fantastic creations Of stone in its strnc
tnrc. Its attractivcncss is more intrinsic, The
style is SO perfect as to seem devoid Of style,
and the cncirclins cloistcrs and classes and gate
ways and stairways, the deans house., and the
bishops palace, with actual moat and draw
bridge, help to make it classic in stone
Good Friday announces itself as a holiday. The
schools are closed, the shops remain open only so
long as until the worshippng people can order
their daily supplies Among these supplies Hot
cross Buns conspicuous. They are round.
fruty buns OF raised dough, cut by two sashes
ON the top, not so much for religious symbol,
am convinced, as n simple means of allowing
the gas 10 pass out in baking, and related closely
10 the fern Leaf patterns pricked by fork on
an orthodox apple pie. with these buns there
were sold large hat cakes, very thin and very
sweet. known as Faster Cookies, which divided
local popularity with the buns of wider reputa-
tiou.
course, but that of minor interest compared
to the Three Hour Service, which began at noon
and conmemorated the period during which
Christ hung on tho cross. This service was
held in the open Lady Chapel back of the altar,
and was attended by hundreds of people at
time. All were at liberty to come and go as
they wished, their footsteps being hushed
the smooth, marble floors OF the aisles, thus
causing no interruption nor disturbance
The soemnity Of the hour can never be for
gotten II was due TO the occasion, the place
and the leader Rev Mr.. Charasse, now bishop
Of Liverpool, then principal of Wiclif Hall, OS.
ford. Never, in picture or panorama or story,
has the suffering Savior been brought more
clearly before the mental vision than lie came
that day to us, when this reverent man of God
described Our Blessed Lords last hours on earth,
Mr. Charasse spoke The seven nttersnccs from
the cross:
FEATHER, forgive them, for they know not what
they do"
'veriy, say unto thee to-day thou shalt be
with me in Paradise"
''woman, behold thy son; son, behold Thy
mother"
'My God! My God. Why hast Thou forsaken
me?"
~ thirst"
at is finished"
"Father into Thy hands commend my spirit"
After each bSief address there waS silent and
audible prayer and an appropriate hymn. The
sermon did more than picture Christ to the
imagination; it brought to the heart Him who
died on the tree for our sins, and by whose
agony we are redeemed. One shudders to think