The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-04-07
Sabbath Lessons.
Notable Days.


of the Christian year Like most of the
other important feasts Of the Christian
church, Easter is an adaptation by the
early fathers of the church Of a pagan
spring festival. The Jews got 1t from
the Egyptians. the Christians adopted
and adapted the Jewish Passover"
The Jewish year is not fixed as ours is.
The Jewish Passover occurs on the
fifteenth day of Nissan; as the year begins
at different time from year to year. so
the passover is celebrated on a different
day each year. And, as Easter is practi-
cally the same as the Passover its date
changes. The early fathers refused to
admit that Easter was the same as the
Passover and so decided that it should
be celebrated on the Sunday after the
full moon, which occurred upon or next
after March q, that being the date of
the vernal or spring equinox. So Easter
moves Around with a range from March
p to April %. Why the dates-Ash
Wednesday, Good Friday and Easter
connected with the risen Savior" should
be movable, and the birthday remain
fixed, is a matter difficult to explain.
Easter is the festival Of festivals in the
Christian religion, yet no trace OF its
being ordered can be found in the New
Testament nor in the writings of the ap-
iostolic fathers. Neither Christ nor his
apostles enjoin the keeping Of this or any
other festival In various Christian cOun-
tries sports, ceremonies and superstitions
prevail with the recurrence of Easter.
Among the most universal is the custom
of presenting colored eggs. In parts Of
England not long ago the men paraded
the streets and claimed the privilege of
lifting every woman three times from
the ground, receiving in payment a kiss
or silver siXpence. Next day the
women did the same thing for the men,
In Catholic countries the cay is celebrat-
ed with pomp, especially in Rome, where
the great cathedral of St. Peter is beau
tifully Illuminated, and the pope officiates
at mass.
In this country the celebration Of East
CT did not become in any degree general
until about the time of the Civil war
Many Protestant churches regarded the
Easter festival as one of the institutions
Of the Catholic church, and therefore dis
approved Of it. But during the war the
leading dissenting sects began to preach
Easter sermons and to decorate their
churches with Easter flowers. and now
all, or nearly ALL Christian churches in
the United States, irrespective Of title
or designation celebrate the day by
adjoining the pulpit or some portion OF
the sanctuary with flowers TYPICAL Of the
resurrection of the Savior.
So potent in its influence, appealing. as
the Easter celebration does, to the sense
Of the beautiful and to the appreciation
Of the harmony of nature, it is small
wonder that society joined the church in
observing Easter day During the lenten
period it gave up all social functions par
ties, balls, etc, and rested With the adj
vent of Easter begins the spring season
of society. And this means a busy time
not only ba u
those who minister to their material
needs and luxuries. Then comes the fes-
tival of the spring bonnet. and the conse-
quent harvest for the milliners. Then are
the dressmakers and tailors. caterers and
flower dealers, the busiest people in the
community. The florists are es pec:al y so.
A profusion of Easter l lies, Palms, white
roses, hydrangea blossoms white spisea,
azaleas and white hyacintIfs can be
found in all the florist establishments
They are used chiefly for church deco
ration, though there is a large demand
for them by private families
April is dedicated in the Catholic cal
endar to st. Francis, a celebrated Jesuit
missionary, called THE Apostle Ct the
Indies" He spent many years in the
East Indies and is said to have converted
many thousands of natives to his faith.
He was canonized in 1922
April 10 Is notable as the birthday, in
1775, Of Samuel Christian Friedrich Hahne-
mann, the German physician who found
ed the homeopathic system of medicine.
April II is dedicated in the Catholic
calendar to ST. Guthlac, hermit patron
of the Abbey of Croyland, one OF the
NEST interesting OF the old Saxon church
Ic1kers. His life uas written by the
Monk Felix. st. Guthlac lived in the
seventh century Croyland island. on
which he lived, has disappeared by rea-
son of the draining Of the marshes and
fen surrounding it. Many miracles are
recorded Of him.
April Il is the anniversary of the birth
Of a man, in 1777, Of whom it was said
by an adversary: HE was in public life
for fifty years and never attempted to
deceive his countrymen' Henry Clay.
April IL is the anniversary Of the birth,
in 1743, of the author Of the Declaration
of independence, and whose influence
upon American institutions is as great
as that of any other American-Thomas
Jefferson, third president Of the United
States.