Evening star., 1902-02-12
BEGINNING OF LENT
ASH WEDNESDAY OPENS THE Pc
RIoD OF sELF-DISCIPLINE.
Services in Catholic and Episcopal
Churches This Morning. What the
Observance Stands For.

Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning
of Lent and the Catholic and Episcopal
churches of the city held special Lenten
services in observance OF the time -honored
custom. Services were held In the Catholic
churches beginning at 7:3O this morning.
and In the Episcopal churches at IL o'clock.
Similar services will be continued during
the week days until Easter.
Ash Wednesday derives its name from
the Catholic observance of blessing the
ashes and placing them upon the foreheads
of communicates, and it marks the COM
mencement of the forty days fast before
Easter, which has been observed since the
earliest Christian times The primary OBJ
ject of this forty days fast was a desire to
perpetuate in the hearts of every genera
tion the sorrow and mourning OF the
apostles and disciples when they were de-
prived of the person Of the Savior But later
the institution became period or self-dlS-
cipline, with the object to subjugate the
physical desires and pleasures to the higher
spiritual purposes. In keeping with this
idea not only is abstinence from food re-
quired, but also denial Of the pleasures
and gaietieS of social life.
Lent is essentially a period of spiritual
development, and during this period lee
lures and educational discourses which de-
velop the mind and promote high ideals are
provided; sermons which incline the heart
to ministrations OF charity and active Chris
tian work are also preached, and general
spirit of devoutness and submissiveness to
the divine will is promoted. Incidentally
Lent is q means of earnest preparation for
the communion Of Easter, when the hearts
and lives should be in better condition to
understand the meanings of the resurrec-
ton.
Bishop and Bishop-Elect.
Two interesting events Of the beginning
OF Lent today were the preaching by Bishop
Potter Of the sermon at st. Johns this
morning and the service this evening at
Christ Church. Georgetown, when the Rev.
DR.. Alexander Mackay-Smith, bishop CO.
adjutor-elect Of Pennsylvania. will preach.
There will also be a series OF free organ re-
citals at st. Andrews Episcopal Church.
corner 14th and Corcoran streets. during
Lent, at 430 pm. by Mr.. Fulton B. Karr,
organlst assisted by the members OF the
church quartet. the first Of which will oc-
cur next Saturday, at which Mr.. John L.
Apple. tenor and director Of the choir will
be the soloist, followed by Mrs. Fannie At
Lee Gage, soprano, on March l. Mrs. j.
Roberts. contralto, on March 10. and Mr..
Charles Yates baSso on March 20. At each
recital there will be one number of the
quartet
tomorrow afternoon at the services of the
perpetual adora ton at ST. Patricks Church.
The opening chorus will be F. Rigas 20
Cor Amoris,' followed by Wiegan's "Veni
Creator" a soprano solo: then: Violin solo,
Romance, Svendsen: tenor solo, with violin
obligato, Salutaris, GODDARD; alto solo,
The Kingdom Come, words by Mrs. Anna
Porter. music by the Rev. Leonard: So
prano and tenor solo and quartet, Tantum
Ergo, Wiegan; chorus. Parce Domini, Gre
gorgian. Soprano soloist. Mrs. Annie Grant
Fugitt; alto, Miss Annie Grant; tenor, Mr..
Melville Hensey: bass. Mr.. Charles Good
child: violin. Mr.. Sol Minister; organist and
director Mr.. Armand Gumprecht.
Lenten Music.
The first in the series OF the usual Lenten
organ recitals by Mr.. H. H. Freeman, or
ganist and choirmaster of ST. Johns
Church, will occur next Saturday at 4:45
o'clock. Immediately following the regular
afternoon service, and on this occasion
Mr.. Freeman will be assisted by Messrs.
Ernest Lent, violoncellist, and Charles F.
Roberts. baritone. These recitals will be
free to the public and will continue week
ly until after Easter. Other local musi-
clans at the following recitals will be:
Misses Bertha Lucas, violinist: II. Theo-
dora Wight. contralto: Anita Cluss, harp
ist: Mr.. Anton Kaspar, violinist and Mas
ter Thomas Dobson, jr., soprano soost OF
ST. Johns Church.