Evening journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1888-1932, 1902-02-14
CUSTOMS Or
LRNTHN SEASON
Origin OF the Name 80 Dear
to the Church
Ducking the Girls in Germany.
When the Kings Cock Grower
Vas Not Appreciated

The day THAT ushers in the church
Ipenitential season is so called PARTLY as
a general reference to the sackcloth
and ashes so often mentioned in. Old
Testament Scripture and more particu-
llarly to the Roman Catholic custom of
the priest making the sign of the cross
on the foreheads of the penitents with
the ashes of The palm branches used on
Palm Sunday of the year before.
In ancient times the Jews had a SINH
lar period OF mourning and penance. in
which they were accustomed to cover
their heads with ashes and clothe
themselves in sack-cloth. In Anglican
churches of rdtualistic tendencies the
lreading of curses directed against i'm
lpenitent sinners takes the place of the
ashes upon this day. Originally this
ceremony of marking the forehead with
ashes was made only upon public peni-
tents who came before the bishop bare
footed and in penitential garb. Grad
lually, however many others wishing to
manifest their humility or to show af-
Election to some one of the penitents
Joined the procession similarly CARRIED
land were marked with the ashes.
The number became so large event
ually that the fhole congregation had
Ito be included and the ceremony took
llts present form.
Ash Wednesday was not always in
lcluded in the Lenten season, either.
Lent began THE Sunday after Ash We'd
Inesday in the fifth and sixth centuries,
land lasted six weeks, which, emitting
lthe Sundays, made it thirty-six days
Just when the other four days were
added isn't positively known, but as
lsuredly before TIA, as in that year a
Icapitulaly Of the Church of Toulin de-
lscribes the Lenten period as similar to
our own. The change, of course, is
easily understood, as it 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 its curious customs in
the various countries.
In a number Of places in Germany
lone practice might well be called fool
ish. Here the youths used to get all
the girls with whom they had danced
during the year and take them in cart
Tor tumbrel drawing it themselves in
stead OF horses, to the nearest lake or
river, and there wet them thoroughly.
A jack o. lantern was a feature of
oldem Ash Wednesdays This was a
lscarecrow-like figure, typifying Lent,
land carried around in procession to be
beaten with sticks by the crowds.
French peasants used to carry around
Ia similar figure on this day, only it
was INTENDED to represent good cheer.
AS Ash Wednesday put a stop to good
cheer for a period, they solicited money
for the burial of the figure personifying
good cheer. After a number of SEEM
lingly silly mummeries the body was
consigned to a grave.
Perhaps the most singular Benten
IcustOms came to an end during the
reign of George through the hurt van
ity of his successor, then Prince OF
Wales. An odd practice of the royal
household had an officer called the
kings cock Grower. during Lent crow
for every hour of the night, instead of
the Waterman proclaiming it, as was
customary.
The first Ash Wednesday after the
HanOverian succession, however, when
the Prince of Wales, who afterward be-
came George II, sat down to his supper
the kings cock Grower appeared and
gave forth ten shrill crows. The Prince
thought some affront was intended,
land his establishment was equaled by
his wounded feelings, and it is said he
was fJriously angry. From this on,
the Growing of a cock NO longer called
the inhabitants of the palace to re-
lpentance (as he did Peter, whidh this
was supposed to typify) but was left
to their own consciences.