The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-02-20
MOONS PHASES.
LENT.


OF late years, Lent has been i'll some
manner recognized in almost every
church. i'll Clristendom. True in many
cases it is not III their church d!c-
pine, vet i'll sone other manner Is The
occasion remembered. It's general
observance has recently been strong
ly argued By an association ot min
listers, which was composed OF nIenl
bcrs oil isariy all OF the Christian
Churches; and the Roman Catholic
Church has always had very strict
rules regarding the conduct OF its
followers during the penitential sea
son. That allwho profess Christian
;tv should remember the forty days
OF fasting and prayer, when such Il
noble example has been set IFS, is ap-
parent when wcgiye the su6Jec some
little Thought. Theperiod Immediate
" preceding the CrucItixion should
be observed with equal regularity as
Christmas though i'll an entirely
different manner. We outlined III
last week issue a call for genera
observance of this character and be
lieve that it is movement which
will meet with more general favor
each recurring year when its objects
are better understood.
For the next forty days, so:iai life
will be in a measure suspended and
Christians are supposed to devote
more than ordinary thought to their
spiritual welfare. The churches will
hold frequent services to which every
one is invited to attend. Of course
the ordinary vocations Of life cannot
be neglected for such a long contin-
uous period, and this fact is kept i'll
mind by convenient arrangements,
which will enable everyone to attend
church at least once or twice during
the week.
\ universal movement has been
started which encourages that all
places Of worship should be contin-
ually kept open. While this will not
be the case throughout the country,
yet the Lcnten period would be a
most excellent time to encourage
those, who fee! so inclined, to, at any
convenient period, repair to to their
respective places of worship and
there render unto Him such EumiIa-
lion and prayer as isrequired of the
creature by his Creator.
Some of the clergy, who are inclined
to take a pessimistic view oflile, have
been advancing the argument that
the world is growing steadily worse
as modern civilization advances. To
this view we cannot subscribe Our
sanction. So far as we can see, the
opposite is true While it is 4 fact,
that places of reformation contain a
larger number of inmates than
was formerly the case, yet we should
remember that thepopulation of this
country is rapidly on the increase,
and, in almost every case, crime is
the result of viscious habits which
have been nurtured by ignorance. 1t
needs but glance to tell that the
moral scale is on the upward plain.
Take for instance the over-indulgence
in strong drink Not many years
ago local custom provided the social
glass at every function, which case
today is the exception rather than
the rule Christianity is having its
good effect on those i'll every walk OF
life and as we increase in years we
will be able to note the continued
change for the better. The good
work will go on so long as each in
dividual does his part, until the time
Will come when it can truly be said
~ II
try.