Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-04-22
Easter Sunday.


Faster Sunday falls tomorrow. the
chief festival Of the Christian year,
dav hohorcd by special observances III
every land that is blessed by the light
of Christianity. In some denomiha-
tons Easter is celebrated with more
stately and elaborate ceremonies thah
I'm others. but for all Christians, what
ever their creed or name, the day Is
filled with sacred Significance and pre-
cious associations. In recent years.
along with the crumbing away Oh
many of the old barriers that eXisteo
between the various denominations
the observance of Easter is becoming
more and more general and its beauu-
full story is more widely told III soils
and sermon, while to increasing NH
lions of hearts the message OIL lhe
Eastc,. lilies becomes a living force.
Centuries before the Christian era,
the pagan nations celebrated at inns
season a festival in honor OF the god
dess of spring: then the Hebrews ceic-
bratcd the passover at this same sea-
son. and SO the celebration OF Easter
was not something which the Chris
tians originated upon the actual ami
yers:rv of the resurrection of Christ.
II was one Of the many instances in
which the early Christians perpetuated
an old usage and used for their own
ends Something which had long existed
earlier I'm other forms. The very name
of Easter" comes from the Anglo
Saxon word for Spring" and the name
by which Easter Is known among the
French. Italian and Spanish nations IS
derived from the Hebrew name OF the
passover festival. But the fact that
Easter does not fall upon the exact an
niversary Of the resurrection Of Christ
L,.tracts little from its Significance ana
value as d Christian festival 1t IS eel
chratnd and has been celebrated Tor
many centuries, in commcnoration OF
the central fact of our religion ana
with it have been associated various
curious and interesting customs dear
to the heart of generation after genera
ton.
In the carly days of the Christian
~, there is no record Of the celebration
of Easier as Il Christian festival. The
apostles did not appoint special days
for observance, but since the first
Christians We're derived o. intimately
connected with the Jewish church, IL
WAS natural that the jewish festivals
should survive as cofhhFmora lions OF
the events of which they had been the
shadows. There is sa5shuman instinct
which everywhere Graves for ii COM
mcmoration of marked cpochs in per-
sonaI ecclesiastical or national life.
aud this found a legitimate Erattica-
ton in the public celebration of the
great event which is the foundation OF
the Christian faith. There WAS at hrSt
a wide difference of opinion as to the
time when Easter should be observed.
and ina the early centuries the different
scots of Christians persisted in OBJ
serving it at widely different times.
This led to many bitter controversies
and il was not until relatively modern
times that there was any harmony in
this matter. and our present methods oil
reckoning the date of Easter was
agreed upon.
Aside from itll the historical associa-
toms with the pagan festival to the
Eo,i,lcss Of spring and the Jewish cele-
br,tion of the passover, it is of course
cmincptly fitting that the celebration
of the resurrection. upon which we
base our faith in Immortality, should
he observed at the beginning Of the
beautiful springtime, when all nature
around us brcathes promise of re-
ncwed and happier life. Although the
festival of springtime is as old us the
hopes which blossom in the heart of
man, and although the Jews celebrated
the passover and the pagan Romans
paid tribute to the goddess of spring.
yet neither the Jews nor the Romans
interpreted the whole message of
sprinGtimc. The story of the resurrec-
ton has given a new meaning TO the
regeneration of the earth which comes
with the Spring. When the bars Of
winter are broken and out of the dark
ness and mold come the beautiful
flowers of spring. it is easier to believe
and understand that the GOODNESS and
gloom of thestomb shall be followed by
the light anu life Of the resurrection
morning when the stone has been
rolled away.
car,.1Sr, in