The Spanish Fork press. [volume] (Spanish Fork, Utah) 1902-current, 1907-03-28

lnS VI uellcaJe 1aDrlCS SprlSged
with flowers that might make
nature envious; of airy, fairy hats.
trimmed in stolen bits of rainbow; of
irresistible sugar eggs, chocolate rab-
bits and yellowdown chickabiddies.
In the fields, an opening of leaf and
blossom and meadow lark's song.
In the churches, an opening of tomb
and an angel of life in place of the
dead. The opening of human hearts
In love toward God, man, and the lit
tie sparrow; the opening of hands
outstretched to the unfortunate and
, the SHINING. 1t is Eastertide.
While the resurrection from the
dead Is the pivotal belief upon which
the whole Christian faith turns, the
word Easter Is of pagan origin. Eastre
being the Saxon name OF an old Teu-
tolic goddess who was the personi.
ncation of morning and spring. Like
wise, in many of our Easter observ-
ance Christianity has laid its i'm
press upon old pagan myths and Gus.
toms-the joy in the new spring life
that leaped so high a flame in the
0oniires upon the hillsides now stead.
lily cleaning In altar taper and spring
flowers once faily gathered for out.
door festival song and dance now
reverently crowding the churches.
Our own earliest recollections of
Easter are flashing memories of those
first Easter eggs-red, yellow and
glorious royal purple-that rolled out
or fairyland into everyday life to
mystify our wondering eyes with their
strange beauty. And by happy coin
cidence, the egg is the oldest of the
symbols connected with Easter In
fact, II 1t were an aspirant for mem.
bership in some glass-case society of
antique superstitions 1t could trace
its geneaology back to ancient Persia
and Egypt. The Persians. looking
upon their new year-which comes
on the 18th of March-as the renewal
OF all things, celebrated the festival
by exchanging colored eggs The
Egyptians considered an egg a sacred
emblem of the renovation of mankind
after the Deluge. From them. the
Jews adopted it for sign and sym.
Dol. it now becoming the triumphant
type of their departure from Egvpt
and intimately associated with the
least OF the Passover, eggs always
being on the table with the pascbal
lamb The Christians, loving the dear
old family traditions. naturally gave
the egg place of honor in the cele.
bration of the paschal lamb. the
Easter egg being IA most fit emblem
OF the Resurrection. the rising up
out the grave, in the same manner as
the chick, entombed, as 1t were. in
the egg, is in due time brought to
life"
Tn pretty custom of hunting for
East eggs originated in Germany.
where the eggs were hidden in the
tall grass by mothers and pet aunties
and eagerly searched for by all the
excited youngsters of the family. In
the Bristol museum, there is a Ger.
man print representing three hens up. |
basket with three eggs
bearing the emblems Faith, Hope and
with this legend in German:
"All good things are three.
Therefore | present you three Easter
eggs,
Faith and Hope. together with Char.
ity.
Fever lose from the heart.
Faith to the church; Hope in God
And love Him to thy death"
In Russia. Easter eggs are ex
changed even by the dear dignlfied
Easter morning. a man
goes to his friends house and greets
him with: Jesus Christ Is risen"
The friend answers. Yes. lie is