Waterbury evening Democrat., 1907-03-30
ASPIRING AN IOpENlNG 4ZAG7ZRv7HOLlGH7s AND SQlN !. EATER .Na 7RAVTZONcS GN &HBT MAY c. RlNGWALTSk
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\ SPRING opening everywhere!
 A In the shop windows, an open. H ing of delicate fabrics sprigged
 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 yellow-down chickabiddies. In the fields, an opening of leaf and blossom and a meadow lark's song. Tn 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. ele sparrow; the opening of hands outstretched to the unfortunate and the shining. It 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- tonic goddess who was the personi- hcation of morning and spring. ~Like- wise. in many of our Easter observ. ances Christianity has laid its inn press upon old pagan myths and GUS toms-the joy in the new spring life that leaped so high a flame in the bonfires upon the hillsides now stead fly 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 nrst Easter eggs-red. yellow and glorious royal purple-that rolled out of 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. if it were an aspirant for mem. bership in some glass-case society of antique superstitions 1t could trace Its geneaology hack 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 1t for a sign and sym- bol. it now becoming the triumphant type of their departure from Egypt and intimately associated with the feast of the Passover. eggs always being on the table with the paschal lamb. The Christians. loving the dear old family traditions, naturally gave the egg place of honor in the cele- bration Of the pascbsl lamb. the Easter egg being a most fit emblem of the Resurrection. the rising up cut the grave. in the same manner as the chick. entombed. as 1t were. in the egg. is in due time brought to life"
 The pretty custom of hunting for Easter eggs originated in Germany. where the eggs were hidden in the tall grass by mothers and pet aunties. 1 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- i bolding basket with three eggs bearing the emblems Faith. Hope and Charity. with this legend in German: All good things are three.
 Therefore present you three Easter
 eggs.
 Faith and Hope. together with Char.
 ity.
 Never 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 diznified Irovn-ups- Easter morning. a man yoes to his friends house and greefs him with. Jesus Christ is risen The friend answers: -Yes. He is