New-York tribune., 1907-03-31

Twas Easter Sunday. full bossorned trees
Filled al the earth with fragrance and with Joy.
Easter Is the chief festival OF the Church, and
4 course. the Little Men and Little Women always
look forward TO It with pleasure Festivals Of some
kind seem TO be necessary to all the members Of
the human race, big little, and nothing could be
more natural than that there should be this
time Of the year, when nature is waking up from
her long winter sleep TO put life. There
has perhaps never been a time when there was not
q celebration OF kind the end Of winter for
people must express their Joy in one way or an
other. If it is only little girls do when
at the first signs Of spring. they invariably with
accord get out their skipping ropes, which may
have been laid away and forgotten for eleven
months.
the name Of the Saxon goddess Of spring and it IS
easy to imagine that before our heather ancestors
were converted 10 Christianity they used to have
q great spring festival in honor of the goddess
With the advent Of Christianity the same season.
when all nature suggests joyous thoughts. would
naturally be selected for the festival that COM
Fnemorates the resurrection Of Christ.
AT first there was great disagreement as to the
exact day that should be set Tor this great festival
The Jewish Christians wanted 10 have il at the
same time the Feast of the Passover. but others
would not agree TO that, and the result was that
FOR hundreds Of years different branches Of the
Church celebrated Easter on different days. II is
because part OF the Church did time keep
s-aSteF al the same tine as the Jewish Passover
that the word 'paschal" IS now used in reference
either 70 Easter or the Passover The question as
% toS particular day on which Easter was to be
celebrated was discussed in Church councils, and
al the learned men of the Church gave il their
most serious consideration until il was finally de-
cided fhaf Fte nav sho,ld ~ .s,l,e 6ret i1,,1a -
after the fun moon which happens upon or next
after March 2l and IL the fLll moon happens upon
- - expected 10 understand TINS except tie
astronomers and mathematcians, who discover and
announce 10 the general public on what particular
cay I-aSter VIII 1all eacn year.
The only reason for mentioning this bewlldering
cecision of the Church is that IL gives a hint Of
Sle connection between Easter and rabbits. 1t
must first be explained that the rabbit is all a
mistake, and the animal that appears in our
Easter pictures and done in sugar in the windows
stead OF a rabbit. The hare has from time imme-
mortal been the symbol of the moon, and the
hnd natural that the hare should be associated
With THIS season. In Germany the Easter hare is
81 al,Ost as important a parsonage as St Nicholas
- Us naDlts somewhat resemble those OF that
much loved saint. On the night before Easter
wfite hare enters the homes OF all children who
aNe been good ana hides IN all sorts of out-cf-the
way corners any number OF beautifully cOlOred
eggs. Anyway, the children find the eggs when
Iney hunt for them. and II would perhaps be pre-
S5eriaan 10 express opinion 10 where they
really come from.
rabbit IS Lot hare, although they are cons
rs There IS one marked difference between them
IHe baby rabbit, ali know who keep these little
assls,esss, while the baby hare has its eyes open
IRON the beginning. and IS soon able to take care
= c sssel II has been believed that the hare never
ci,(sl - S.ea' ana Lhat IS one reason why II is
Ilt9seh as the symbol OF the moon, which always
nas US eyes open and sees everything that goes
- az llShL Just how the rabbit error was In
HOeuced Is not known. IL may have been an the
ss@utt ot me confectioners, who no doubt thought
taey could make candy without studying nature
sno therefore never learned that there was any
llmerence between a rabbit and a hare.
me use OF eggs IN the celebration OF spring is