The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1907-03-23
PAGE. tlanTEnN

A SPRING opening everywhere!
~ In the shop windows, an open
ing of delicate fabrics sprigged
with flowers that might make
nature envious OF airy, fairy hats.
trimmed in stolen bits of rainbow: pf
irresistible sugar eggs, chocolate rab-
bits and yelow.down chickabddles.
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, II is Eastertidc.
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 Tcu-
tonic goddess who was the personi-
fcation of morning and spring. Like.
wise, in many Of our Easter observ-
snces 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 fame in tho
bonfres upon the hillsdes now stead
lily cleaning In altar taper, and spring
flowers once faily gathered for out.
door festival song aud dance now
reyerently crowding the churches.
Our own earliest rccolections of
Easter are flashing memories of those
first Easter eggs--red, yellow and
glorious royal purple-that rolled out
OF fairyland into everyday life to
rnystify our wondering oycs with their
strange beauty And by happy coin
cidence. the egg Is the oldest of the
symbols connected with Easter. In
fact, II II were an aspirant for mem;
bership in some glass.case society OF
antique superstitions il could trace
tie Eeneaology 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. Tho
Egyptians considered an egg sacred
emblem of the renovation of mankind
after the Delugc. From them. the
Jews adopted ~ for a sign and sym.
Dol, II 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 eeg a place of honor in the cele-
hrstion Of the pascha lamb. the
Easter egg being most III Emblem
OF The Resurrection, the riiing ur
out the grave, In the same MAJ as
the chick, entombed, as it serc, In
the egg, Is in due time bpAnght tr
Iife.''5
The pretty custom Of hMting fol
Easter 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 Ger
man print representing three hens up
holding a basket with three eggs
beari6g the embems Faith, Hope ant
Charity, with this legend in German
"Ali good things are three.
Therefore present you three Easter
eggs,
FAITH and Hope, together with Char
Nh3 ity.
Never lose from the heart.
Faith 10 the church. Hope IN God
And love Him 10 thy death"
z In Russia, Easter eggs are ex
changed even by the dear dighihet
6rown.ups. Easter morning, mar
Goct 10 his friends house and greet'
him With ..Iesus Christ Is risen.
The friend suswers; "yes. He 1