The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1908-03-11
LENT.
Forty Day Period to be Observed by
Many Churchmen Is a Period of
Penance and Fasting For EpiscO-
palians and Catholics.

palians and Catholics.
On last Wednesday, March 4,
known In religious circles as
Ash Wednesday the time of
pcnance and preparation known
as Lent began and the day
was observed with fitting and appro-
pirate service in the Episcopal and
Catholic churches. Lent continues
for period of forty days and it Is
observed as time when the devout
abstain from the worldly pleasures.
Good Friday falls on April 17th and
Easter Sunday on April 18th.
A we'll known churchman in dis
cussing Lent recently said:
II And there is good deal OF ig-
norance you might say. IN regard to
the real meaning Of certain feast and
sacred days In connection with Lent.
AZ this period Is near at hand I have
heard many questions which prove
that am right In my assertion. For
instance. the observance Of Shrove
Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. What
l. really meant by Ahrove. shriven
rather. - confessing and il the COM
m%ncement Of time for confession ex-
tending over the period Of forty days
before Easter.
I'm England the day was observed
by cock lighting. bail playing. bull
batting. and In some countries It 10 q
time for pancakes and fritaers. which
gave It the name OF Pancake Tues
day. The carnival II observed on
that day known 10 be nothing more
than the continuation Of heather
feast observed by Old Romans. which
the church unablc to eliminate, was
forced to preserve in connection with
the observance Of Lent.
The :dea Of feasting ana reveling
to yuch an extent before the sudden
ce4sation OF worldly pleasures has
never been approved by the Sest
hut custom has brought
Il down thrpugh the centuries. It IL
gradually and surely being eliminat-
ed, however. for tho Christian world.
ana the time will come. believe.
when there will be no more Mardi
Gras celebrations IN the United
States.
''Ash Wed ,esdsy derives It's name
from the custom OF the Catholic GER
emony In strewing ashes on the head
a an act Of pcnitence. The present
custom In tpr the priest 70 sprinkle
ashes on the head OF each penitent
while he say6 IA Latin. Remember.
man. thou art dust and shall return to
dust This observance Il not used
IN the Episcopal church winch. hew-
ever. regards II as . sacred day
Many people cannot understand whom
Easter should come. The 40 days OF
Lent II patterned OTTER the fast OBJ
served BY Christ before His crucinx-
lon and 1t was observed by Moses and
Elijah In their fasting.
"Ash wednesday comes on the Ath
Of March this year and Easter. April
1sth. just IL days later. which. ex.
cluding tho SundayA makes Il 20
days. Palm Sunday comes the SUM-
day before Lent ana 1t Is the COM
mcmoration Of Christs triumphai en-.
try into Jerusalem when the p<opls
spread palms in His path and shout
ed fEosanna.' During that week
comes good Friday. the tho day Of
Chrigt's crucinxion. the most sacred
day In church Observance and then
comes the day OF resurrection. when
all tho world came from IT, gloom
and Christ rose from tn" dead triurn-
phant over death and oin.
"witt. the exception Iof the Cath,,ic
and Episcopal churches. these days
ore not observed ~ the other church,
es claim that hcre Is no direction
given in Scripture for such celebra-
tions. the only .,e being the positive
command to observe the Sabbath day
and to them every Sunday u Easter,
or the celebration Of the resurrec.
tion."