Mountain Home maverick. [volume] (Mountain Home, Idaho) 1906-1911, 1909-04-08

EEsSsSSssEGSS the page of history than any
others. Throughout all the mutations
and vicissitudes that have entered
into the worlds history during the
past two thousand years the two fes-
rivals that commemorate respectively
the birth and the resurrection of the
Man of Nazareth still shine with lus
ter that remains unfaded after the
lapse of two centuries.
The Christian festival of Easter is
not only celebration of great an
tiquity. but many of its popular OBJ
servances are clearly of pagan origin.
In northern Germany the ancient Teu-
tons were accustomed to celebrate the
feast of the Goddess Ostara, who was
the personification of morning, or the
east, and also of the opening year. or
spring This custom continued to be
observed down to the beginning of the
present century. The pagan rites in
stituted by the Germans were brought
into England by the Saxons, and I'M
der the name of Easter the Teuton di-
vinity was honored by the Anglo-Sax-
ons with joy and feasting about the
same season of the year that the
Christian Easter festival arrives
IL was dDOul lu6 year 90 "A. H. THAT
the formal institution of the celebra-
ton of the day by Christians took
place. To the followers of the Risen
Lord the heather season of rejoicing
at the rising of the natural sun and
the awakening of nature at the death
of winter was easily suggestive of joy
at the rising of the Son Of Righteous
ness-the resurrection of Christ from
the tomb. 1t also followed as natural
result that the devout adherents of
the Christ in their reverence for the
day upon which was performed the
greatest and most sublime of miracles
should continue to set 1t apart each
week as day for divine worship, to
the utter exclusion of the Sabbath OF
the Decalogue.
The rites and ceremonies that char
acterize the celebration of the Easter
festival, although modified somewhat
in this age still retain many of the
features that marked it in earlier
years. In the early church the cere
monies lasted eight days. Courts OF
justice were closed and aims were dis
pensed in the churches to the poor
and needy Popular sports, farc-ca
exhibitions and dancing were INDUCED
in. These latter frivolities, however
were abolished by the reformers of the
sixteenth century. Our Anglo Saxor
ancestors held daily services in the
churches from Palm Sunday to the be
| ginning of the Easter festival People
| saluted each other with the Easter
kiss and the words Eek Surrexit" (Ht
has risen), to which greeting the repl,
We're Surrexit'' (He is risen indeed)
The chief solemnity of the occasion
was the celebration of the Lords sup
per-
In Russia Easter Sunday is a holi
day that exceeds all others. At mid
| night of Saturday metropolitan O
priest, preceded by a cross-bearer an,
boy bearing holy water, vessels an,
candles, and followed by a solemn pre-
cession, issues from the church an,
going round the wall sprinkles it wit
holy water. He then pronounces
benediction upon thousands of large
round, gilded loaves, pyramids of but
ter with palms stuck in them, an
eggs in great quantities. This cere
mony signals the close of Lent, an
ushers in Easter Sunday. Joyfu
voices of the faithful are heard cryin
out: "Christos vor Chris Christ
risen) al the response: HE is rise
indeed" The kiss upon either chez
is then given by all; this salute helm
given and received by emperor an
serf alike.