Evening journal., 1909-02-24
SEASON
BEGINS TODAY
Social Season Suspended for
Period of Forty
Days
CHURCH SERVICES
TO BE IMPRESSIVE

with the beginning Of Lent to-day
known as Ash wednesday-society bids
au revoir to the world, the flesh. etc. for
40 days, coming out of its retreat and life
of meditation and abstinence on April IL
Easter Sunday.
The season is the most important and
solemn one in the entire church calendar
of the Roman Catholic Protestant Epis-
copal, Reformed and Lutheran churches.
There are many members of other
churches who also observe the holy sea-
son by moderation in the swift pace of
modern life and by more frequent indulg-
ence in religious meditation and observ-
ances of the means Of grace.
The social season ends with Ash We'd
nesday, and from that time on all social
functions, theaters. dances and even we'd
dings are forbidden in the churches in
which the season is rigidly observed. The
particular observances of Lent take the
form Of fasting. abstinence and self-abne-
CATION by the laietl. while the churches
celebrate It with extra services, which in
many cases. take place several times
d-y. The Sundays of the season are con-
sidered as being excluded, from the regu-
lar fast days.
MONDAY Services.
The special MONDAY Lenten services
which have been customary at ST. An
drew's Church under the auspices of the
Brotherhood of st. Andrew, will be con-
tinued as usual this year. In past years
these short meetings have been character
lied by great interest and each day large
crowds attended the services, made up
large of members of other churches than
the Protestant Episcopal.
An unusually strong list Of speakers for
the services has been announced for this
years series. consisting of well-known
piscopal clergymen. There will be no
meetings on Saturdays and Sundays.
Many of the other churches have ar
ranged elaborate programs for appro-
pirate Lenten services. The music plays
an importants part in the observances,
and many beautiful and solemn masses
and services by the masters are only
heard at these services, not being used at
other times Of the year.
As the season advances the character
OF the music becomes more solemn, as
fitting the approach Of the solemn hush
Of the Crucixion. During Holy Week
there is no organ music in the Roman
Catholic churches the masses and entire
service being sung in solemn. unaccom-
panied chant. In the Tenebrae-the dark
ness-the acme OF awed musical intona-
tion is reached. typifying the hours be-
for -the crucifxion Of Christ.
Impressive Observance.
Its observance is most impressive. As
the music pescribes the neeting Of the
minutes before Christ Is placed on the
cross. the lights are gradually extin-
guished until at the moment the de-
scriptHn Of the Great Sacrifice is reach
ed the church is in total darkness. All the
while the solemn chanting of a hundred
voices continues. Suddenly. without a
moments warning. the lights flame up
again with a glorious burstl typical Of
the Resurrection. The effecf IS inde-
scribable and one not soon forgotten The
Tenebrae is sung only in Roman Catholic
Churches on the Wednesday before Eas-
ter, Holy Thursday and Good Friday
An interesting story is told concerning
the Tenebrae. II was long a tradition of
the church that the service should be
memorized by the singers. and they were
not allowed to use manuscripts in fact.
the musical setting was forbidden all
publicity. In no Mozart, the great COM
poser, was in Rome during Holy Week.
when he went to the Sistine chapel Of the
Vatican and heard the Tenebrae sung.
He was so impressed that he took slip
Of paper out and jotted the music down.
He returned the next day and verified his
copy, and showing it to one of the musi-
clans who had sung in the services. a
famous tenor, he was assured that it was
letter perfect.