The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-10
EASTER DAY

EA1SlfLf6 Dl14.
Although the observance of Easter
Day-the commemoration of the res
direction of Jesus Christ-is the
greatest of festivals in the Christian
religious world of today, as it has been
for many centuries, there is no trace
of the celebration of Easter as
Christian festival in the New Tesla
ment or in the writings of the apos-
ties. The sanctity Of special times or
places was an idea quite alien from
the early Christian mind, too pro-
foundly absorbed in the events them
selves to think of their external acct
dents. "The whole of time is festi-
val unto Christians because of the ex-
cellency of the good things which
have been given" writes Chrysostoin,
| commenting on the passage I Corin-
THAN v, z and 8: purge out therefore
the old leaven, that We may be new
! lump, as ye are unleavened. For even
Christ our passover is sacrificed for
US: Therefore let US keep the feast.
not with cid leaven, neither with the
heaven of malice and wickedness; but
with the unleavened bread of SINGER
| ity and truth'-which has been err
roneously supposed to refer to an
apostolic observance of Easter. Origen
also in the same spirit urges that the
Christian who dwells on the truths of
Christ as our passover and the gift of
the Holy Ghost is every day keeping
an Easter and a Pentacosta1 feast.
| The ecclesiastical historian Score les
staten with perfect truth that neither
| Christ nor his apostles enjoined the
keeping of this or any other festival.
| 1.-The apostles" he writes, had no
thought of appointing festival days,
but of promoting a life of blameless-
ness and piety," and he attributes the
| introduction of the festival of Easter
into the church to the perpetuation of
an old usage "just as many other GUS
toms have been established This is
doubtless the true statement of the
case. The first Christians, being de-
rived from, or intimately connected
with the Jewish church, naturally
continued to observe the Jewish fes-
| rivals. though in new spirit, as COM
memorations of events of which these
had been shadows. The Passover, en-
nobled by the thought of Christ the
J true Paschal Lamb, the ffrst-fruits
from the dead, continued to be cell
ebrated, and became the Christian
| Easter. Thus the human instinct
which everywhere Graves for the COM
memoration of marked epochs in the
! personal, social, Ecclesiastical, or ma
tional life, found it's legitimate gratifi-
cation in the public celebration of the
| events which are the foundation of the
Christian faith.
| And though the observances of the
Paschal festival became a rule at a
very early period in the Christian
Echurch a difference as to the time of
its celebration speedily sprang up be-
tween the Christians of Jewish and
| Gentle descent. But the meeting of
the great ecumenical, or world coun-
Gill; at Nice in 325 brought the warning
factions in this regard together and
since that period all followers of the
Christian religion have celebrated the
| festival of Easter at the same time,
but it is not on the same date each
| year for Easter Is a movable feast. 1t
can happen as early as March % and
as late as April Is, and it's date is de-
Itermined by the moon. 1t is not the
moon that is visible, nor even the as
ltronomer's mean moon that regulates
the time of Easter. but an altogether
imaginary moon, whose periods are so
contrived that the new, or calendar,
moon always follows the real new
moon sometimes by two, or even three
days. The effect of this is that the 14th
: of the calendar moon, which from the
| time of Moses has been considered full
moon for religious purposes, falls US
ually upon the 18th or 10th of the real
moon, after the real full moon, which
is generally on the 14th or 18th day.
On the basis that by the full moon is
! meant the 14th day of the calendar
moon, the rule is that Easter Day is
always the first Sunday after the Pas
chal full moon, the full moon which
happens on or next after March 81.
If the full moon happens on Sunday,
Easter Day Is the Sunday after.
: Aside from the ecclesiastical feature,
l Easter has really become a day OF
: vast Importance, both socially and
commercially. 1t is so in the former
case, because the practice of Easter
calls, and of social function giving, has
: gained such proportions that all Lent
is largely devoted to preparing for
l them. The Christian world sacrifices
, much more in the Lenten season than
' most persons imagine. These sacri-
a fees are not great in the majority OF
: instances, but each has its meaning
I and significance. A natural result OF
= such a situation is that the arrival OF
Easter means a surcease of sacrifice
and the keen desire for pleasure seek
, ing such an occasion always creates.
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