Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-11-20
X Famous Thanksgivings Of History x

Bradford by about 5000 years is that
which Moses made unto the Jews when
he babe them observe the feast of
tabernacles seven days, after that thou
hast gathered in thy corn and thy wine"
This feast was begun on the fifteenth day
of the seventh month in their calendar,
Tishri, which corresponds to part of our
September and October. 1t was instituted
principally in memory of the nomad Life
of the people in the desert, and the
booths and tents used on their march.
But in addition 1t also had an agricul-
tural Specification and was a feast Of the
'ingathering.'
During the feast the great majority Of
the people lived in booths that were made
of olive, pine. myrtle, palm and other
branches. as was hidden them do by
Moses. These booths were erected on the
roofs Of houses and in the streets and
courts. OF all the Jewish festivals this
was the most important and joyous. Dur
ing the seven days of its continuance
special sacrifices were offered. and a
greater number of burnt offerings than at
any of the other festivals. The 10y OF
the libation'' was one Of the special por-
lions Of the festival, consisting of the
priests fetching water from the well OF
Siloah and pouring it out. This took
pace during each mornings sacrifice
and was accompanied by music and
hymns. In addition to this there was a
grand illumination in the evening in the
court of women. This was said to have
lighted up the whole Of the city of Jeru-
salem. During and following this illumi-
Every day trumpets were sounded twen-
ty-one times.
At the conclusion Of the seven days
festival an eighth day was added. This
was entirely different from the other
days. being a day of solemn rest. On this
day the sacrifices and general service
differed from the preceding observances,
gression which might have been commit
ted during the hilarity Of the previous
feast days-was slaughtered. The agri-
cultural stgnification Of this festival has
gradually faded into nothing more than
historical or poetical "reminiscences, but
the observance Of the booths and the
harvest bunch, composed of branches Of
palm, myrtle and willow, and the esog-
fruit. which was carried in procession
in the temple by the faithful during t.e
seven days festival, still exists with the
strict adherents of traditional Judaism.
One OF the most important festivals
celebrated by the Greeks was called the
Eleusintan Mysteries, which was the an
nual festival Of Demeter, the Goddess Of
Agriculture. These mysteries consisted of
two parts. the greater and lesser mys-
teries, the latter being somewhat in the
nature of a preparation for the greater.
L He HTSt part OF the greater mysteries
was held at Athens, whose citizens were
the principle participants. while the most
important event took place at Eleusis, a
few miles east Of Athens. To be initiated
into the mysteries was compulsory upon
every free-born Athenian, but all others
were excluded upon pain of death. This
ceremony. which was secret and not to
be divulged by the members. has been
likened to Free Masonry. The festival
lasted nine days. beginning just after the
harvesting. and during that time gen.
eral religious peace prevailed. On the
first day the initiates received their in
structions.. The second and third was
given over to publications In sea water
and offering Of sacrifices
On the fourth day the procession of the
sacred basket took place. This was filed
with pomegranates and peoples principally
and was drawn through the street in a
consecrated cart. The fifth day was the
day of torches" when the initiates, head
ed by torch-bearer. walked in a process
sion to the temple Of Demeter, and, It is
believed. spent the night there. 1t was on
the sixth day that the most important
event occurred. This was the procession
along the sacred way from Athens to
Eleusis. where the candidates were in
itiated into the final mysteries. On that
day they became ''epoptae'' instead OF
mystae On the seventh day they re-