Smyrna times., 1910-02-09
SERVICES AT ST. PETERS
Lent Begins To-Day and Rev. G. H
HoImead Announces Services.

Lent Begins To-Day and Rev. c. H.
HoImead Announces Services.
Lent is once more with US. Protes- |
tant Christians who have lost one of |
the most priceless heritages of the
ages, in abandoning the keeping of
this solemn season, nevertheless have
much reverence and respect for Lent.
The Catholic Church makes her ap-
peal therefore to this feeling which
is inherent in all English speaking
Christians, for through the church of
England we all have received the
Catholic truth and order. And now
that Lent is upon US again, the Eng
lish church, which represents English
Catholicity in America, calls upon
all baptised persons to stop moment
and think what Lent means. The
word Lent comes from an old Saxon
word meaning Spring. So the Lent
en- season is a Spring fast. The
keeping of Easter and the observance
of a penitential season for forty days
before it, takes you right back to the
days of the apostles. Irenaeus, Bis
hop of Lyons, who was born in 13O
A. D., just thirty years after the
death of St. John, the last apostle,
says, "Lent has not originated in our
time, but long before in. that of our
ancestors. Irenaeus was the dis
ciple of Polycarp, Bishop of ancient
Smyrna, and Polycarp was the dis
: ciple of st. John. Many other
fathers write about Lent, notably
Tartullious. When the old trouble
a about the supremacy of the Bishop
e of Rome over other Bishops resulted
in the separation of the Eastern
churches from the Western churches,
= about 1854, there was no dispute upon
this forty days period of fasting
before Easter. The whole Catholic
r church is in harmony on the subject
J, of Lent recognizing it as of Apostolic
IS institution. The first Christians
.e were Jews. The Jews were used t.
fasting. They kept a systematic
church year. Christ was obedient
to it. Christ, Himself. places aims
r, giving, prayer and fasting ltogethe1
l. as Christians main rules. Th'
!, Christian Lent, therefore, take it,
t, rise beyond doubt from the 'Prep
* aration for the Expiation, ;" kept b!
in the Jews, who began this solemn hu
n initiation forty days before the expi
5. alton. So this great Lenten Fast wa
IN in earliest times set for forty day
at before Easter in cnmmemoration o
lie the miraculous abstinence of ou
ny blessed Saviour when under tempta
m tion, and secondly as a fitting prepa
nd ration for the great feast-Easter
er Lent, then, calls to the Christian t
MS pause and in spirit retire from tn
ir hustle, excitement, and pleasure o
as this life and think whittier we ar
lie bound. It's great purpose is a rev
er erent commemoration of the atone
3, ment and all it has won for mankind
tn The meaning of the sacrifice an
r, death of Christ and the benefits W
a receive thereby. This ancient Fas
h, has done much for the spiritual lif
It. of Christians of all ages. BriRgin
en- sin in all its hideousness before mel
a. and women, it calls them to purg
lr. their hearts from the sensual, world
n and selfish and be real, honest an
tie true in their Christianity. Fasting
", not as a virtue in itself. but to gai
ok control of the body, to bring it int
id subjection and guard against the ah
normal indulgence of the appetite
Il which in this day and generation
growing to rival drunkenness. Aims
Oh giving to cure the selfish ness ths
le' we are all prone to, and instilling
on its place the habit of selfdenial an
70 generosity. Lastly, Lent moves !
'ys to prayer, the Christians vital brotl
'rh the intercourse between our sou
'as and our loving Father. The man
le- fold services at St. Peters churC
N. are open for all people, and co
ley dial imitation is extended to all. III
les church doors are always open fro
ur- early morning until late in the evel
er' ing. Come in, rest and pray. AS