The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1911-03-03
From Mondays Daily.

Episcopal diocese of Minnesota, has
issued his Lenten pastoral. The pas
toral, which calls attention to the
spiritual and moral value of Lent
is as follows:
Dear Brethren Of the Church in
the Diocese Of Minnesota: With
the dawn of Ash Wednesday, on
the lst day of March. there comes
to us once more the call of a pre-
cious opportunity. The opportunity
is two fold: First, for the increase
of devotion, and second, for the
strengthening of character. Most
of US, nay all Of us, are in need OF
greater earnestness in our religion.
We need to be aroused from our
Indifference. We need a stronger
faith in God and more loving
loyalty to Jesus Christ our Savior.
On the other hand, most Of us need
that increase of moral strength
which can only come by regular
discipline. The spiritual and moral
value of our Lent to us will be just
what each one makes it. AS a mini
mum of distinctly spiritual effort,
would urge that each individual
churchman set apart some time each
day for the devotional reading of
holy Scripture combined with
prayer and meditation. To this
should be added, or for it, if neces-
sary, should be substituted attend
ance at such daily Lenten services
as circumstances may permit. Finally,
both for the purpose of gaining time
for these increased exercises Of de-
votion, and also as means for the
strengthening of character through
the discipline of self-denial, / would
affectionately urge a voluntary with
drawal during the forty days Of Lent
from such social distractions and
amusements as have no other bear
ing on the life than the receipt of
individual pleasure. i recognize that
there are some social obligations in
which the performance of duty
transcends the search for individual
pleasure; as also that there are some
forms of entertainment in which the
elements of education and culture
predominant over the element OF
mere amusement May each individ-
ual strive to draw the line of dis
tinction in accordance with the high
est dictates of his own conscience;
giving the benefit, in cases of doubt,
to the side of strict observance
Commenting you to the grace of
Gods holy spirit, and praying that
by the keeping OF good Lent our
diocese may be brought to higher
realization of the JOY of Easter.
remain your fellow servant in Christ.
Samuel Cook Edsall, bishop of Min.
nesota.
1t Is on Ash Wednesday-the first
day of Lent-that the faithful, &C
cording to ancient custom, are ex-
horted to approach the altar before
the beginning of mass, and there the
priest, dipping his thumb into ashes
previously blessed, marks upon the
forehead-or in the case OF clercs
upon the place of the tonsure-or
each the sign of the cross, saying
the words: Remember man, that
thou art dust and unto dust thou
shalt return The ashes used in
this ceremony are made by burning
the remains of palms blessed on the
Palm Sunday Of the previous year.
In the blessings of the ashes four
prayers are used, all of them an
Client, and the ashes are sprinkled
with holy water and fumigated with
incense. In earlier ages of peni-
tential procession often followed the
rite of the distribution of the ashes,
but this is not now prescribed.
Holy week is the week that pre-
cedes the great festival of the Res
direction or Easter Sunday, and
which consequently is used to COM
memorate the passion of Christ and
the events which Immediately led
up to it. The week begins the Sun
day preceding Easter, known as
Palm Sunday. Palms are distribut-
ed in memory of Christ's triumphal
entry into Jerusalem The Passion
OF Matthew is read on this day.
ooiuy TIE next udV
or the week that special services are
conducted. In the modern celebra-
ton OF this day, attention centers
upon the reservation of a second
host, which is consecrated at the
mass, to be consumed in the service
OF the Presanctified, which takes
place next day. This is borne in
solemn procession to an "altar of
repose," adorned with flowers and
lighted with a profusion of candles,
the hymn "Pange lingua gloriosi cor
porls mysterium," being sung upon
the way. So far as regards the
fact of the conservation of second
host to be reserved for the mass @:
the Presanctified, this practice is
very ancient, but elaborate observ-
anees which now surround the altar
of repose are of comparatively re-
cent date.
Oils used in the Catholic church
during the next year will be blessed
on Maundy Thursday. These oils
are used for amounting the sick, in
confirmation and baptism services.
and in the ordaining of priests and
the conservation Of hiShcnc 1rhic