The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1911-04-14
PAST AND PRESENT UsAoEs OF
THIS FESTIVAL.
Touching and Impressive Custom Of
the Moravians Is-Teld by Rev.
Johannes.

IltteT. the Joyous IttUfN-l OF tNt ]
Christian church. IS again near at
hand On that DAY Christians ccle-
brate the browning event g, the his
tory OF their religion Without the
resurrection OF Christ. His exemplary !
life and His moral teachings. like
those of Budha. Confucius Socrates
and other noted philosophers and
teachers would have been useful I'm
modelling the footsteps OF coming
generations. hut there would have
been no basis for the sublime struc-
ture known to Christianity See how
the incompatible end logical St Paul
urges this. A. Cor. L.. l2-1S
How Date Is Found.
Easter is one Of the movenhle fcs-
rivals Of the Christian church. All
her other festivals with the exception
OF Advent depend upon Easter For
Advent Sunday is always the nearest
Sunday 10 the thirtieth OF Novembc-.
whether before or after How then
Is the date OF Easter festival four~
for each recurring year? This Is
very easy TO ascertain. Easter IS al
WAYS the first Sunday after that fun
moon which happens on or next afte-
the 2lst day % Mcrch. In case this
full moon happen upOn SUNDAY
earliest possible date on which the
feast can come ia March - " can
never come later than April o.. In
the nineteenth century. Easter fell
hut once or it's earliest possible date
March %. viz. in 1919. In 1856. the
feast come as late as possible. or
April p. That year Witnessed sor1c-
thing then which had not taken place
since 1866. and which viii not be
seen again until l9E2 The latest
Fasrers OF recent years from that %
1856. were 1867 and 1878. April o.
In 1852 Easter occurred on April "a.
only one day in advance Of the latest
possible date
5eltare Feast
The most ancient OF al customs
connected with Easter is probably
that Of the Deltane fires. though Tho
origin OF these is unquestionablv
pagan. and the fires were tokens OF
worship 10 the sun god. whose return
20 the northern skies was celebrated
81 the vernal equinox. as was his de-
parture therefrOm observed later in
the year
When Christianity supplanted
heathenism in the northern nations.
the early Beltane fires were used 10
commemorate the coming Of Easter.
and the later ceremonies were var.
iously held in honor OF St Johns
eve. In June. or of Halloween
Cormac. the archbishop Of Caskel.
makes mention OF the Beltane feast
in the tenth century. the time OF his
reign. and the following account Of
It's Observance among Scotch High
landers has been preserved. though
as viii be seen 10 was made more Of
May than an Easter feast The
yound folks OF a hamlet meet IN the
moors on the first o. Nav They cut
table tn the green sod OF a round
heure. by cutting n trench in the
ground Of such circumference as 10
hold the whole company. They then
kindle fire and dress n repasf OF
eggs and milk IN the consistency Of
custard. They knead a cake OF
oatmeal which is toasted against "a
stone. After the cutard is eaten mo
they divide the cake into nc MANI
portions as there are persons in tho
company They daub orc ~ those
portions with charcoal until 70 fs pc-.
tectly black Thcy u-f al' the hits
or cake into a bonnet and svervorc
blndfolf'd. draws ruf 20 portion The
bonnet holder is entitled 10 tho last
or. Whoever draws tho black Iit
Is me devoted person t1 Doc sacrI-
need 20 HaaI. whose favor she meant
~ implore BOO rendering rho voar rr,.
ductive. The devoted person fs tron
compelled 20 leap three times through
the flames"
Origin Of Easter Egqs.
me custom NJ giving and eating
errs ~ Easter o. another very ar.
c''n' ono. and. as luat seen. eggs had
th"'r part % play in Tho Bc,'are core.
monies. just how far hack goes tho
custom which connects ogv4 v-i,r
FASTER DO would DO difficult 10 state
The symbolism ~ fhe Easter err
among Christian countries is self am.
parent end 10 appears to have boon
In' custom NJ primitive Christians 90
interchange Sits ~ eggs on the day
mat concentrated tho roerrrnctfo-
" tho frfrrmnr of fha world fro-.
,hN tomb The early ChrIrf.are az
Noa0pofaria got Tho credit az t.f..4
fhe fret f0 drn and decorate r,.tr-
1gF7 end their decorations ,rr-a arf
tymhoicaI OF Christian ffnurfts Tho
fnr.I'na GRO raid f0 employ rrra fro.
0lfn''F c7i0rnd ones. in their rrfet-a.
Inn ~ fno ir.f lHr rf fIa .rfIr erar
'n March Tho EGYPTIAN. ancient
Fal.a an1 Romans also bad ffo habit
m In'Nrrfarr'nr and eating rrrr orr
N~ria'n Festivals. arI ffe Trrs urra
norIF'omrd fr urn fnlm fr their of..
ferr1rro ~ fhn rar.nrrr
mo Nn NJ rn.lrr1 and decorated
nfFa of F1sfrr ie now common Boz ,
fr'af many r0urfrir.. and r4-ffrrfar.
Dr. .n our Own. ufrrn aT .rrfs and
varieties NJ In.'lr nHlr..rs ar. .-
nuai'y 'n eo~ue