The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1913-03-26
THE EASTER PARADE.

Now that it is all over let us consider whether
it is possible to avoid and prevent in future
years the annual Easter parades 1t is hard to
imagine anything more distinctly or absurdly
or harshly opposed to the whole spirit and mean
ing ri the TING than lines Of men and women
strutting from churches on Sunday morning
with every dollar they could rake and scrape.
and all the credit they could command piled
en- their persons. parading for the obvious, de
cared, ostentatious purpose of being stared az
and enyiad by curious throngs Of observers
These people have but jost heard the story of
tho beautiful pure, divine triumph Of humility,
the supreme courage that found its noblest ex-
preston in meekness. They have had read to
them the thrilling simple account of the faith
fulness and devotion Of the poor. and obscure
women the fishermen and workmen of the most
magnificent event Of the history of the human
race. Some Of them have fresh on their lips
the PRAYER From pride, vain glory and hy-
prosy, from envy, hatred and malice and all
observation-disclosures. good Lord deliver us" Many
Of them have had promised and vowed in their
names that they would renounce the pomp and
vanity of this sinful world and all the sinful
tusts OF the flesh. Then from the church doors
they step out TO display all the pride vain glory
and hypocrisy and the pomp and glory Of this sin
ful world their means anywise may compass,
and to excite In the minds of the spectators
all the envy hate and malice and the sinful lusts
of the flesh they possibly can, Nothing could
be more fagranty or defant1y repugnant to all
the teaching and spirit Of religion and to good
taste, the foundation of which is modesty and
aeemly behavior.
As far South as Baltimore the Easter parade
doubtless by prearrangement, the pictures poses
and costumes Of the more conspicuous paraders
were presented In the newspapers next morn
ing With the names duly displayed We here
have not yet attained to this ultimate intensity
Of yugarity, this supreme and perfect develop
mcut of weak and ostentatlous snobbery hut we
progress rapidly. Probably In another year or
two enterprising publications following with
eager imitation customs habits and standards
once foreign and hateful to us and yet distastc-
ul to the quiet and substantial elements of our
population, viii be giving us on the front pages
the units Of the parade perhaps presently,
with sketches of their personal histories and
past and prospective social ard matrimonial
achievements,
a few years ago had kind Of reaction
against this annual perambulaton Of pomp and
pockeboob, symposium Of fine feathers, mani
testaton of the divinity Of the dug up dollar
applied for decorative and display purposes The
women ceased for a while from usurping on
Easter Sundays the appropriate functions of the
beautiful wax ladies in the windows Of the dry
goods and millinery stores. The decree went
forth that the best people" had reyolted and
would make a special point Of simplicity and
quiet apparel for Easter. This sensible and
proper movement seems to have been repressed
BIZ the reYiying power Of vanity and the banker
ing TO be looked at But isn't it possible for
the thoughtful and well bred Of communi-
ties to regain their influence and assert their
strength? Can't we have the Easter time some
thing better than function of fine feathers, an