The Liberal democrat. [volume] (Liberal, Kan.) 1911-1924, 1914-04-10


down with the greatest
care. Even now there is scarcely a
nation that does not put faith in one
or more Of the Easter omens.
Some OF these attach to Good FRI
day. In the time OF Catholic Eng
land there was superstition which
the king publicly honored with his
trust II was the ceremony Of bless
ing the rings. This was done to pre-
serve their wearers from 1.-The fall
ing sickness" trouble commonly
known to us as cramps The cramp-
ring service was of exceptional origi-
nality. Walsh gives a vivid descrip-
ton Of 1t.
The king and his suite" he tells
us, would proceed in state to the
palace chapel. upon the floor OF which
rested a crucif1x upon silken cush-
ion, and in front OF which was spread
rich carpet. The king would creep
along the carpet to the crucifix-as
token of absolute humility-his al
moner creeping after him. Having
reached the cruclfix he would there
bless the cramp rings, which were de-
posted in a silver basin. After this
was done the queen and her ladies'
ln-waiting entered the chapel and also
crept TO the cross. This completed
the ceremony and the rings had been
transformed into the most potent
remedial agents"
Drinking a mixture OF bread and wa
ter was a means OF curing several all
ments. The superstition still holds
In a few places. Good Friday morn
ing loaves OF bread are baked and
then laid aside until the following
year. when the people crate small
portion of the bread into water and
give 1t to the sufferers.
Who has not heard OF the English
'hot cross bum" On the morning OF
Good Friday throughout England the
street bun vendors usher in the uni
versal cry OF Hot cross buns" and
no family, as a precautionary method
II not for their toothsomeness alone,
would dare run the risk OF not pur'
chasing them. Even kings would not
miss eating them, for whoever eats
bun need have no fear Of having
his home destroyed by fire during the
coming year.
Early Coed Friday morning large
numbers Of men, women and children
start out in quest OF customers for
their fresh, hot buns, which they
guard from the cold with a flannel
covering. And the shops as we'll are
festive with their own supplies OF It.
The popularity OF the hot cross bun
lies In its being highly spiced and
bearing on its brown, sugary surface
the mark of cross.
The "one a penny, two a penny,
hot cross buns!" have a more ancient
origin than is generally supposed.
The name itself is taken from the
Greek name OF certain cake which
the ancients gave for an offering to
the gods. In the biblical period the
prophet jeremiah had occasion to no
tice this offering, when he saw the
idolatry Of the Jewish women at
Pathros, Egypt.
AS a preventive OF fevers certain
nations abstained from eating meat
on Easter day. But this practice new
er obtained in England.
One of the most ancient and uni
versal of all superstitions attaching
to Easter day was that of the dancing
sun. At first II was believed to dance
over the general Joy at the renewal of
natures life in this season OF the
year. Later, It danced over the resur-
rection OF Christ. Many centuries ago
on Easter day people arose early and
repaired to the fields to view this
dancing sun,
In certain countries they had way
of observing the sun at his antics that
made him appear more playful than
ever By viewing II as 1t rose through
the morning vapor or watching its re-
: Election in a stream or pail of wa
ter, they could strengthen their il
fusion. In Scotland the sun was mer-
rier than anywhere ,else, for here 1t
was expected to "whirl round like a
cart wheel, and give three leaps"
Then one of the greatest concerns
of the day came to be whether the
sun really did dance or not. Grave
and learned men over all the world
set Themselves the task Of solving the
weighty problem. Sir Thomas Brown
left some quaint ideas on the subject
I'VE shall not, hope, disparage
the resurrection of our Redeemer."
he writes. IF we say that the sun
doth not dance on Easter day; and
though we would willingly assent into
any sympathetical exultation, yet we
cannot conceive therein any more
than a tropical expression. Whether
any such motion there was in that
day wherein Christ arose; Scripture
hath not revealed, which hath been
punctual in other records concerning