The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-02-14
What It Means and Spiritual Importance of Its Suit
 able Observance
PRINCIPAL IS AS OLD
 AS HUMAN HISTORY
Everyone Is Sure to be Benefited by Season of Preparation, Ab- stinence, Contemplation
 and IutrospectiOn

The Rev. Willoughby N. Claybrook. rector of St. Mary s-on-the Highlands Episcopal church. yesterday issued statement upon the meaning of the ap- proaching Lenten season and the i'm portance of it's suitable observance by Christians of every denomination. MT Claybrook writes:
 "Wednesday. February l7. is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent. l trust few remarks will not be out of place in this connection.
 Every man who would build a house, first plans what kind of a house he wants to build. and counts the cost before he begins the building. Every properly conducted business establishment has a customary season of the year in which a strict account Is taken of all goods in stock. No business house can be run in- | telligently and efficiently unless this Is done Those of us who are familiar with country life know that every farmer who | is worthy of the name uses the early spring months to clean up his hedge rows | to repair his fences, grub all briars, roots and stumps' which cucumber his arabe | land, and when this is done, he has his fields carefully plowed, rolled and har- | rowed. He carefully selects the variety and quality of the seeds he is going to 1 use, and then he plants his crop. This principle of taking stock in business and preparation for planting on the farm is | the principle which runs all through life, and is necessary to success in any line of human endeavor.
 Spiritual Life no Exception i '"rhe spiritual life is no exception to this rule. We find the principle held and practiced in every vital religious body we | know anything about. The ancient Jew | ish church taught, and still teaches and practices this principle in her day of atonement and other seasons of fasting. The Church of Christ in every branch. ancient or modern, has always taught, and still teaches, this principle of vital importance. All of the Christian de- nominations of reformation or post reformation origin, although they repudi- | ated many of the ancient customs of the | church, preserve this principle and stil teach it as of vital importance, by set | ting apart days of fasting and self-com- munion and seasons or revival.
 | This principle has been preserved in l all the historic branches of the church and emphasized in the season of Lent, 4 l days fasting and prayer. sefexamina- l ton and spiritual planting leading up tt | the great festival of Easter.
 | "Tbe word Lent means spring, and il | Is the springtime of spiritual husbandr, l in the Church Of Christ. During the sea | son the Crack, the Roman, the Anglican ! oil nf cf hro ,ah nf ancient church call upon their member: | to observe this principle. There are many
 helps and means by which the churcf
 seeks to lead her children into a full
 knowledge and practice of this principle She suggests and provides for her mem
 bers certain helps or means by whicf they are to attain the proper use of Len
 such as fasting and abstaining from food
 abstaining from pleasures and amuse | ments, theatres. social festivities (whicl are all harmless in themselvesl, but whicl | would distract the mind from the grea
 purpose of Lent-selfdenial to be prac ticed by the individual members of tn church. as may conscientiously seen right and best to each individual; reading
 and mediating upon the holy scripture l and other literature which may instruc the mind, the heart and the conscience
 self examination. penitence for all sin 1 and shortcomings and prayer to God fo help toward amendment, and more per 1 feet communion with Him; works of lov
 and self-sacrifice as a manifestation O
 our sympathy and fellowship with ou brother man.
 Helps and Means to an End
 People who are not familiar with tn l church teaching as to the meaning (
 Lent often make the mistake of thinking | that, not eating meat or not going {
 social functions going to church O
 reading the Bible and other religion
 books or doing good works is keepin
 Lent Whereas. all these things ar
 helps. if used. will undoubtedly lead [
 great enrichment. strengthening an deepening the spiritual life.
 There is no reason why the Lente | season should not be used by everybod
 who believes in and tries to worship an | serve God. But especially does 1t appl
 to Christian of every name.
 Tt would be glorious thing if ever lchurch in Birmingham would unite . keeping Lent-each in it's own way, br | all with unity of heart and purpose t deepen the spiritual life and to come int F closer communion with God and wit
 one another. The writer can think c
 no one thing that would tend to dra,
 all Christians to a closer fellowship an , unity than that all Christians of ever
 name in this community would spen
 the forty days of Lent of this year penitence, prayer, self-sacrifice, prais