The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1916-03-08
SACKCLOTH
 AND ASHES

This is Ash Wednesday, beginning which is now, at least on this side of the Atlantic, more honored in the breach than in the observance While Catholics continue to obey the rules of the church in regard to the Lenten satfons are now permitted by which
 many of the children of the church escape the rigorous lasts of a for mer era.
 If science has combatted many of the doctrines of Christianity, in the matter of the Lenten observance sci ence and theology are in agreement. Abstinence from meat during the forty days of Lent is calculated to give the body an opportunity to do little Spring house-cleaning, which in most of us is sadly needed. Too much food and too little exercise du- ring the cold months bring about a condition of affairs in the bodily economy which a partial past is cal cu1ated to correct. That 1assitude of spring fever may be averted by an, observance of Lent. At this season of the year our grandmothers were wont to prescribe 'tyarbs," sulphur. sarsapari1la and other spring tonics and cleansers of the blood. Modern
 
 confidence in the o1d-fashioned rem e1ies, attributes our springtime ills to hygienie and dietetfc sins of onis- sion and commission, and advises us to abandon our sedentary habits and to consume less proteid foods as the days grow longer and warmer.
 Just why Lent is so called has aI- ways been a. matter of disagreement among the philologists. Some say it is derived from the Saxon t'1enc- ten,' implying spring, or the season when the days Iengthen; others insist that it is from the German t'leinen,'' to thaw. The object of the fast has also been disputed, but it is generally regarded as a time specially set apart apart for repentance over the sins of the last year. Considering it in this light, how many true observers of Lent are to be found to-day?
 It may be sad, but it is true, that to perhaps a majority of the inhabi- tants of this community, and espec- ialIy to the young people, Lent is period of preparation for sartorial and millinery displays on the coming Eas- ter We may shreWdly suspect that the young man is more concerned about the cut of his spring clothes than the state of his soul, and that his sister is too busy shopping, paying visits to the modiste- and boring over the fashion magazines to spend much time worrying about her sins. With out any exact knowledge concerning the contents of these 1avishly iI1ustra- ted periodicals, it may be safe to say that sackc1oth does not enter into the composition of any of the confec- tions so a11uringly set forth. As to millinery, milady has in times past worn upon her head about everything but ashes.
 There is in all this a reflection of the modern spirit which insists upon making of Christianity a religion of joy rather than of gloom Schopen- hauer might lament his inability to believe in the faith of Christ because, as a religion of sadness, it made such a strong appeal to his pessin1istic na- ture, but were he alive to-day he might not entertain such regrets. Whether or not this growing indispo- sition to take one's religion sadly is 3, symptom of the decadence or rartn is a matter for the theo1ogians to consider. Certainly the Christian of to- day has travelled long way from the grim theology of Jonathan Ed wards, to- whom hell was a literal place of fire and birthstone where the worldly were toasted throughout eter- nity