The Monticellonian., 1919-04-11

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 year for the reason that it eommemorates the uffecuon of Jesus. In the words of Paul. If Christ be moi risen then is our preaching vain and Nour faith is also vain But" lie says, now Is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep" Which is to say that lhe Christian religion stands on the resurrection of Jesus.
 Pagan Rites Survive.
 But the Easter season is observed by millions Who are not even nominally Christians. They do hot celebrate the resurrection of Christ but rather the end of winter, the approach of spring the be- ginning of life ill nature after the long sleep of winter Celebrations of this kind antedate corded history When Christianity came into the world the Christian church adopted and modified such of these pagan rites of celebration as it could not abolish. This accounts for the many queer rites of the Christian observance of Easter in various parts of tIe world. They pagan rites that had their origin in the remoteSt past, and have been modified by time and custom and changed meaning.
 Thus the parade of fashion to Easter morning church services in the large American cities had it's origin ages ago in the superstition that failure to Wear al least one new piece of clothing would bring bad luck during the year. The Of the egg symbol of Hew life is far older than Chris tianity. The Easter rabbit is Il survival of au old old superstition. The of flowers express sion of rejoicing is probably almost old himself. The pasehal candles in another form the bontfres lighted by our remote ancestors to celebrate the arrival of spring
 Just how the rabbits managed to get into the Easter celebration nobody to be able 10 find out with any certainty. Anyway, they are not properly rabbits; they are hares. Undoubtedly the association of the hare with Easter and its eggs introduced here by the Germans. but where they got the idea is what none of the anti quarians have been able to learn to their satsfac As fan hay fraIlp fbsyf fglra way: The relation between the moon and the hare is fairly close. The relation of the moon to Easier is very close. Gradually in ancient times the hare seems 10 have become associated with Easter and with Easter eggs.
 Easter ane- the Egg.
 Easier without eggs-fresh laid. dyed and sugar would be like Christmas without santa Claus the stocking and the tree. And the association of the egg with Easter is easily explained. Many of the old peoples of earth have used the egg from time immemorial the symbol of the germ of life. The wise men of old taught that the world Was matched from an egg. All over tie pagan world it signted fertility and potential life. The place of the egg WIS therefore firmly fixed iq the spring celebrations That long antcdated Christ and the Christian Easter. The Christian church found the egg SD firmly established as an Easter symbol that it could not be di,odged. Therefore the church adopted the egg and adopted il sym bel of the resurrection h he transition ef Easter from d heatlen to Il Christian festival the tFad tion of the egg stands unbrozcn When the col uriHg of eggs began, te the Christian the Whte stood for the immaculate conception the red for the blood of the redemption. and the yellow for the dawn of the resurrection morn.
 II is natural that many queer reties of ancient egg customs should have survived. while many have died on the way. For instance. the rulers of earth longer mdul@e in Easter eggs wholesale Alter the Easter celebration found It's way into France every hen -roo,t in the country was searched for the largest eggs, which were taken as tribute to the king. Ard after t3a Easter high mass in the chapel Of the Louvre tHere We're brought into fhe rayal eabineE pyramids eff gitded eggs deeked with eelddfc. The chaplain. ufter blessing them distrliUed them among liat persons of the court in the presence ot lis most Christian majesty.
 Iii the time of Henry l. eeez wefe in 5eeat ae- mau1 on East.r iaou. In tle tower $ an old royal rdH With au account of entry. "lsd for 40o eggs to be used for euamehto purposes for Easter
 YIt the uhale world associates thc eez with l,.sarr ts >haen hE the fact tha1 he Christian ct.drau u Me<opalmuia Tlal the same game ai iasfFf If picking egs5 fhat American toys do Iii Fre#Hd f8 uaHE fTa9eS the hay~ and eFls oroH" lil.ll cetoryd elss just as the Washngton children de en thf=Nltte House srouhds fhis White House s1-rollius. ivy the way. k quite celebration and eafious spectacle is worth seeing.
 Thare gre maHy curious customs that obtain nt Easter that have Hatidne to dn with the day.