The Connecticut labor press., 1919-04-19

year for the reason that it commentaries the urrection of Jesus. In the words of Paul. "H Christ be not risen, then is preaching vain and your faith is also vain." But" he says, now is Christ risen from the dead and become the first fruits of them that sleep" Which is to say that the Christian religion stands the resurrection of Jesus. -Ee- <sl Pagan Rites Survive. . 'ss.. F. {.
 But the Easter season is observed by millions who are not even nomfnalIy Christians. They do not celebrate the resurrection of Christ but rather the end of winter, the approach of spring. the be- ginning of life in nature after the long sleep of winter. Celebrations of this kind antedate re- corded history. When Christianity came into the world the Christian church adopted and modified such of these pagan rites of celebration it could not abolish. This accounts for the many queer rites of the Christian observance of Easter in various parts of the world. They are pagan rites that had their origin in the remotest past, and have been modified by time and custom and changed meaning. e
 Thus the parade of fashion to Easter morning church services in the large American cities had its origin ages ago in the superstition that failure to wear at least new piece of clothing would bring bad luck during the year. The use of the egg symbol of new life is far older than Chris tanity. The Easter rabbit is survival of old old superstition. The use of flowers as an expres- sion of rejoicing is probably almost old man himself The paschal candles in another form the bonfres lighted by remote ancestors to celebrate the arrival of spring.
 
 Easter celebration nobody seems to be able to P find out with any certainty. Anyway, they are not properly rabbits; they are hares Undoubtedly the association of the hare with Easter and it's eggs was Introduced here by the Germans, but where they got the idea is what of the anti quarians have been able to learn to their satsfac sA tion. As far they have gone they figure this way: The relation between the moon and the hare is fairly close. The relation of the to Easter is very close. Gradually in ancient times the hare seems to have become associated with Easter. and with Easter eggs. S @Y- .& Easter the Egg.
 Easter 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 nfe The wise men of old taught that the world was matched from egg. All the pagan world it signiied fertility and potential life. The place of the egg therefore firmly fixed in the spring celebrations that long antedated Christ and the Christian Easter. The Christian church found the egg so firmly established Easter symbol that it could not be dislodged. Therefore the church adopted the egg and adopted it as a sym bol of the resurrection In the transition of Easter from heather to Christian festival the tradi- ton Of the egg stands unbroken. When the col bring of eggs began to the Christian the white stood for the immaculate conception; the red for the blood of the redemption, and the yellow for the dawn of the resurrection morn.
 It Is natural that many queer relics or ancient egg customs should have survived, while many have died the way. For instance. the rulers of earth no longer indulge in Easter eggs wholesale. After the Easter celebration found its way into France every hen roost in the country was searched for the largest eggs, which were taken as a tribute to the king And after the Easter high mass in the chapel of the Louvre there were brought into the royal cabinet pyramids of gilded eggs decked with verdure. The chaplain, after blessing them, distributed them among the persons of the court the presence of his most Christian majesty.
 ln :he time cf Henry I, eggs were In great ds- mand on Easter morn. In the tower is an old royal roll with an account of entry, "1Sd for 4OO eggs to be used for ornamental purposes for Easter"
 That the whole world associates the egg with Easter is shown by the fact that the Christian children in Mesopotamia play the same game at Easter of picking eggs that American boys do In England in many places the boys and girls '.roll' their coored eggs, just as the Washington children do on the White House grounds. This White House egg-rolling, by the way, is quite celebration and as curious spectacle is worth seeing.
 There are many curious customs that obtain at Easter that have nothing to do with the day.