The Dillon herald. [volume] (Dillon, S.C.) 1894-????, 1921-03-31
ORIGIN OF EASTER.

II
happened. Just before the cr,,o;r;e
lon the Jews celebrated the nas.ovar
After awhile, 1t took on a cbristio -
meaning. This passover took nlace on
the anniversary of the resurrection
cut this feast had nothing to do with
the resurrection, but rather the
crucifixion; but it was merged Ynto
taat idea. The first christians observ-
ed feast at that time known a. Eas-
ter, but the real meaning of the
word has no reference to the resur-
rection; for the word translated. only
once, In scripture is not the Greek
WORD Tor Easter, but is "Pascha"
Wnlch has the Significance of
oeath and not resurrection. For
nearly two hundred years the word
EASTER was unknown to the church.
ABOUT this time notices were given
ior the observance of the resurrection
py the Catholics, who We're Just be-
ginning their church career. And
as the church of Rome grew.
SC also the idea of Easter grew
grew, SO also the idea of Easter grew
with 1T; but it was not even then
among the Protestants as a practice
The heather religionist, it so happen
ed, and Romanist held their feasts
about April. The heather held in it
honor OF the Teutonic goddess-"Os-
terra for they were Star Worshippers
and Easter means Star Worship
per. In word the Romish church
combined this heather worship of
Stars and the Jewish passover; and
the illegitimate child of these two
Observation-Disclosures and Romanism
was called "Easter"' Rome made
this compromise with the heather to
win them over to Romanism. That
Is the reason why to day some peo-
PIE attend this service in the church
es or Rome because there it is at it's
pest. 1t comes to pass that gradually
this custom has been grated on to
prostestants, who if they knew it's his
tory would eliminate it from their
worship as remnant of heathenism
they forget that every Sunday is
Easter according to the Bible, be-
cause Jesus rose from the dead on
our Sabbath day. To any thinking
person one might suspect that some
thing is radically wrong when they
see painted eggs, birds nests and
white rabbits associated with the
worlds greatest event-the resurrec-
ton of Jesus. But no people love to
b. duped and deceived.
The whole matter is boiled down
to this: Because there is sentiment
and flowers and new hats and dresses
and Journalism associated with the So
called Easter" the protestant
church has proven itself to be
IA gang of "Apists'' though not
Intentionally "Papists." 1t is not the
resurrection Of Christ that concerns
many of US; but religious supersti-
ton, heather ritualistic religiosity
which appeals to the esthetic nature
rather than a sublime faith in the
facts of the resurrection. There pos
itively not single scarp of the
Bible for it; but the poor to whom
the gospel Is to be preached, are lit
orally denied the privilege of worship
on that day when dresses and bon
nets and chicken eggs and rabbits
have the day. The negroes go wild
over it and even, as do some whites,
have an easter dance. We know of
some women that never darken
church except on sthat day of dress
parade which is a memorial day to
the sacrifice or dishonesty of some
poor hardwarked man. 1t is high
time for the thinking people of the
church to stop some Of our foolish
ness, cut out superstition in religion
and live every day a resurrected life.
Christ said, "I am the resurrection
and the life" He is not responsible
for all this socalled religious stuff
about us. His religion is not a mere
form nor festival nor rabbit-foot-fun; |;
but life raised above the worship
OF stars and flowers and clothes. The
resurrection is grand and sublime and
real; but this thing is idolatry.
E. G. Bailey.