The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1932-03-18

Christian consumption and for centuries after
wards 1t was felt that they were endowed with
some special spiritual qualities few cross
buns baked on Good Friday not only would not
molder as would other bread, but If kept through
out the year they would be an efficient medicine
for various ills when crumbled in cup OF water
and thus taken into the body.
To most people Easter means time for COM
ing forth in new clothes and although some OF
our philosophers have bewailed the extravaganza
Of the easter style parade" as sign that we
have lost the spiritual significance of the day
In reality it is in keeping with the essential
spirit of Easter which is shared by Christian
and pagan alike 1t is the idea Of s.resurrec
tion," of revived life after apparent death. 1t
marks the climax Of the year when all nature
awakes from sleep, throws off the death-like
chill of winter and beings to live anew. With
! all nature pointing the way by bedecking herself
in new raiment, it is only natural that mankind
should celebrate the surge of new life by putting
on new apparel.
So when milady appears at church on Easter
Sunday in new frock and new hat, it is not
mere human vanity expressing itself, She puts
them on because she must She has responded
to the fundamental instinct by responding thus
to the call of spring, to the message of renewed
life There is an old British tradition that it is
"goOd luck to wear something new on Easter
day." but that is mere outgrOwth of the essen
tial idea of the Eastertide.
Far as some of the symbols of Easter and
their meanings for different people may seem
to be removed from the essential spirit of Easter
they are in reality not so far removed. For all
of them are based upon the idea Of ''ressurec
ton" and If Resurrection" is the spirit and the
message Of Easter, then the inmost essence of
that spirit can be summed up in the one word
Immortality" If man can find an answer to the
old, old question that has troubled him through
the ages, the question Does death end p he
can find 1t in the message of Easter. 1t is reas-
surance that he does not face hopeless task.
Even If he did not have the comfort of his re-
ligon to help him arrive at that belief he finds it
In the mere fact Of living.
Each day, each year and each lifetime he sees
the cycle repeated. The sun comes up in the
morning and goes down into darkness at night
But he knows that it will come up again the next
morning. Each "a hours he sees the miracle of
resurrection. New life Is manifest in the animal
and vegetable kingdoms with each recurring
spring. 1t ripens In the heat Of summertime
and mellows into maturity in the autumn, only
to die in the cold of winter But he knows that
life will begin again next year. Each IL months
he sees the miracle of resurrection. baby is
born, passes through childhood, grown into youth,
reaches mans estate and then declines into old
matter Of a few years away? He has seen the
recurring miracle of resurrection every "a hours
and every II months. Why should not man,
reasoning logically from this evidence of which
he is aware every day of his life believe that
the cycle Of lifetime includes resurrection
just as does the daily cycle and the yearly
cycle? He does so believe and from that belief
comes his belief in the life everlasting, in i'm
mortality.
Perhaps It would be more accurate to say he
chooses to believe. For few men, of any, have
ever solved the riddle of life to their utter sat
isfaction. They constantly grope for the truth,
seeking. always seeking, the answer to the I'M
solved problems Of life. They have the never
ending longing in their hearts for everlasting life
and they choose to believe, and take comfort
from the belief, that they shall have it.
SO whether he be primitive man or modern
civilized man, whether he be Christian or heathen
the essential spirit of Easter. the message of
Easter is the same-it is message of hope, a
message Of Joy and promise and fulfllment
in one.
60 by western Newspaper Union,