SHOULD EASTER BE FIXED?

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1687, 1 March 1913, Page 3

SHOULD EASTER BE FIXED?

Sir,—ln the authorised version of the Bible, Acts 12:1, we- find the words:— "Intending after' Easter." -In the' Human Catholic New Testament.'the translation is correct, "Intending after pasch," or Passover. For Passover was always connected'with the days o£ Azymous, cr unleavened bread, v. 3, 'also 1 Cor., 5:7, 8. The word Easter comes from the Saxon word, Eostre, a feast of Venus, or Ashtaroth, the Babylonian goddess. Whut right has tho Christian Church to retain such pagan and idolatrous names? The Lord has given the plain commaud, "To make no mention of the name of other sods." Ex. 23:13..' The words "Easter Sunday" aro both, of pagan origin, and ought to-be excluded from the Christian calendar.

It is time that the London Church Dignitary. should know that while "pood Friday" and "Easter Sunday" have been s&t apart for commemorating; tho death and resurrection of Jesus' Christ, tliat Ho neither died' on Friday, nor rose on Sunday; and the Holy Scriptures, history, and astronomy are in harmony ! n maintaining the truth of these facts., Jesus said He was to be in the heart, of the earth three nights as well as three days, and no ono can count three nights from > Friday night to the.next Sunday morniug. ■We havo positive statements in Hall. 28 : 1-fa', that Jesus was-out' of the Tomb i of Joseph before the first day of the week commenced, for it was "toward '.the fii st "day of the week when Mary came," and the rising of Jesus had already taken Tho angel said, "Come, see the \%Jaco where the.' Lord was lying." j?iThere:.w,as no/full moon oh "Friday", , f t was on'"Tuesday," and He was crucion "Wednesday, the fourth day of t'lVis ..week, and; rose, on tho seventh day Siabb'ath, "Saturday." To fix a festival holiday on a,fraudulent foundation is uer- : tainly 'unbecoming to a country which 'should believe in truthfulness. •;. *

Tlio sun and the moon were: set. for signs and for seasons/ ! Gen-: 1:14. Therefore, to fix a day of the week which cycle does not come from the sun, or the moon, only leads to confusion. Tho command of the Lord as given frequently in the Holy Scriptures was for the Passover to be observed on the 14th day of the moon, Abibj or Nisan.'

Polycarp, who was a disoiple of John, and others of the Apostles taught him to observe tho Passover on the 14th day of the first month, whatever day-of tho week it might fall. . To. fix a yearly observance on a day cf the week is absurd, neither the King's Birthday, nor the Anniversary of Wellington is held on tha same , day of the week every year. Neither can wo reasonably expect that the Passover, or the day of Ohrist's death, or' resurrection, should bo fixed on a certain day of the week. . Surely our public papers should seek to purify our customs and nolitkvs in harmony with facts and truth, th»n with, pagan idolatrous fables and falsehoods.

Tho people know so little of- the Bible, and it is quits timo that it found its place in our State schools, as well a3 taught more correctly in our churches.— i am, etc., ■ ' ■ . DAVID NIELD.