Concerning Certain Easter Days.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XLVII, Issue 81823, 16 August 1906, Page 4

Concerning Certain Easter Days.

" The Sunday next before Easter," according to the English Prayer Bool;, is Palm Sunday. It is called also Passion Sunday, as being the commencement of Passion Week. Palm Sunday used to be the occasion for a festival of a joyous character, commemorative of the popularity of the reception accorded to Christ on His entry into Jerusalem immediately defore His Passion. On this day, in ltomaii Catholic countries, the priests bless brunches of palms, which are then carried in procession in memory of those strewed before Christ at his entrance into the Holy City. After the procession the boughs used in it are burnt and their ashes preserved, that they may be laid upon the heads of the people nest Ash Wednesday with the priest's blessing. Even after the licformution, Henry VIII ordained that the carrying of palms on this day was a custom not to be discontinued. It was kept up by the clergy till the reign of Edward VI. The Thursday before Easter is known as Maundy Thursday. At one time it was called Shere Thursday, from the practice of the priests in sheaving their hair on this day to make- themselves trim for Good Friday and Easter. The origin of the terra "maundy" is doubtful. Most prolmblv it was derived from " maund," an old Engfish word for basket, in consequence of the distribution of gifts in baskets on this day. The word " maundy" is used by old authors for gifts or alms, and was evidently, in its turn, derived from the practice of the day. The, religious du'ies of the day included works of humility, and conferring Rifts on the poor. The object seems to have been to imitate, or, r.t least, tu commemorate the humility of Christ in washing the feet of his disciples. Cardinal Wolsoy, in 1530, had brought to hii.i fifty-nine poor men, whoso feet he washed and kissed ; and after he had wiped them he gave to each man twelve ponce in money, some canvas ti: make them shirts, a pair of new shoes, and either things. The number of the poor men correspomM with the years of his age. <fe t-inco then P.oyally has condescended to this practice. The King of Engl: nd has qcen accustomed to have brought to him as many poor men as he was vcars old, whose feet he washed with his own hands, aft-r which he distributed auiong t'noui his " m-iunds," consisting of meat, clothes, and m.v>ey. Queen Elizabeth, when in her timfy-ninth year, perform".-] this cercmonv at (/reotiwich, being attended by thmv-nine gentlewomen. Thirty-nine poor persnn:, were brought, and their feet wc-:-e first washed by the yeomen of the him.lrj with lavender mid sweet herbs, and af!mvard« by the Queen herself, kneeling. Cblhing. fo si, and money were their dii'abated amongst them. This strange coronaiv was hut performed to its fullest extent by .'ernes 11.- For many years the washing of ftet has been given up. bat the oilier part ..( the casvei survives, and is pcrformcl by E'lw.trd VII., an additional sum of money being given to the poor people instead of provisions,

An Ingenious Soldiers' Boat. For some years past c:> -b reghne.it of cavalry in the German annv has Ir en provided with two large eol!an.;ib!., hsgs, for which must oficn arise in any continental cr.iipn-'ii. The lihlieiilcies of transport, hoivevi r, were considerable, the boats being carried in heavy weggm.s, which Chen fell far behind the regit::"tit. and were not forthcoming «■].";! wanted. Other di eldest.fees wore tu- larg- j„: ; : ; .l 0u ;: „f tin: ln:,t-i. ill'vl tVtempl.meent „t r. m;i.,W ~:' i,en and liowev: ■,-.' has no*-' l/sn'ei^at^-i'by'aee'v'ei a ln.it- n'. its ov.:—the so-edt■•■ i ''lanceboa'," which can be pit t-tether by sis again in less than two. The siieieion '

the bnat is formi ii In- twelve to eixtcen lances litted ;it oi; ::t m,! into a liki-s^sijok frame. Over thus a w»i>-r-|>iwr l-ujwnlin it drawn, anil the boat is ready. Oilier lances are used as oars, the blades bein;; made of strips of tarpaulin siretciied on cress pieces of wood, through which ihc lance is slipped. When not in use these sn ips can bo roiled up tmc" carried in tire packet. The frames and connecting pieces weigh 40ib., nnd the tarpaulin 2oih. The whole equipment necessary for the eons! ruction of a boat weighs therefore, fiiJli., so that one horse can easily cairy all the material required for two boats. The new boat has been thoroughly tested in the field, and has given such satisfaction that it has been decided to supply it to every squadron in the 100 regiments of cavalry in the German army. Its introduction is estimated to effect an economy equal to a sum of £:>7,000 annually—in addition to setting free 2,000 men and 3,500 horses for other services. Between the Two.—" As between the two pjhtieai piii-ties," remarked the firs* speaker. 41 one's had and the other's worse." " Ksactly," «.M the oilier mail; "and it's hard to tell which is which." The Idea ! ' —"Madam, you've aiready overdrawn your account." " Wbat's that ? " "You haven't any more money in tho bank." "The idea! A fine haul;, I think, to bo out of money because of the little I've drawn l Well, I'll go somewhere else."