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About The Oregon daily journal. (Portland, Or.) 1902-1972 | View Entire Issue (March 30, 1907)
.13 V ...... . - , .'.'., 2, . Tim OREGON DAILY JOURNAL. PORTLAND.. EVENING. MARCH . 30. , 1507. - .. . . '. .. " l I .-' -w-i:- Hlk'YVi KyVVJiJn w ii i;n mm.usi few.. ' l l' N ' ' t ,r.' ,-- -. - i :.v -.-.-'v - V-'.: . . : -'.c - -iitl ' ! I I I WH I I 'I' I - ' 11 1, , .. , T . .... . II II I J I i f ' i i i i ii ., . i ii ii i i i ii I ' -i Kt y - '. ... .. . ' ' ' '7 ;'-7 V-- . V - ' J m. fj, ilitnri . -MtHWHf! --fit' liHBli,fcjLni T (UK Idea of luttr l today elofhed neanr ui lanaa. in iory 01 th dawn, th lorallncaa of Itllaa. flowery rhetoric and triumphal Buinlo, to nay. nottilnir ' of mlraculoua .millinery, ars aaoctatd with th fes tival of the reaurraetton. Nothlna- boJInti forth and xprae Air modem attltuda toward - Eaater mora atrlklnf thnn Ita , treatment by modern palntrre. Tbe old maatera were aomtwhat chary of apprnaohlnn the res urrection; when they did eo the result often ludlrroua. QteMrf's picture at Hadua, where the two anirela seem to be pootnir for tbelr plmtosrapha, and Hu bert Van Er.-k a Thres Marys, who are approai-hlng the nprn tomb with "atHna" In their outatretched hanja. bear wttneaa to the mneter'a lnalrlllty te nmllie the beauty and alory of the divine tracedy's trlumfilial - climax. l.uJiils Ireecs la lrlorenoa with Its 1- . . V - (f i! stiff grouplnir and queer paraphernalia, resembles some conjuror's pouter adver tising the Vanishing Lady Illusion, sod Slicnorelli's great picture at Orvleto re minds one of the gruesome cannibal or glea depleted In old books of exploration and travel. Bartolommeo and Baroclo are ibe only ones who got away from the charnel-house school of resurrection painters and gave their' figures both dignity and-gracer - - How different are ths' modern' pic tures centering in the rlwn Christ! 'The Three Marys' of ArrvBcheffer, Bougo reao, Plockhoret. . Ppurgtnberg, Peechel and Ender are full of tender sorrow and joyous hope. Kaack and Hnf mann have painted' the resurrection with true maj esty and mystery. .Burnard's 'Peter and John," running to tell the glad tidings. Is wonderful In Its 'dramatic portrayal o breathless, exultant faith. . ' In olher words, the rrtodrn pictures of th resurrsctlo and ."the- related . .. - i 'hi- TUB OREGON DAILY JOURNAL, PORTLAND.. SATURDAY EVENING. MARCH 30,. eTents breaths the modern spirit, which has clothed this festival with gladness and glory, aurroundlng It with the sym bols of Ufa and light, filling It with s holiness and beauty beyond any othef day Id the calendar of th church. - It was not always thus. Easter not many centuries ago was a dsy of rev elry and ribaldry. Preachers from their pulpits told funny stories which today wouldn't pass muster In a parlor. The first aim of the religious service waa to start the "Easter Laugh." or "JUsus Paachalla," to call It by a learned Latin name . A . Typical Baste Talav . Imagine yourself In th vast nave ef a Gothic cathedral amid the throng of worshipers.. Mystle light Alters through Jeweled windows and reveala walls en riched by the art of rare masters. Stately chants steal through the vaulted aisle and Incense clouds the air. Then the preacher mounts Into the pulpit, surveys the congregation emaciated by the aus terities of Lent, and rekindles their Jol lity by such a tale as this: One time Christ and Peter went on a Journey. They stayed over night In the house of a friendly smith and his wife. The next' morning when- Christ and Peter were ready to depart.. Christ said to the smith and wife: "Because you gave us shelter, you shall . have four wishes, each of you,, and whatever you wish shall surely come' to psss." ' Than the old crone eried out: "One wish Is quits enough for me. All 1 de sirs Is ' to enter heaven afier leaving this world." - . Quoth Peter with a wink: "Ton need not fear bot thst this wish shall be granted. There - would be no sense In sending you to the other place, where there la gnashing of teeth, for I see that you haven't a tooth left In your head." It was the smith's turn next, snd he said: "I'm going, to hsvs all four of my wishes, and I know what . I want." "Well, let us hear It," said Peter. The smith scratched his . head and looked out of the window In perplexity. "Well." ha said at last, "I wish thst sny one who climbs Into my pear tree out there shouldn't be able to get down again without my permission." - "You. donkeyl" said the smith's wife, who was sitting on ths anvil. rThnt'e one wish." ald Peter, holding his sides; "now what's, the second?" . "Well," ssld the smith, looking cross ly at his wife, - "I wish that any one who sits on 4ny anvil shouldn't be able to get up again without my permis sion.":, , "Blorkhend,' said Ms wife bat she got up quickly enough. "Granted also!" aald Peter. Now what's your third wlshf" - Ths blacksmith hsd taken pair of tongs snd drovs his wife across the room to ths wide flue of his furnace, Into which she ran for refuge. "I wish." he yelled, "that anybody who goea into that flue shouldn't be sole to come out sgaln without my permission. Then be sat down on a stool In front of ths fins, flre-tongs In hand, waiting to pounce upon his wife, but first taking the green cap off his head and putting it upon the hard stool for a cushion. , "That wish, began Peter. "Is also- " when , out rushed ths ' smith's . wife, knocked ' her husband off' the stool, boxed bis ear and escaped into ths kitchen, ". . ,. ' 4, ' "Three .wishes.'' said Peter. ' "Now what's the last 1", -"Well." ssld the smith, ruefully, pick ing himself up, "1 wish that the next time -1 sit down on my green cap no body on earth can budge meand no body in heaven, either, if she's going there." . -j ... . t "All your wlahes are . granted," said Peter, and departed with ths Lord. - The smith's wife died, and one day Death csrae for ths smith also. "Wait a minute," said ths smith, "and while you are waiting yon may climb up Into ths pear tree and help yourself to fruit" Death old so, and, of course, couldn't come down again. Finally ths smith struck a bargain and let him down for to more years of Ufa . After tt years Desth cams again. "I'll go with yon as soon aa I've packed a bit of lunch in ths kitchen," aald ths smith. "Sorry ihat there's no chair; Just sit on the anvil till I come back." . 4 Death sat down and, of course, couldn't t up sgaln. Finally thi smith -struck a bargain and 1st hint up ior another 20 yeara of life. After SO yeara Death cams again.' ' "I'll go with you as soon as I've put on my cost," ssld the smith. . "I think I hung it in thst old flue; will yon look it it s merer ; . . Death stepped into ths flue, and,, of course, couldn't gst out again. ' Finally ths smith struck a bargain and let him out' for another 20 years of Ufa When the 20 years were up the smith bad to go. Death took him by the scruff of ths neck not very gently, I assurs you end dragged him along to ths gats of heaven.- There ths smith saw Bt. Peter shaking his key in ths facea of Noah and Abra ham, who wanted to come out for a lit tle .walk, because it .was a pleasant Easter day, like this one. "Good morning," said the smith to St. Peter, and politely took off his little green csp. Then, ts his sys fell upon it, he suddenly burst - out swearing. Buch a rumpus had never been heard at heaven's gate. All the angels held their ears shut and ths prophets nudged ons another. - "Donkey that X was," said ths smith, "I should havs aat on my cap and then Death couldn't have budged ma" He was so hot with, anger that hs threw ths cap aa far as he could, and ths. wind carried it over the wall. mi "Anyway," said ths smith, "I don't see my wife about, so , I don't mind coming In." "But we do mind," declared Peter. "Nobody that uses such language aa yours Is allowed on these premises. Turn to ths left, seven flights down. Ws don't want the cherubim and sera phim to learn such words." Hers ths prophets nudged ons snothsr again. "Vary well," ssld ths smith, deject edly, "At any rate, get me my cap be fore I go. "It -flew over the wall." "You're a bother." aald fit. Peter; "run and get It yourself." . 8o In ran ths smith and saw his cap and sat down upon It . "Get out again' said SI. Peter. "I Wont" said the smith. "Ws'll see," said 8t. peter. Us called Jacob and Bamaon. . "Tou'vs ' hsd ' ex perience at -wrestling snd lifting heavy weights," hs said. "Remove this fel low." ' ..But tbey couldn't budge the smith. 1 who sat on his green csp. So hs got Into-heaven in spits of slL Kerry Jesters la ths Pulpit.' . Ths telling of such a story would be punctuatsd throughout with laughter by ths congregation, and the clergy of ten used very broad allusions to hslp slong ths hilarity. Such a prsscher ss Abrshsm a Santa Clara, whose real name was tTlrlch Megerle, must . havs kept his sudlence In a continual roar, to Judgs by his discourses which havs corns down to na, It waa from him. by ths way, that Schiller got ths Ca puchin friar's sermon la "Wallenstsln's Camp." - - " Friar. Cutbbert's Easter sermon. In Longfellow's "Golden Legend," la In ths same irreverent vein. Ths worst psssagea in It are from - Fra Gabriella Barletta. a fifteenth century preacher. and show how sacred themes were han died then. When the news was first spread That Christ was arisen, indeed, from ths . - desd. Very great waa ths Joy of his angels In heaven; And as great ths - dllputs aa to - who should csrry The tidings thereof to tha Virgin Mary, Pierced to the heart with sorrows seven. Old Esther Adam was ths first to pro pose, As being ths author of all our woes;. But hs was refused, for fear, said they Hs would stop to sat apples on ths wsyl Abel came next, but petitioned in vain. Because hs might meet with his Lrothsr Calnl . .- - Nosh, too, waa refused, lest his weak ness for wins -' Should delay him at svery tavern-sign; And John ths Baptist could not get a VOtS ! ' - On account of his old-fashioned camel's- halr coat; And ths Penitent Thief, who died on ths ' -cross,. ' . Was reminded that 'all his bones Were broken! . . ' , ' . '',., Till nt last, when enh In turn ';ad spoken, - .- . - - , , The' company being still st a loss,' -Ths Angel who rolled sway ths stone, Wss sent to ths sepulcher, all slone. And filled with glory that gloomy prls . on. And ssld to ths Virgin, 'Ths Lord Is Risen!" Ths repertory of similar tstes wss Inexhaustible. A whole humorous hsgl ology mlght.be somplled from them. T-ongfellow has embodied ons in "The Golden Legend." Hers Is an anecdote recording a notable discomfiture , of Beelsebtib: . , , ;' Ths Devil once came to a farmer snd wished to make a bargain with him. "I'll promlee you the biggest crop you ever had." hs said, "If you'll gtvs ms hslf of it." "Very well," ssld the fsrm er. "whleh half do yot: prefer ths half shove ground or the r-a' ' belowf" "Ths half above, of yours V said His Sn tsnle Majesty, and went 'off wagging his tsll In Flee. ' Then ths shrewd farmer planted nothing but turnips snd beets and carrots and all msnnnr of edible roots. .When ths harvest waa over the farmer's bam were bursting with the fattest and finest vegetables, while the devil drove, off with a wag onlnnd Of stslks, laeves snd chaff. Next year ths devil came back sgsln snd offered to cloee. I snothsr bargain with ths farmer. "This time," hs said with a cunning leer, "I get-ths hslf 1007. , . . Mil 'Alt'- ' V that's underground." "Agreed," said ths farmer, and. went- to work planting wheat corn, . beans and all ' that kind of crops. -When, the harvest was over ths devil csme up with' a huge wsgon to haul away his snare, but hs got noth ing except, stubbls and husks. So hs flew into a fearful rsgs and drovs home snd dumped ths whols wegonlosd .into the flames of hell to make a fine, hot -blase for ths people who look. the other way when the contribution box. ar rives at their place. ; , nothing- dov With the Case. -These ars soma of ths nsatest and most harmlessly amusing of "the tales told from ths pulpits on Easter day to raise the "Easter laugh." Of course, they had no mors to do with the Re- wirrection festival - than the . Elmnl cakes, which are still baked In . En gland during the Easter season, ac cording to. hf riirlesone-etvmSloerv of 3 .T , - n v : .- . t V ( v h : , . Av-i V -; aa the word, there waa a Jolly old couple, named Simon snd Nelly, -, who decided to celebrate Easter - by making a hugs cake of Ingredients varied and numer ous. - Simon wished to boll ths cake; Nelly-wished to bake It Thet. couldn't agree on this point From words It cams to blows, snd in ths fracas the eggs Intended for tha cake wars broken. Then Simon and Nelly cams . ts tholr senses, derided to compromise the mat ter by putting everything Into the cake each had thought sf. boiling it first and baking It afterwsrd. -Ths result waa the first -of ths famous Slmnel eakes, which derive their name from ths Initial syllables of ths two names, Simon and Nelly, air of which has nothing to da with ths central Idea of the Eastertide. Indeed, though soms of the chants gt ths sarly church srs inspiring In their majsstio simplicity, and though even 1st CConUnnsd on Pag? ElsvsnJ .
