The Custom of "Lifting"

1917

Strange English Development of the Story of the Resurrection

It is strange that absurdities should have arisen from what is to Christians the solemn idea of the resurrection or "lifting" of Christ. In one of the English countries a grave divine stepped into a wayside inn one day of Easter week.

No sooner was he seated than two strapping women rushed in and, making what children call a "chair" with their arms, invited him to be "lifted" and carried in state through the streets. With a small sum of money he bought them off and made amends for his evident dismay at what they had considered an honor. On Easter Monday and Shrove Tuesday the people were in the habit of going about "lifting" or "heaving" each other, each three times.


Origin of the Easter Egg

How an Ancient Legend Tells the Story of Its Birth

There fell from heaven one day, long, long ago, an egg of immense size. It rested on the Euphrates, where doves descended and hatched it, when out from it arose in splendid beauty Easter, or Venus, and that explains why eggs are a favorite food during the festival of this lovely deity. When the early Christians made their way north, conquering for Christ, they preserved this feast, but changed its application. "We will maintain your celebration," they said, "but it shall henceforth mean the resurrection of Christ." And that explains why it is that this joyous Christian festival bears an old heathen name. Similarly with the egg. It was retained as a symbol of the day and is thus used to the present time in many lands.


Eggs at Easter

The use of eggs at this season is undoubtedly symbolical of the revivification of nature, the rebirth of life in spring. From the Christian point of view this feast of eggs has usually been considered emblematic of the resurrection and of a future life. But the custom is not confined solely to Christians, as Jews use eggs in the feast of the Passover, and we are told that the Persians, when they keep the festival of the solar new year in March, present colored eggs to one another

Easter: Immortality Brought to Light

Sikeston, Missouri, 1950

Easter Message at The Christian Church

"Immortality Brought to Light" will be the topic for the Easter message which the Rev. R. M. Talbert, pastor of the Christian church, will deliver at the worship service at his church on Easter morning, beginning at 10:45.

For the evening worship service. at 7:30, the Rev. Talbert will use as his topic, "The Voice of Jesus."

Sunday school service, with Hugh Stewart as superintendent, will be held at 9:45 a.m. and Christian Endeavor service will begin at 6:30 p.m.

At 2:45 Easter afternoon an Easter egg hunt for children will be held at the Edgar Crouthers farm north of Sikeston unless the weather is bad, in which case the egg hunt will be held at the church.


Revival to Begin At Baptist Mission

A revival will begin Easter Sunday at the Baptist Mission church located on the corner of Kentucky and Missouri Avenues, McCord addition. Evangelist A. B. Harris of Adamsville, Tenn., will be in charge. The services will begin at 7:30 o'clock each evening and continue through April 23. Everyone is welcome at these services.

Old-fashioned gospel singing will be held at each service, led by Ralph Lingle. Rev. Howard Ray is the pastor of the church.

Announcements for Sunday are: Sunday School at 9:45 a.m., with Ralph Lingle as superintendent.

Morning worship at 10:45. Topic of the pastor's sermon will be "The Conquest of the Grave."

At the Sunday evening service the pastor's sermon topic will be "The Vision of a Redeemed World."

--The Sikeston Herald, Sikeston, Missouri, April 6, 1950, page 6.

Comment: These are all excellent sermon titles, big, spiritual concepts. "Immortality Brought to Light" obviously had something to do with 2 Tim. 1:10, "But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." "The Voice of Jesus," maybe Jesus with Mary Magdalene, John 20. As for those by Evangelist Harris, the first is definitely an Easter sermon. The second, "The Vision of a Redeemed World" might be evangelistic, but sounds like it'd have a very broad focus.