Typed as spelled and written
Lena Stone Criswell
THE MARLIN DEMOCRAT
Thirteenth Year - Number 36
Marlin, Texas,Thursday, November 6, 1902
HALLOWEEN AT OAKLAND.
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A Unique Entertainment by Musical Club.
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The Wednesday Matinee Musical Club gave an Hallowe'en entertainment at Oakland,
the residence of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Jones last evening for the benefit of the
club's finances, that was very unique in its character.
The program of the evening was laid along
the mysterious lines of Halloween, in fact, one was kept guessing all the time
as to what was coming next.
The witches, cauldron, for tune teller, nut
crack, the apple, the mirror and other time honored customs incident to
celebrations of Halloween were employed in the evening's pleasures and mysteries
and those present had a most delightful time.
HALLOWEEN.
Halloween is observed in many lands and countries in slightly different ways by
different people. The leading idea is that it is the time of all others
when supernatural influences prevail. It is a night set apart for a
universal walking abroad of spirits, for one of the special characteristics
attributed to the day is the faculty conferred on the immaterial principle in
humanity to detach itself from the bands and wander about at will. Divinition is
then believed to have attained its highest power, and the gift of calling
spirits becomes possible to all who choose to avail themselves of the occasion.
There is a remarkable uniformity in the customs of this night not alone in
America but all over the United Kingdom. The mysterious rites and
ceremonies are the old, familiar ones, which never lose their charm.
Halloween Day takes its origin from its
converesion in the Seventh century of the Pantheon at Rome into a Christian
place of worship and its dedication to the Virgin and all the martyrs.
First celebrated on May 1, the date was subsequently changed to November 1, and
under the designation of Feast of all Saints set apart as a general
commemoration in their honor, and as such retained by the Anglican and American
Episcopal churches the collect for which day supplicates God for "grace so to
follow Thy blessed saints in all virtuous and God living," etc. On that
day it is a custom of Roman Catholic countries (still practiced in Louisiana) to
visit the cemeteries for devotions or for laying floral tributes on the graves
of relatives. But the "Halloween" has nothing churchly about it, and seems
to be a relic of pagan times, or perhaps of medaeval (sic) superstitions.
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Copyright permission granted to Theresa Carhart and her volunteers for
printing
by The Democrat, Marlin, Falls Co., Texas
