Easter Is About Giving Life

by Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr.
Weirs Times Contributing Writer

In March of the year 1900 friends of the late Henry S. Blaisdell were said to be “surprised and pleased” when the recipients of the contents of his will were made public. Mr. Blaisdell left his homestead to his cousin, Dr. George Blaisdell of Manchester-by-the-Sea, $2,500 and the household effects to his housekeeper, Mrs. Carrie D. Spiller; $100 which was to be held in trust for Olive Huntoon, a grandaughter of Mrs. Spiller (named for Mr. Blaisdell’s wife), $10 each to Mr. Blaisdell’s cousins (17 or more), and $100 to the town of Gilford to be spent on the Blaisdell burial lot in the McCoy Cemetery.
The remainder of Mr. Blaisdell’s estate was willed to the Cottage Hospital. What that would amount to was not immediately disclosed, but it was believed to be “a snug little sum,” though “those in a position to know” said they thought that Mr. Blaisdell’s wealth “was greatly overestimated.”
At this time of the year when Christians observe what we describe as Holy Week when the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus, the Christ, are emphasized by special observances,it is a good time to think about what one leaves behind at their death.
I have been to many funerals and I don’t remember one where the emphasis was upon the material possessions that the deceased possessed. There has been an emphasis on the kind of person they were, their future existence, and consolation for the living.
It may be surprising to some to know that at least some of the early settlers of New Hampshire did not celebrate Easter or Christmas. The Puritans who moved to this State from Massachusetts were offended by what they saw as having origins in pagan practices that some professing Christians had adopted as part of their celebration of these two holidays.

Besides, they found nothing in the Bible which commanded them to observe a day in honor of Jesus’ birthday or His death and Resurrection. They obviously believed strongly in the events, but not in the way they were celebrated by secular and some church groups.
The teachings of the birth of Jesus and His death and resurrection are fundamental doctrines of Christian churches. There are some Christian folk today who want nothing to do with Easter eggs and bunnies, while others hold Easter egg hunts and make Easter baskets to give to their children.
I remember how, in childhood days, it was popular for church adherents to buy new clothes, or,at least wear their best clothes for Easter. Easter bonnets (or hats) were fashionable in those days when some ladies felt that it was proper to wear hats to church on any particular Sunday. Wearing one’s “Sunday best” is no longer a phrase that carries much meaning in our present society in or outside of our churches.
Women often wore corsages on Easter, usually the flower of an orchid. Children of my generation were taught the solemness of suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross followed by the gladness and joy of the Resurrection of Jesus which was celebrated on Easter Sunday.
Sunrise Services were common in those days and they were usually outside and sometimes followed by an Easter fellowship breakfast. The colored eggs and candy had no pagan connection in the minds of the children, but they, rather, represented new life and happiness to them , if anything. For a lot of us Easter has never meant anything but the celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus though to some the name Easter is not acceptable because they still associate it with pagan origins.
Apparently there have long been observances of different sorts that use the term Easter that have no direct connection with the account of the Resurrection. An April 11 column in a Laconia newspaper with the heading ENTRE NOUS (or between us) announced that “an up-to-date Easter ‘German’ is on the tapis, and Madam Grundy smiles propitiously.” Translated, I think that means that an Easter dance “ consisting of intricate figures that are improvised and intermingled with waltzes,” was on the carpet and it had the approval of the strictest critic. The notice stated: “A committee of young ladies and matrons will call on the eligibles and benedicts around town and sell invitations at the small advance price of one cartwheel each, insuring an inspiring orchestra, a faultless(?) floor, refreshing edibles, besides a program of bright tidbits presented from eight to nine o’clock. Admission to the gallery will be ‘two bits’ if you know what that is, and if you don’t, call and find out. Just where the dance will be held has not come to light yet, but it will be somewhere within carriage distance, and promises…to be the most recherche affair in society circles this season.” The column was signed by “Dixie” who expressed the opinion that Laconia needed a general reformation of social life. By the way, the “cartwheel” was a silver dollar.
That same year Lakes Region Churches were proclaiming the Resurrection message by the use of music and the spoken word. The Meredith Baptist Church presented songs with the titles “He Is Risen”,“Our Risen Redeemer”, “Hail The Day Eternal”, “The Conquest of Spring”, “With Glorious Song”, “Bright was The Morn,” and “Was Ever King So Kingly.” These were sung by the congregation, the choir, and the ladies quartet. The Easter story from Scripture was told and the Pastor gave his Easter address.
The story has been told over and over again of Jesus’ death and resurrection and the celebration of Christmas and Easter was brought to this country in its early days by other Christian groups than the Puritans, including the Anglican Church which built one of the first churches in the early days of settlements in New Hampshire.
While Mr. Blaisdell and many others like him left material goods and money to others, many Christians at this time of the year look to Jesus Christ as the one who conquered death and gives life.
Another memory from the days of my youth is that of Easter Seal representatives who were out collecting money to help crippled children for the New Hampshire Easter Seal organization. The word “crippled” is seldom used in these days as the term “disability” seems to be the preferred one. The Easter Seals New Hampshire drive began in 1936 by Dr. Ezra Jones and the founder of Crotched Mountain, Harry Gregg. They adopted the logo of the Easter Lily and distributed small artificial lilies to those who contributed to help crippled children.
Easter, and the message it proclaims, has for me also been connected with giving, reminding me of the love that prompted Jesus to give His life for the many, then reclaiming His own.

Robert Hanaford Smith, Sr., welcomes your comments at danahillsmiths@yahoo.com.