HALLOWE'EN

Hallowe’en is how we used to spell it, shortened from All-hallow-even, and the day was fun because it wasn’t one that used-to-be “preached against.”

Many view Hallowe’en as Satanic, but as a child October 31st was a fun night to dress up and hope to go to a party. When my generation were teen-agers the “big thing” was getting your parents to let you go to court square and soap store windows.

There’s a greater significance to October 31. The Reformation began unofficially on October 31, 1517, when Martin Luther nailed his 95 Theses to the Castle Church door in Wittenberg, Germany … most likely the greatest event since the Gutenberg Printing Press in the 1440’s. From Martin Luther’s break from Catholicism came European Protestantism which spread to England and Scotland and later to the United States and the Restoration Movement to restore New Testament principles.

A hundred years ago, 1906, in a disagreement over instrumental music and missionary societies, one group, the Disciples of Christ in some areas and the Christian Church in others, separated into the instrumental music Christian Church and non-instrumental Church of Christ.

Unknown to me there was always a religious significance to October 31 and now I am glad because Martin Luther’s heroic act brought us out of the Dark Ages when the Bible was chained to pulpits and common people weren’t allowed to read it. And most of all because the Holy Scriptures came to the United States where there is no “state religion” and we are free to worship as we please and as God commands.

“Trick or Treating” began in Brownsville sometime in the 1950's. Children wore dime store masks and went to the neighbors house to “scare” them and show off their costumes. Then later came the egg throwing, toilet paper rolling, and water balloons and punishments.

As streets became less safe some churches had Halloween Carnivals on October 31. Schools banned Halloween symbols as decorations and have Harvest Festivals. Bobby and Amanda provide a cook-out for our young people and some not-so-young.

So we still have a fondness for the October 31, Halloween, and love the sense of adventure that comes from being outside in the dark with a “jack-o-lantern” or flashlight.

And while you are “trick and treating”, say a prayer for all those who paved the way for the freedom we have today to worship and to enjoy Hallowe’en and other family traditions.

Sources:
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Genenal Essay on European Protestantism http://philtar.ucsm.ac.uk/encyclopedia/christ/cep/protest.html