New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1860-09-20
NIaseIln.lon % penlteMts.

The editor OF the Church Journal OF New York
City, writing from Rome thus describes this strange
and revolving ceremony, as witnessed by himself
| last March:
Last evening, accompanied by brother clergy.
| man, went to the Jesuit Church in the Via Car
vita, to be present at an extraordinary service
which earnest but misguided spirit in the Roman
Church has deyised-a service of selfscourgng. A
fttlo before o'clock we entered a large church
dimly lighted. The only lights were four candles
about the altar. and live others surrounding large
letter II, (inital for Mnria) which stood high upon
the wall back of the altar. We seated ourselves
on bench ranged along the wall. The foor COW
ered with carpet, was left entirely open and free
from obstruction. Every here and there on this
open space, and along the row of chairs outside
the wall bench or hid in the corners, were to be
seen in the din light figures kneeling in silent de-
Totion Now and then one would PROSTATE him
self with his face 10 the floor As far as l could
Judge some seventy or eighty had entered and
were scattered about in different directions when
The doors were closed and holted. The first por-
tiln of the service consisted OF PRAYERS and tanies
very hGrliedly chanted by minister at the altar;
TO these loud, musical response, or an occasional
x Amen," was returned by the kneeling penitcnts.
These prayers ended, and sweet tenor voice sang
a solo, apparently recital, perhaps the story
Of our Lords suffering. As he closed the lights
above and below We're eStinguShed, and the
church was left in utter darkness.
One almost impefceptibie ray OF light did see,
however, through an opening in the closed curtain
Of an upper window, or perhaps through the cur.
| tain ITSELF saw the faint gllmmering of star in
the heavens above. ! could not but accept it as
an angury that though men seek to walk in dark
ness, God will not leave them TO themselves, but
still sends his light in upon them as in the days of
| those who saw the star in the East At this point
| q voice was heard; Of course no one could be
| seen. priest began an exhortaton founded upon
| our Lords readiness and desire to suffer for our
| sake. He spoke with slow and distinct articula.
| tion and with the rich Roman cadence Alluding
10 the approaching oomnemoration of our Lords
death, he quoted his word, with desire have de-
sired to cat the Passover with you before suffer- 4
| and enlarged upon the steadfast eagerness Of
Christ to fulfill his labor of suffering, of expiation
/ tie became more and more impassi6ned and spoke
| more rapidly and yehemently as he dwelt upon
the point, and upon the contrast which our in.
gratitude, GOODNESS and unwiilingness to suffer,
presented to Clrist's self devotion. As he warmed
with this subiTct, ] could hear the self-infeted
seourgcs falling upon the backs of the penients-
not indeed with their full force, for it not the
proper time rs yetas if, like horses eager for the
race they We're impatient to manifest their willing
ness TO suffer in the likeness of Christ.
The orator closed by asking, :" Shall we not at
leastsshow our love and willingness 10 deny our
selves by suhdting orr rebel ileshsn With these
words, or rather with the words 'liiserere haei,a y
shouted by the penitents, the lagellations began
| in earnest. On every side the knotted scoufges
! fell. n have seen the scoufge5 that are used ::
they arc not large, but sufficient to nGict severe
! pain when applied for any length Of time. and
| thnre can be no doubt that they were both farc-
0freYcrberatiag blows sounded like fierce shower
of hail. / held my breath and bowed my head
| from nervous and uncomfortable sympathy with
actual suffering, Il seemed to me as il the shower
| oil blows would never end. OF course the time
| seemed longer than ii was in fact; but it was
| long enough to make we wonder not only at the
physical endurance, but also at tho muscular force
required for such incessant, rapid and long.e0n.
timed blows. The patients, however were able,
e., had the breath, all through the scourging TO
chant with a firm, loud voice. some words of con.
triton, think most probably the 5lst Psalm, with
tie words OF which, as | have said the scourging
| commenced After Il lapse Of some five minutes
the bell rang as signal to discontinue-at least
/ so | understood 1.-THE haggellations. II rang
| second and third time before all had finished
| Indeed, after the third ringing few strokes were
| heard some one in the body of the church cried
ont " hist, and at last the sad sounds ceased.
| Then that sweet tenor voice took up his song
again this song was followed by chant with re.
sponces, and then the doors were unbolted, and
service Was concluded. This exercise takes place
three times during Holy Week, as often during the
week preceding, and | believe at other times.
am told also that similar service is held at some
other churches Tile pcnitents sre said to under
take this lagellation of themselves voluntarily al
an expression Of sorrow for sin, and to assoeiat,
themselves with Christ in fellowship of his suffer
ings. Perhaps also the idea of acquiring meri
thereby, ol eNpating their own sins or of avert
ing Cod wrath and temporal punishment, enter
into the minds OF some. Probably also. in certai
eases, this IS discipline enoned by the confesso
rs pcnance
An old Connecticut pastor, whose pecnliaritie
Of preaching were proycrbal and who was bles