Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-04-28
RARRAROES PRACTICES.

There is within the limits Of New Mexico
IL hody known rs Las Flagelantcs or Las
| pcni,"ntos The latter name is more COM
mon with ,;s here. The same church build
iu.. thai serves ior the "Pcnitentes" is also
used in :aiiucst every instance by the Je5ults
anG The members CT this strange order &C.
| knowledge the utmost obedience To the
authority OF the Jesuit order. Perhaps .
very short and concise history OF the order
in It's earliest period would not ba ont OF
! place here.
Many false notions aud supersttiors grew
| up out ot Christianity in early days. In the
| 18Th century in parts OF Europe men pro-
! iessing devotion and doubtless sincere,
| wandered about in extreme WretcnedneS5
witi; hair and beard Of enormous length and
| their bodies covered with Vermln, wearing
| heavy chains fastening carriers upC2 their
| breast and back gird!ag themselves with
| banl@gcs Of hris!!es and sharp pointed wires,
| logging themselves with thCrn-;;t:Cks This
scat Of wild fanatics lad lis rise in Italy in
| the wear 1860. It's author WAS one Eainer,
| :. hermit Many persons u! beth sexes and
all u-es walked iG professions #itn their
shoulders ba:r, which they whipped iii! the
blood ran down, in order TO obtain mercy
| FROM God and appease his indignation
a4&iuS. the WlCkedneSS OF the age. Their
superior was called: the General OF Dcyo-
| ton Though The primitive Fiagelantes
W2!c exemplary in morals, yet they became
infected with the most ridiculous and impi-
Oils opinions, 50 that Emperors and Pom
| lills cndeavored 10 put an end 10 this re
i9iOuS ireIZy.
II revived in Germany and created great
| aihurnas against them, and many were
| bu.ut bv the Inquisiiors. Cohnrad Scmidt
ani many Others were committed TO the
flames by German luquistors in and after
he wear l4l4 When this terrible frenzy
was imported 10 this country We do not
know.
| Time seems only 10 have taught these
people new ways in which to inllct self
| punishment. AS far as practiced in nearly
| every portion cf this territory to-day, the
m2tbuds are i;.: more hdculls and disgust
| ing ;han anything history has ever re-
| coded;
| The Jou,rm man on Friday had an oppor
tusity cr witnessing the methcCs Of .hesc
rcopio as exhibited III Nacimiento. III me
northern portion of this counte, and one u
| the s.romgholds CT The order. The ilt!e
| af,,hr church was filled 10 overiowins; with
| dcyctgcs Of the order and idle curiosity seek
| crz Services were commenced with sing
| ing and then u;hcG exercises followed pre-
| Iiminarr 10 The horrible work 50 SOON TO fol
| low. Az imiGrDs,r cross had been rr0Vid-
| cj:. the leGgih Of which was fully twelve
| lcc, ;aa the whoo weighing i"!ly l13 to- 200
pounds. Those who were 10 ;:.ke part IL
! The brutal, cruei exercises WeT" throe I@n
! r,u-ilg III age from u 10 IS years and Il boy
\ \ -trI,,
| ped tn the waist and each carried = piece OF
| soar weed which is very tough Of fibre, and
| Through which tholns from our native cac-
| t. hH,! been pushed. making an instrument
| the very sigh: Of which brought back
| Thoughts Of the days Of the lnqusi!ion.
| one Of The mc; with iluch effort took the
| cross u0,,., lis hack and the procession was
| ready to start for little hill about Que mile
| distant. A sort Of weird melody Of chant
| iny yrns stt up and the scourge Immediately
arplct to The bach; Of each devotce by his
own hand Blood started at every stroke,
but the ltanin. was kept up without cessa-
ton. Several times he who bore the cross
fell under lis weight, when with horrible
tlempn;ac shut from his brothers III misery,
he ru. brought TO his feet again, and given
renewed courage by Il terrible scourging aG-
miniSlcred to him hy those nearest.
IL required fully an Hour to make the
iouru>y. iUr The cross. bearer fell upon his
face ~ less than seven times, q scourgln9
being administered upon each occasion.
The top OF the hill reached, the cross was
erected. and he VINO had borne the instru
ment thither was stretched upon ii-being
tied hand and foot. Again and again he
was made 10 feel the thorEs, until at last
from loss Of blood hc tainted completely
away, nntl there he was lett while all the
othr;s returned 10 he church. The victim
of this fanaticism, this hideous barbarity
must remain upon that cross until The dark
ness NAV hide those who come 10 carry him
away. Several have died under this usage
hut even this never serves rs q lesson for The
future. -,
Evening comes aud the scour2ing Of the
Others has not ceased, and all who desire tc
see the closing exercise arc invited to the
church. Thittier went The Journal repre-
sentative with Others who wished to wit
ness the grand final OF !he days work
we are told That now the real tes
is TO bo made and Wc may leave
The building if we fit, but il We choose to stay
we must remain throughout the ceremonies. W.
| chose 10 STAY The doors we're locked ana barred
tho windows all carefully covered 10 shut iron
thn coming scene the laintcst ray OF tle moor
, ond then every candle within the little ediiic
was carefully extinguished. The procession
formed in the aisle and the march was started
Horror OF horror tn" deep darkness only ssTye'
to intensity the awful din. Log chains were be
, 40 d-ogond about the room, drums beating, rat
tics sounded and the thud, thud thnd Of tn
sconrre ses could be heard falling thick and fas
mon n The victims As they fell in the aisle wor1
ont and bleeding they were tramplcd upon by tn
other; in the procession, until finally the lsst
The deyotees had falling in his path ana -
doors were thrown OPEN The exercise had Taste
fully an hour and !. half aud the Ioarna' ma
when he stepped forth into the free air again In
arined that he had had at least foretaste,
t what the Internal regions are pictured TO De-