Arizona silver belt., 1884-04-19
LAS FLAGELANTEs.
Some of the Horrible lnhuman sights
 Seen by . Journal Reporter.

Sech OS eSOurhai McPOrtcr.
 Ascot of religious fanatics which took itsrise in Italy, as early asthe year 126O, still holds sway in New Mexico, as Las Flagelantes, or Las Penitentes. The members regard it as a Christian duty to infict bodily punishment, as will be seen from the following from the Albuquerque Jour- nal, whose representative was recent ly an eye witness to the performance of their religious" rites at Nacimien- to, in the northern part of Bernalillo county, in that territory: gnHs 7 The little adobe church was filled to overfowing with deyotees ofthe order and idle curiosity seekers. Services were commenced with singing and then other exercises followed prelim- mary to the horrible work SO soon to follow. An immense cross had been provided the length of which was fully twelve feet with a cross bar of about six feet and the whole weighing fully 175 to 200 pounds. Those who were to take part in the brutal, cruel exer- cises were three men ranging in age from 21 to 28 years and boy of not more than IF years. All were stripped to the waist and each carried a piece of soap weed, which is very tough of fibre, and through which thorns from our native cactus had been pushed, making an instrument the very sight of which brought back thoughts of the days of,the Inquisition. ,4 .ns,
 One of the men with much effort took the cross upon his back and the procession was ready to start for a little hill about one mile distant. A sort of weird melody or chanting was set up and the scourge immediately applied to the back of each devotee by his own hand. Blood started at every stroke, but the flashing was kept uI without cessation. Several times he who bore the cross fell under its weight, when with a horrible demoniat shout, from his brothers in misery, he was brought to his feet again, ant given renewed courage by q terrible scourging administered to him by those nearest. tt' G.a.
 It required fully an hour to make the journey, for the cross-bearer fell upon his face no less than seven times scourging being administered upon each occasion. The top of the hil reached, the cross was erected, and ht who had borne the instrument thithel was stretched upon it-being tied hand and foot. Again and again he was made to feel the thorns, until at last from loss of blood he tainted complete ly away, and there he was left while all the others returned to the church
 The victim of this fanaticism, this hid
 eous barbarity must remain upon that cross until the darkness may hide those who come to carry him away. Severa have died under this usage, but ever this never serves as lesson for the future. fl 'H 'sa.l l" ."
 Evening comes and the scourging of the others has not ceased, and al who desire to see the closing exercises are invited to the church. We art told that now the real tes; is to be made and we may leave the building if we,see fit, but if we choose to stay we ppSi>nain throughout the cere monies. Ge! chose to stay. The doors were locke( nd barred, the windows all carefully covered to shut from the coming scene even the faintest ray ot the moon and then every candle with
 in the little edifice was carefully ex tinguished. The procession formed in the aisle and the march was started Horror of horrors, the deep darkness only served to intensity the awful dir Log chains were being dragged about the room, drums beating, rattles sound ed and the thud, thud of the scourge could be heard falling thick and fast upon the victims. As they fell in the aisle worn outand bleeding they were trampled upohDby the others in the procession, until finally the last oi the devotees had fallen in his path and the doors were thrown open. The ex' ercises had lasted fully an hour and a half and the Journal man when he stepped forth into the free air again imagined that he had had at least a fore taste, of what the internal re.