The Warner weekly sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1885, 1884-08-22

Britannica, just published, contains .
remarkably interesting article on the
subject Of "Oaths," which is particular
" seasonable at the present moment IN
connection with Bradlaugh discussion,
and the information contained in which,
from q historical point Of view, ought TO
strengthen the position Of Mr.. Glad
stone and the Liberal party in their de-
sire to carry an Affirmation bill. The
author, DIR. E. B. Tylor, makes il
abundantly evident that the oath orig
inaily had no connestion whatever with
sacred matters. IT is simply 4 relic OF
barbarism, San asseveration or promise
made under nonhuman penalty or sane
tion." The idea of it's having been at
the first an appeal to the Divine Being
is quite a mistake. The invocation OF
the Diety to punish was learned by the
savage tribes from their civilized neigh
bors. An example OF the curse
oath" is seen among the Nag
as of Assam, where two
men lay hold of o dog or fowl by head
or feet, the animal being then chopped
in two by q single blow as emblematic
of the fate which IS expected to befall
the periurer. Sometimes the person
taking the oath would hold in bis hand
q spearhead or a tigers tooth, by which
act he virtuously said. eff I do not
faithfully perform this, my promise,
may I fall by these" Another stage In
the history of all oaths was reaclfed
when the swearer called upon some
fierce beast to punish him if he lied, be-
lieying that somehow it knew what he
said, and had power to interfere in hui
man affairs. Between the Russians and
the wild Ostyaks of Siberia, for
ample, the head of q bear was brought
into court, and the Ostyak, making a
gesture to initiate eating, called upon
the bear to deyour him If he did not
speak the truth. In the earlier stages
Of natural or rather nature religion, matt
ural objects were invoked, being looked
upon as animate and personal. Thus,
the old Romans swore by the Styx or
the Tiber, the Hindoo by the Ganges,
while In New Guinea oaths are still TAX
en- by an appeal to the sun, the mount
aims, or weapons Of war. The Romaggs
had another custom, in the form Of kill
ing q hog by the sacred flint, with the
Invocation of Jupiter SO to smite the
people who did not keep their oath.
pr. TAYLOR has no hesitation in saying
that the modern forms of adjuration
can all be traced back In some way or
other to these barbaric practices, while
he dwells with emphasis upon the fact
that among Christian nations there has
been much difference of opinion upon
1.-The taking Of oaths. st. Crhysostom
land most of the Understanding
their teaching on the words Of the
Divine Author Of NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
ly de~nouncing the practice as "a snare
taking the oath upon q copy Of the
Gospels seems to have been derived from
the late Jewish practice, in which the
oath was taken, holding in the hand the
scroll Of the Law, or the phylacteries, this
ceremony itself being possibly adapted
from the Roman custom. The practice Of
/ kissing tina hook annaars hEst IN.
the Middle Ages, at tie time when
it became customary to touch
the relics of the saints upon the altar,
th8 cross, or q bishops crozier. Such
an oath, where 4 sacred object was
touched, was called q corporal or
bodily oath, as distinguished from q
merely spoken or written oath. The
English word to signify this sacred
object was ahas.doms, and this ahali.
dome IS now for Christians the Ne~
Testament, for Jews the old Tesla