Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1888-11-22
kissing the Bible.

The medical journals are agitafing
the danger which lurk in the greasy
and worn backs of the Court Bibles
The practice of kissing the book
comes down from the daysofcolonial
custom, but il is nj 40 time eompul
sorry, although the uninitiatel know
no better, and even some of the most
intelligent people, who know tbatn
is optional with them, seem 10 los
their seIf-possession and at the com
maBd of the court baiiif, kiss
book they do so.
A New Jersey physician is reporfeo
to have refused TO kiss the book
but was compelled 20 comply TEtA
the requirements. Jersey Law must
be very old fashioned and i1g1as OF
no such ruling would have iohohe9
the refusal. In the courts 81 several
States anyone may refuse TO DO 80
but in mauv of the States the BlbseB
MOI used jn the courts. The witness
has only TO hold up his right bapa
and solemnly swear that be WI is3i
the truth. the x~hoIetruth, and nofp.
inc but the truth" and even then y
be has any conscientious seraplse
against this forTH be may af3rfp
The practice Of kiesing the BOOK y
rspidly falling into disrepute every
where First. because the same booa
that IL kissed by diseased lips IS
oTarered 10 + ~eleauiy and se3fre-
specting. and often the witness whose
/ stomach turns against the oseula~
tory ordeal merely goes through i5e
motion Of putting the book TOWARDS
the lips without actual contact. The
man With the moustaebe apparently
submits. but the book only touches
the capillary substance and IL passed
on to the next witness or juror, ln
some instances, If the Bible Is not by
elastic bands. il is not uncommon
for the one taking the oath 70 open
the book and kiss some printed page;
[. This Is the Presidential custoras and
IyDx-eyed reporters watch closely
! and report that passage Of Scripture
which the Presidential lips have
kissed
The origin Of the oath upon the
| Bible has been traced to the old Ro-
man Law, and the kissing Of the book
is said to be an imitation OF the
priests kissing the ritual al a sign OF
reverence before be reads il TO the
| peopie. Bouvier's Law dictionary
saws: The commencement Of an
oath is made By the party taking
hold of the book, after belngrequfred
by the officer TO do so, and ends gen
orally with the words 80 help you
/ God and kissing the book. whentbe
form is that Of swearing on theeTan
geiists."
The Mohammedans are sworn on
the Koran and the Greeks and 10
mans swore by the souls Of the dead,
the ashes Of their fathers, by their
opn lives on the lives OF their friends,
by their heads and by their right
hands. while among Scandinayians
and Germans it was customary TO
rest the hand upon some object while
repeating an oath
When it is considered that the low
est classes, diseased and dirty kiss
the Bible in ourIoWer and higher court
with res0unding smack, and that by
this contact disease may be dissent
mated to the very sensitive organs, the
lips, there is good reason for the med
ical journals to open war on the Gus
tom OF kissing the book.
The Medical Register off recent
date SAYS: The kissing of the Bible
In any case is a form which might
easily, without the sacrifice of solen-
nifty or Of the structure Of an oath, be
set aside in favor of simply touching
of the book with the hand or reeog-
milton Of 1t ia the averration- The
lips ate most sensitive reoeptaclesfo r
the germs of disease, and, from the
motley throng of dirty and diseased
persons who arRsnmmoned Inacourt
of justice, what infectious germs may
not be Disseminated The person
who kisses a Bible in court has net
the least surety that lis lips do not
come into direct contact with the pol
luton lett by a predecessor who was
suffering from some foul skin disease
or faint, not to speak of the germs OF
eruptiye fayers ana the like"