The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1888-02-25
TERRIBLE PENANCe.



blood Flows From the Wounds.
In the old days all nuns and monks
In Mexico were compelled by the rigid
rules Of the order 10 use the discipline
on t,,sir own naked persons every night
and morning before retiring 10 and ris-
ing from the iron bCdstcads that were
purposoly made too short and supplied
only with block Of wood for Il pillow.
Nine. CaldcrOn dc Ia Barca, in her
book on Mexico, written forty years
ago. tells Ms all about it. Says she:
The discourse appeared like a prepa-
tion for the execution of n multitude of
condemned criminals. After il they
all joined in prayer with much fervor
and enthusiasm, beating their breasts
and falling upon their faces. Then
monk stood up, and in n very distinct
voice read several passages of Scripture
descriptive Of Christs sulierings. The
organ then struck up the "Miscrcre."
and all OF sudden the church was
plunged into profound darkness. Sud
denly n terrible voice cried out in the
dark: MY brothors, when Jesus was
fastened TO the pillar by the Jews he
was scourgedH' At these words we
heard the sounds of hundreds Of
scourges descending on the bare flesh.
can not conceive any thing more hor-
riblo Before ten minutes had passed
tho sounds became splashing from
blood that was flowing. We could not
leave the church. but IL was perfectly
sickening, aud had | not been able
to hold Sonora IS hand. and
thus feel something human be-
side me in the darkness, could
have fancicd myself transported into
Dante's inferno Now and then a sup
pressed groan was heard. and occasion
ally the voice Of the monk encouraging
them by calculations or by short pas
sages from the Bible. Sometimes the
organ struck up, and the poor wrctches
trlod in faint voices to join in the
"Miserere" The sound of the scourg-
ing was indescrbable. At the end of
half an hour IA little hell was rung, and
the voice of the monk was heard call
ing upon thom to dcsist; but such was
their enthusiasm that the horrible LASH
ing continued louder and iicrcer than
ever In vain he cntreatcd them not
10 kill themselves, that heaven would
be satisfied. and that human nature
could not endure beyond certain point.
No answer but the loud sound OF the
scourges as their sharp iron points
entered the flesh. At longth, as if they
were perfectly exhausted, the sound
grew fainter, and little 10y little ceased
altogether We then got up in the
dark. and with gsat difficulty CROPPED
our way through the galleries and down
the stairs till we reached the door and
had the pleasure of again feeling the
fresh air. They tell MS that the church
floor Is frequently covered with bood
after one of these pcnances. and that a
man died the other day in consequence
OF his wounds,
This awful pcnance was known as the
desagravioS. and it must be remembered
that each man scourged only himself, If
they had scourged each other the ter
riblc energy displayed would seem less
astonishing. The season of dcSagravios
used to continue thirty five days of every
year. The women attended church IN
the morning, no men having been per-
mitted to enter. and the mcn in the
evening, when women were not adj
mitted The penaucc of the women
was much less severe. and consisted
chiefly in kuceling for half an hour
with arms extended IN the form of n
cross, very painful position after the
first Eve minutes Fannie H. Ward. ia
Philadelphia Record