Idaho news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1887-1891, 1888-12-15
Kisslnr tho lsihle.

I 4 Nt lutQtSdt Jun he'ts stAN 50 1850 Z
tho danger which Turk in tho greasy
and worn backs Of the Court Bibles
The practice of kissing the book
comes down from the days ofeolonial
custom, but it is at no time eompul'
sorry, although the uninitiatel know
no better, and even some of the most
intelligent people, who know that L
is optional with them, seem to lose
their self-possession and at the com
mand of the court bailiff, "kiss the
book" they do so.
A New Jersey physician is reported
to have refused to kiss the book, !
but was compelled to comply with
the requirements. Jersey law must
be very old fashioned and rigid, or
no such ruling would have followed
the refusal. In the courts OF several
States anyone may refuse to do SO,
but in many of the States the Bible IL
not used in the courts. The witness
has only to hold up his right hand
and solemnly swear that he will tell
the truth, the whole truth, and moth.
ing but the truth" and even then il
he has amy conscientious scruples
against this form he may "afflrm."
The practice of kissing the book Is
rapidly falling into disrepute every.
where First, because the same book
that is kissed by diseased lips is
oferered to the cleanly and sclf-rc
spcctiug, and often the witness whose
stomach turns against the oseula-
tory ordeal merely goes through the
motion Of putting the book towards
the lips without actual contact, The
man with the muustache apparently
submits, but the book only touches
the capillary substance and is passed
on to the next witness or juror. III
some instances, il the Bible is not by
elastic bands, il is not uncommon
for the one taking the oath to open
the book and kiss some printed page.
This is the Presidential custom, and
lynx-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 as sign oi
reverence before he reads it to the
people. Bouvier's law dictionary
says: The commencement 81 ua
oath is made by the party taking
hold OF the book, after beingrcquired
by the officer to do so, and ends gen
orally with the words so help Won
God, and kissing the book, when the
form is that OF swearing on thesyan.
gelists.
The MOhammedans are sworn Ola.
the Koran and the Greeks aud E9.
mans sworo BY the souls Of thr dead.
the ashes Of their fathers. by their
own lives or the lives Of Their triruG4
By their heads aud by their right
hands, while among Scandinavian
and Germans it was customary Ia
rest the hand upon some object while
repeating I'M oath.
When it is considered that the law
est classes, diseased and dirty. kiSg
the Biblein our lowcrand higher court
with a Fesoundingsm and that hy
this contact disease may h. dissent.
mated to the very sensitive organs, tho
lips, there IL good reason for the med.
real Journals to open war on the Gus
tom Of kissing the hook.
The Medical Register ofa recent
date says: THE kissing OF the Bible
in any case is Il form which might
easily, without the sacrifice of solCm-
nifty or of the structure ufan oath. 10
set aside in favor Of simply touching
Of the book with the hand or rrcop.
milton Of it in the averration. The
lips ate mast sensitive receptacles for
the germs Of disease, and. from the
motley throng OF dirty and Diseased
persons who are summoned inacourt
Of justice, what infectious germs may
not be disseminated? The person
who kisses a Bible in court has NOT
the least surety that his lips do not
come into direct contact with thepoI.
luton left by predecessor who WINS
from some foul skin disease
Or faint, not to speak of the germs of
eruptiye feyers and the like. .