Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-01
ANCIENT GYMNASTS.
Hebrew Regiments Trained to Fight
With the Left Hand.
4 LEFT-HAEDED SCOTTISH CLAN.
Brahmin Methods Of Curing Chronic
Rheumatism.
ANCIENT DANCES OF INDIAN EiTlFzs
4 LEFT-HAEDED SCOTTISH CLAN.



! in diverse manly achievements, mostly o
/ a warlike nature, although snch instruct
ions are not recorded to have been impaired
! to the disciples in the public schools. In
Judges, X, 15, 16, we find that anon,
the children Of Benjamin, including tn
people of Gibeah, 700 picked men wer
trained left handed and 80 skilled in the u.s.
| of their sling that s'every one could slim,
! stones at an hairbreadth and not miss" WI
| all remember how it pleased our youthiu
| fancy when in the seventeenth chapter o
| the first book Of Samuel, We read how littI
| David, single handed ana with his simpl
| sling and stone, "smote the Philistine in hi
| forehead, that the stone sunk into his fore
head, and he fell upon his face to th'
earth"
1t is not probable that among the q 900 o
Benjamin's people the large number of 70t
could have acquired single-handednes from
their infancy.
According to old Scotch traditions the en-.
tire male population OF the Lowland Clan
Kerr, or Ker, was gifted with the left hand
talent and consequently formidable foes to
parry, but skill and perfection even aided
by natural inclination, is never obtained
without much patient devotion.
PUBLIC GAMES.
Notwithstanding the aversion Of the He
brews for athletic contests, Herodes is said
to have digressed from the common usage
and introduced certain public games in
honor of Emperor Augustus, resembling the
Olympian, and produced every fifth year in
Jerusalem. A magnificent amphitheater
was erected outside the city limits for this
purpose, and the games conducted with
much pomp and splendor.
Saul organized strong army, and is said
to have instigated manly exercises and
competitions among his soldiers. But gym
nastic pastimes never gained such national
popularity among the Hebrews as among
the Greeks. That naive and happy satis-
faction with life and nature. characteristic
of the latter, did not belong to the
Hebrews, who, moreover, lacked the po-
litical liberty, which in Greece excited the
national spirit to enthusiasm. Both their
national character and philosophy disap-
proved of such pastimes and festivals,
in no way connected with the worship Of
Jehovah.
Dancing, however, seems to have played
an important role in connection with Ger
tain religious festivities, and was probably
often the outcome of enthusiasm and holy
ecstacy, as, for instance, when King David,
bringing the ark from the house Of
Obededom "danced before the Lord with all
his might" We are instructed by Moses
that already when in the desert the people
danced round the golden calf. That dane
ing was not only rite but also social
custom. we can CLEAN from the First Book
of Samuel, xxi, IL, where il is related that
the servants danced to the honor of David.
We S,;t;e roarIa 49, poh.
@ 1; os .J As..;ons ~ Sd soraIIr
iouiaus auu a' ms - ~ uay
neas0i 'eii"A ioi 'Ae ''uO' y. '0A 'u
Jec"
LiAs a. o ,oo
oasruta' wno noe.isneI ,,eL ~ r.. oe;ose
OhIlss' Was .ue .ea. S.C ~ ha,,L ~. =
upon al .at.els peisa w. ~ A, 81. ~
Is cnlenY ~ tnS iassoi 4nS eus.;" sns. vi nno
expressions lnulcatns 'ne aiiu
OF sundry exercises anu Pfac'ices. IN sne
Sui DooA y. snas go o.s Ds nnH e.
Iespalatols mo f a. .;ar,s ~ a. ~.
sne puf1noasU1 nna;S.1 hU fra % M DoIl1 boids
metai Is pafaneu " aas ...a;sos y Eoro nooLs oh
snas ~ auu.a . 20 .h s;n,;,ar - tha
rnann nea % .hs Ch;nese and also 70 that Of
the Greeks and Romans. If one compares
the remarks in the Law Book OF Manus
with the observations of Greek authors. for
iustance "Mercnrialis of the Gymnastic
Art - II ia evident that the Brabmins were
eonallv we'll acouainted with the methods
and n6vsiologicaI concerns of the exercise
of the respiratory muscles and organs. 1t
Was considered that a nractice of this kind
expanded the chest. increased the tempera-
tpra invioorated the resn,ratorv oryans.
softened tbe stin and onened the nores'
One Grecian historian. Megasthenes, al
leges that among the Brahmins a class ex-
listed whose method of administering to dis
ease was based upon dietetic precepts and
external manipulations. M. DAILY. in his
Cinesiolopi refers to a system of therapeutic
cal exercises which from the beginning was
yery simple. but became yerv intricate in
the hands of the priests. who involved there
in on abnndancv NJ mysticism. magical
words and similar bocns-pocus TO impress
tbe multitude with an idea of the godIy
ori,;, IS tha oonoarn
f. :. .oa.ant =, 80 .;.,o - l. ,,sto,,,rv in India
At present time ID is customary IL tHu"
to apply active and passive motlons,
''kneeding, stroking and clapping," as an |
odir,ot 70 ether ,,roooscas in
nr, n.ru
The bodv of the bathing |
1:seo? I;t III fror, baad |
fisi'oi 40 AneoV M ti1 -;
10 heel, or snampooeo III 1uulan
parlance, and the Europeans living IN |
India avail themselves daily thereof. We |
srJ tbaso yor;ous nrocesses adonted in /
nnu sneee '"iouo -, IJi,...oJ
modern, after the ancient pattern auJ uSleu
baths.
Tt q certain that the Brahmins applied |
.bosa ord sim;Ior remedies for diseases re-
.nco: CIV ..-e t. aT. Tonrno1 |
lnlring sur9lcai treatment. Ii He ooui ."A
MedicO- ChlrurQlcale' Is 1OunQ QeScrlp-
ion of special movements and manipula-
80 roplorod in oases of chronic rheu-
ious {" AN '''''.
natism.
Among the ancient Indians physical edu-
IL