New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-04-05
RELIGION IN GUATEMALA.
CHURCH BELLS AND PRIESTLN PROCES'
SION> INNUMERABIE.

common people Tie only imposing buildings are
cathedrais. They were the objects upon whio- or
eyes first rested reached the summit 81 ne
inclosing mountains which wall about ne beautii"
valley In which Guatemala CITY lies. and the echo Oh
cathedral bells was the first sound which came 10
our ears from the distant city. Al hrst this peain-
OF the bells was pleasant variation from tae snehVe
Of the cut OF which We had 20 '"eiy toe'
but soon the sound lost IS sweetness anu p~ca"e
monotonous then grew tedious ard at iaet ap'oi'eo
dAstracting.
Dsy and night 1t is the same. except that during
th asv tho mind Is somewhat absorbed With the novel
sccnes of the street the changing panorama ana
strange intermingiDg Of na'ionshties ana oNers"c"
populations, and with the important anu se''o"s
matters Of business and so !orge's the uninterrupted
discord: but al Eight the silence l. uhoioHeh 'a'
hy the eternal wrangling and ,anghns oil the pens
There may be u few moments Of snehee All ""'"
tired nature rejoces In a prospect OF sleep "ns
ousces and nerves relax and the delicious sense VI
approac ching Inconsistencies enwraps every 'sc"''
when again out VI the silence comes cials ""''
sroan half shrek-as II the poor unwiiing oehs re-
beed against being made the Instruments OF 80 NUT"
torture Wave follows wave OF sound from every
cathedral tower in the city. Blow follows blow upon
eoch metal dome in quick succession out OF tune ana
nut NJ time each beliry is competing Win every
ather to increase the volume and intensity OF hose
In every tower is group OF BELLS ana upon every
bell "a frantic Quasimodo forcing IL mo 'he "''"es.
commoton. Waves OF sound cross anu c'"sn w
mingle and fill tn. entire night with terror. "heh
morning comes after such night. we are ""n"e ~
admit that the people who stand II are religious
peope and are willing to suffer for their religion
THIS Is a Republic and yet each morning 'hs shrh'
blast of buges and the tramp Of sololers "Po'' '
paveInent floats In at our windows 9o"ie VI ~"
soldiers are evidently raw recruits 'hcr oA'e "o'
fall upon the stones with reluctant PAT .ne 'o"O
,ns stem and unmitary bearing plainly Indicate ua'
the mo
comn.nv nj the left of the line warns US tnat some
Of the men are soldiers by compulsion turning W"
eves to the left OF the marching troop we sec ~"
convent looking fort. San Jose TO the rsnt 'e ",r
looking church. Cerro de! Carmen. while IN roh' 'Ne
dom. q, the great cathedral casts lis shadow over me
palace Of the President. Together te!
seem to whisper Of despotism and supersuuoh' Inc
p.oture As we first iooked upon II was lar iro'"
pleasant There Is an efusiveness ABOUT 'ne re'so"'
life which Jars upon our unaccustohieu "e''0''
demonstrativeness entirely different from uH!'"'"e
u.,,ch uarls the services ceremonies OF the same
religioua denomination In the Umteo ot"'es' an"
wb,cb makes II first amusing and at last dlsgosuhs'
r., .,r limited observation has satisfied us that
Nth . large proportion OF o-called worshippers'
~kneeung Is religion and praying Is mo:an'E' A'u
that when the forms have been careluly oose.'e"
all the requirements OF religion ana uu'y nave oeo"
r,e,,ed so far as Deity Is concerned, ana apparently
RELIGION imposes no duties upon nun Us 'es"'"
follow man In this country.
c.. ~. t,,oe of the conquest the Church has
18th fcw exceptions dominated the country ABSORB
tns the means Of the people by It's exacuonS III" nv.
time by Its feasts. saints days and ceieora"o, =,
suoh an extent was thae true prior 10 inc ~"' "
Ruano Barros that development was pfeVeh'e" anu
industries of every kind suffered.
r,.rv dav was a saints day and was observed
nx rrocessons festivals and bull fights stores ~eie
closed business suspended. laborers eeaseu '"e"
rork The streets we're constantly occ"pIeu w p
oasx,ons OF robed priests altar boys ana 'hei' o'
,nvers carving pictures and statues OF SAINTS o'oIe
,h,ch all must luee and uncover. lhese 'es"'"'''
aahrations and professions were under the hh"c
d,ate direction OF the priests OF 'ne |nur'n' an"
rhIe they were often as ludcrois as y '''u'', .
thew were observed with the soemn'ty 'mposeo ny INC
highest religious SANCTION . $4,000, T., o,oo,
Great dolls called saints. gaudlly oresseo III oe"p
snd show tnsel we're carried In sll the pomp
:. .,sto,x PROCESSION from cathedral 10 WISH
osuduv dressed saints domidled In announcer oa'n'
oral Sacred relics, bones OF SAINTS hsu'es Vi way
VIRGIN Mother and the Christ, sheitereo III 'oe"s
caskets were borne with imposing ceie"o"'
toowed BY white -robed priests TO the MONIES Vi 'e
"a nv Thorn miraculous cures are believed 10
80 heen wrought. We just such pfocessio"S
At livingston Panzos and Coban. Ihey eomo pe seen
day and night led by drums ana Mes anu UTE
~ many burning candles and huhoreus oi eAp'o'i"e
rockets Under the old regime the Chureh sie" III
r,.psdv rich and the priests fat upon 'he 'on'P''
-,, combinations from the poor IndOs. The finest
,m,dnrs and most valuable property IN the ehure
co,ntrv were owned by ana In the hohds Vi Inv
(,hnrcb Great cathedrals surhcieht 10 aeoo""o"'
Tho population OF Europe were erected 'h Country
which could never contain population sui'eic"' '"
fill them. ~ ,,-,, In tho
,,sa initial ofIc. was against the domination oi the
CHURCH. and in carrying into effect the ai"'' Vi '"'
revolution the secular power oil '"c '"'"''
i,mited and Il large part OF the church properly w"
6scatcd. Equal privileges were oy Id" si""''u "
~ regtous denominations; religious professions "''c
o,us,od sscr.d DAYS except sunday. were secu'
,u,.a and Government refused longer to he Il
,arty to a policy which in The name o' re''s'"" vi
coura yed idleness and educated the people III s"psu
tious uracticcs. Inc contscsted Chur'h property was
appropriated to public uses ana 'ooay NV ~ =
is feeling benefit in educational i,o'hie" anu
,ndu.tr4aI development. The Institute Naciohai' a
very creditablc college. was formerly monastery ,
81. po,vt.cbulc school WAS church; the splendid
MM'aay MY, ~, J. large ecclesias ticai establishment
although there has been nominaly an absol","
separation Of ats a p"w Shron Ss' osa S and
n,sSnIln. are perfect, the lndioa are .ohtroIsu y
S u I'll the the ae' csre 1e PINE
side or the OTHER DIns m. Successor Of unu
nsrros The strictness Of the law against public re
Ngious demonstrations was sre" h.cnn GRADUALLY
to assume their oldmc prominence: ine dpn iDse
administrator mas ihe v to any great degree It's
tnMn.ncr Is already felt in the diminished hulDtL VI
nmhi,c demons, and the slight aitenuoh pau u
them BY the people ,o, T., ,, c,,st, I,
A., Ca,hadr,l Around II gather the love anu ptnt
OF the people. II boldly faces the Iaiace o .f
-, WINCH Il Ovrshad0~S anu dwaris.
ms, me- ,hr discard Of its constantly bciirii piiS
cnterruts the deliberations OF the Assembly, MN, a,"
drowns the discussion OF matters OF o,''r, "an h
.xc.iirnt nntings adorn Its walls ana cover VIZ VI,
Immense columns which support II, weight ni toU'
a"rc are no seats inviting TO repose during ths no
end half of service. but with knees upon the c'u
hare tiled foor. and with eyes liked upon ian,'" Is
ranrcscntny agony too intense 10 DC cndureu W
humaniiy the throng OF worshppcrs listen III rev,
t siiance TO the deep voiced inionng OF the pncst
gu. a,m"st In pros,rilom the drops Of holy water
ri. upon them showercd by holy hands ana osn,N w.
that the pain OF their POSITION Is por" =,
Ss.,,nuce due from them for Tue pr1''Se vi eh!o''"
such superior privilege . 49,, -, p1,
TIE Cathedral Is tiw "no 0, H wan,i
S"l .",, tho church Looking at coin,
,ns srcnd "Carrcrn FundadOr dc la Republics
n nnu Carrera Indie OF low ldrth