The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1895-07-25

The one in the full dress of the order
is a corpse, the other a candidate for
admission, the most solemn function
of the devil worshipers, and which
they meet specially to perform.
For forty days the would be initiate
has been confined alone in this under
ground temple. For forty days he has
had to fast from daybreak to SUM-
down, not even moistening his parch-
ing lips with water, and for forty
nights he has had to sleep upon the
bare earth, with no covering but the
roll of cotton stuff of which his under
garment is made, and the last night he
has had to keep ward and watch with
the departed Yezidi, whose place he is
to take in the hierarchy. Small Won
der after such probation that the llv-
ing man can scarcely be distinguished
from his dead companion, beside
whom he lies upon the ground. The
scene at this moment is not unimpres-
sive, if trifle CHASTITY, for in the fitful
dim and Pickering light of the torches,
which throw black patches Of shadow
here and there, the chief beside the
altar, with his immovable countenance
and fixed expression, the swarthy der
wishes and the strangely attired
priests, who appear to be gazing at
vacancy, and the figures stretched in
death and simulated death upon the
floor, seem scarcely of the earth earth
ly.
The sound of the "kak's'' voice re-
calls one to actually. "Khoda Ghe
Deity has willed it. Khoda has Or
dained it," he exclaims. "Khoda has
willed it, Khoda has ordained it," re-
spond the figures ranged in the tenn
pie. And now the ceremony of initia-
| ton commences, for prayers and pray
| ing are unknown to the Yezidis. Two
Of the black robed dervishes again
step from their places and take up po-
sitions one beside their dead colleague
the other beside his living companion
At a sign from the chief the former
begins to disrobe the corps, removing
begins to disrobe the corpse, removing
them aside. Then he removes the roll
| of cotton stuff from the living man
and wraps it round the body, envel
oping it we'll in the folds. Now the
second dervish takes the robes of the
dead man and proceeds to invest the
living candidate beside him, one by
one, with the garments peculiar to the
brotherhood. First he puts on him thu
"zubun," long black undershirt
which reaches below the knees, which
must be no other color but black
Afterward he draws on the 'ssarwah,
or short white breaches proper to thu
fraternity, and then a vest which ma!
be any color but blue, for blue is :
sacred color-sacred to Satan-and tn
true Yezidi makes no use of any arti
Gle whatsoever of that hue. Now HI
is invested with the 'mashlah," Ions
black mantle falling to his feet, ant
the "haran," or girdle of rope that suf
fees him for waistband. The init
ate at this stage rises from the grount
and takes from the hand of his col
league a conical black cap, which h
must himself have made Of woolle]
material, and places it upon his owl
head. And finally he walks round t
the ''kak," or head of the Yezidis, VIII
ties round his neck the mysti
"mahak," or bride, which is knotte'
about his throat, leaving the ends t
hang down in front, and which mus
never leave his body, for it is to b
buried with him when dead.
When fully attired he takes hi
place by the side of his chief, Will
the two dervishes who assisted at hi
initiation leave the temple. In shor
time they return, one leading youn
black lamb, the other bringing shar
. knife. The latter hands the implemen
to his new colleague, while the forme
takes the lamb to him. He catche
the lamb by the front legs and throw
it upon the ground, then turning t.
ward the 'king BIRD. symbol h
, grasps the knife firmly in his RICH
; hand and drives it into the abdomen
: just below the diaphram. Into tn
) wound thus made he inserts his han
] with the knife, cuts the heart clea
out and casts it, all palpitating an
J bleeding, at the foot Of the "mali
J tans," or king bird, which represent
, the deity incarnate in Satan. Th
;. blood is then sprinkled upon the alta
) and seven times upon the newly O.
] dained dervish and his dead colleague
, Thereupon the procession reforms an
E returns to the upper world in the SAN
: order as it came.
f To the music Of the flute and tt
8 c..ashing of the cymbals we marc
t down the glen again to the shrine {