The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1896-11-25

di. which is near the Seieyri Porte,c o
Etantlnaple. The daily routine OF the
dcrrIshss OF this monastery wa rs fol-
lows: They arise one hour before day
break and perform the ceremony OF
abdest, or nblutlon.
They pull mp their sleeves. take OF
their cocks. and seat themselves before
a bowl OF sacred water. The hands arc
jlfst washed and then some water. Is
conveyed With the rightshand 10 the
mouth and caIgie with the water.
while they say; "oh. Lord. cleanse and
forgive me, the Sins ] have committed
through my mouth Then they snuT
UP water three times. blow their noses
and say: 'oh. Lord, cleanse me OF The
Impure smells / have smelled through
my rostr!ls.''
Then they wash their faces with
both hands three times, and say: oh.
L3rd. purge me OF all sins ! have COM
mitted through my face and eyes and
make me worthy OF entering into thy
heaven With 4 clean counieDance. Then
they wash their hands and arms. say
Ing: 'Oh, Lord. forgive nc the evil
deeds ] am guilty OF through my hands
and cause me TO be worthy Of holding
In them the cup OF Kevser wine In the
paradise Then they pass their hands
through the water, place their thumbs
behind thclr ears. and Index fingers
i2 the orllce OF the ears, and say: oh,
Lcrd, grant that / may. be purified OF
the impure words / have heard through
my ears and enable me to hear thy
words In heaven Then touching the
neck with the back OF the hand they
say. oh. Lord. grant that the yoke OF
sin around my neck may be changed
into a scarlet bracelet
After passing the right hand through
the water. they touch the head and
say. oh, Lord. grant that thy servant
may be worthy OF wearing the crown
OF heaven Then alternately washing
the feet, they say. oh, Lord, I do re-
pent OF all my sins, whether they were
committed by my right foot or my left
foot walking against thy commands,
and also do / repent OF all my sins
done by all my body during my entire
life
Thus the rite OF abdest or ablution Is
completed. After It the deryishes go to
their mosque and for half an hour re-.
peat the namnz. or morning prayer;
following this they repeat the Elixir, or
bowling ceremony. They differ from
other bowling dervishcs in that they
SIT down while bowling, wear white
caps and white turbans. shoes OF yell
l~ow-colored leather. inner slippers, and
over slippers without heels. They have
also as much Of their apparel as poss-
lblc OF w~hitc-coiored materials. The
majority OF the old members OF this
order are demented. This Is not con-
sidered a misfortune, as It Is, believed
the state Is attained through their cx-
tpnsiye and devout Drayprs
Keep u Fast or Forty Days.
"a member OF the Nacshi' order who
is to become a sheikh has TO do penance
twice a year by retiring and torturIng
himself In various ways for forty days.
He must not lie down during that per-
lod and can cat only bread and al
monds.
The order of Idrissl has no secrets,
as all its teachings are based on the
sacred laws Of the Koran.
The ShaZeli order exempts Its MEM
bers from doing penance and sclf-tor-
ture. The order of Dussucki was found
ed by a follower OF Ahmed Bedevi. who
learned 70 perform miraculous cures.
The orders arc much alike in their GUS
toms.
"'Tha 'whirling dervlshes' are mem
bers OF the order OF Mevlaoi. which DIFF
fers widely from all other orders OF Is
lam. The membership is divided Into
three classes. The dervIshes OF the first
class are called Muhlbs. They pursue
what ever may be during the day. In
the even they assemble in one OF the
halls OF the monastery, where they are
given instruction in whirlinS PERFORM
ances. After they become experts In
the art OF whirling they go to the der
wish monastery once a week, on the
evening which is assigned for the pur-
pose, and perform the wh!rling. They
know no more about the order OF New
lavl than an outsider knows, except the
art OF whirling. The dervish Beshir. who
used to perform whirllng at the Worlds
Fair in this city, was one OF this class
OF dervishes. He was skilled In the art
OF whlrling, but was not taught any
thing of It's origin.
Quaint Initiation Ceremony.
THE dervishes OF the second class are
called ChIlckesh. They are obliged to
learn all the secrets of the order. and
obey all its rules and regulations. I be-
came 4 Chilekesh dervish of a monas-
terry In the City OF Magnassla. Turkey,
In 1882. Ny initiation covered three
Jays, GurlHs which lime | was CON-
PEELED TO sit on 4 %sheepskin, and was
allowed TO speak only to one dervlsh,
who brought me food, coffee. and fire
coal FOR my cigarette, and who talked
to me- only on things concerning der
vlsh1om- No outsider, not even the
iuilib deSvishes, are let into the Sc
crets Of this order. Those who are ini-
tIated must spend 1.O0l days before all
the secrets OF the order are revealed 10
them. The penance for losing one day
Is severe. l have done penance for, ten
months, and felt as though It was a
longer period than ten years.
1.-THE dcrvishes of the third class are
called Dede. They have CONT through n
complete penanc2 Of 1.O0l days. They
are then provided with the goods OF
this world for the rest OF their life and
can live without doing n days work"