The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1896-04-25
RELIGIOUS RITES.
The Church Observanoes Of the
Beers Of South Africa



taous ana Are Conducted with Desp
Devousnses-The Mlnlseer Il
Grsatly Rsversd.
IN the observances OF religious wor-
ship the Beers are exemplary, and in
their home life they know very little
OF social diversion but what is of this
nature. They pray in stentorian tones
and sing with solemn heartiness that
conveys the idea of dead earnestness.
Their susceptibilities are easily moved
by q little emotional oratory. 1t fills
them with a sense of unctuous salts
faction, but the sense of Journalism
would shock their sense OF decorum.
They would hardly approve of such
manners in church. The critics who
scout their piety and callit by the name
of hypocrisy are guilty of a thought
less derision that bellies reflection. Out
of church the Beers have certainly
little weakness for parading their re-
ligion. They indulge considerably in
Scriptural phraseology, and allude to
the personality Of God in a way that
sounds familiar and canting, but there
is no idea of profanity in it. Il is with
them an evidence of reverence and sim
cerity, and, in justice to them, ! must
state that in all my intercourse with
these people have found theIu sternly
free from the slightest approach to lev
ity on the subject of things held sacred
They regard the services of the Eng
ish Episcopal church at Pretoria as
nothing but theatrical show Tc
them it appears travesty of religion.
Like most people of simple and pas
toral habits, the Beers retire sccn after
the close of day and rise with the first
dawn OF the morn, and in the early
twilight they assemble and sing
psalms and hymns. and offer up
prayers with strength and earnest
ness that constitutes quite laborious
effort. Their tunes are intensely
dreary and monotonous. They sing IL
spasmodic lengths with long pauses in
tervening, and the impression conveyed
IS that each one follows his or her own
time and tune; therefore, except for its
heartiness, it does not inspire much adj
niration, unless gratitude at being at
distance from it might bear that con-
struction. AS soon as darkness closes
in heavy supper is partalSen OF, and
then a repetition of the mornings de-
otional exercises takes place, and the
family retire to rest. Strict in their
ideas of church-going, and in the OBJ
servance of the rites it imposes, they
necessarily regard the minister with
the greatest reverence, and they are
willing subjects of his little autocracy.
He Is to them the direct emissary OF
God and the bulwark of their faith.
He performs all the spiritual offices
their lives have need of, and is also the
guardian of their morals, and derelic-
tons in this respect restrict the culprit
in church privileges, than which moth
ing could be more terrible.
The ministers Of churches among the
Roers are mainly Hollanders, though
there is growing desire for men of the
country to fill these offices, and some
Of them are men who have studied at
the Cape theological schools. Thest
men having the same origin as ths
Beers, their sympathies are allied te
them, and thus their Influence will
have greater weight in advocating ed
ucation. Every town boasts the some
what odd-loolng structure built in the
form of cross, which is known to BE-
the church. It has its place in the cer-
ter of square, from which point the
town takes it's growth. The m;nis5e,
generally has bis habitation within the
shadow of the walls of the church iti1,
Grating periodically among his flock,
| who are scattered throughout the dis
trict, living at great distances apart
on their lonely farms. Every three
months naachtmaal, or celebration of
the sacrament, takes place at the pa
ish church, if I may call it so. and il
is made the occasion of the irgatherins
of the whole flock, who make this q
point of most exemplary observance.
the majority of them having to perforn
several days of travel to be present. A
these times the square round the
church is the camping ground in which
hundreds of wagons and tents arc
packed, scene of life and hustle which
contrasts strangely with its usual quiet
appearance. Friends meet and re-
ioice in social intercourse, thawing To
merriment and joviality in the atmos-
phere of q camp fire under the quie {
stars of heaven. and so full Of a. certain
method and repoee is the aspect OF this
| gypsy life among the Beers that -taae
casual onlooker would feel difficulty
! IL dissociating them from it, SO aptiss
| does it seem to I've their normal element
Annie Russell, in To-Day.
| Lov6 and nliteracy In England.
Dtspite al. that the English education
acts have accomplished during the last
| quarter Of a century. the men who, in
| 1894, signed the marriage register with
marks instead Of with their names
we're in the proportion of 46 per 1000,
1 4 -.