The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-05-24
vOODOOs OF PARIS.
Satan, They Think, VIII Intercede
for Them on the Last Day.

rom the PlttsDurg Dispatch.
1t is probably not generally known that
a curious so-called religious" sect. the
'Luciferites" has been recently unearthed
in various parts Of Europe, who pretend
that they are in constant communication
with Satan. They have kept themselves so
Well hidden that very few people outside
Of the initiated have ever witnessed their
"deViish' ceremonies They claim to
have adherents in all parts of the world
and assert that the worshipers of Luz
clfer nave been in existence since the ex-
pulsiOn from the paradise of Cain who
was the first high priest.
In Paris the sect meets in the catacombs
and so far the shrewdest detectives have
been unable to gain admission to their
rites. NJ. Mace. a former chief of the
pect their existence. His suspicious were
aroused by the fact that several churches
! had been desecrated. but in each and eV-
I cry stance not single object of value
was stolen. These, therefore, could be no
/ ordinary thieves. Then one morning at
| the Cathedral of Notre Dame a well dress
/ ed woman acted in q queer way at the
| communion table. The priest had her ex-
( PEELED from the church, and reported to the
/ ponce. detective followed the suspect
| ana traced her 10 the house of an inter-
| dIcted priest. This man proved later to be
| an alleged adept in occult sciences; and on
/ the eve of dying he confessed that he was
/ the high priest of the .Tuciferitec''- Ms
/ main function being TO perform the black
| mass The Dissertation of churches was
/ then explained.
! This priest died three years ago. but
/ 'Luciferites" are still heard from occa-
! sionally.. They continue to meet in the
/ catacombs; but It is impossible to keep
1 track of them, as they perform the i'm
! pious ceremonies of their strange cult in
various places. The catacombs as every
/ one knows, were made place of refuge
by the prosecuted Christians during the
/ great revolution of 1889, and many cen
/ turtles ago, during the first prosecutions
! OF the Christian era, those of Rome served
/ Tor similar purpose.
/ A new section of the catacombs is oc-
/ casionally discovered when a street caves
! in; and in jhis way the Paris street de-
! partment has been able to obtain some
/ knowledge on the subject. But there are
/ people-the counterfeiters, thieves and
( 'LuclferlteS, Ter 1nStance-WhO are well
/ posted on the topography of this region
/ They keep what they know to themselves.
] however, and the police are not oVer-anX-
! ious to undertake a close investigations
Strange as il may appear the creed of
! the Luciferites' is similar in many re-
spects to the professed beliefs Of the num-
! erous sects worshiping the devil in remote
parts of the world. Among these scots
are "Noodoos" of the United States and
/ the Antilles Islands. These "Voodoos" are
I supposed to have originated in Africa; but
/ this must be a mistake, as the devil ador-
! ed by them is Satan himself as described
! in the Bible. Undoubtedly the devil of
! the West Indies has a good many points
! in common with Satan, but in the matter
/ of details the difference is strikina The
| same thing can be said of the numerous
| toward the Genius of Evil" bur at the
same time adore good spirit" and even
! Cod ~
The. queerest of these tribes were Wis
| tied by the writer twenty years ago.
The members call themselves the Ais
/ soaus,' or disciples of Christ from the
/ Arabic word 'Aissa," or Christ To the
virgin they give the name of "Lele AIer-
lem, or Madam Mary; she is the only
woman to whom they apply the name Of
/ madam. The "Aissaous" adore Cod and
! Venerate Christ as well as Mohammed
ana the devil. One of their peculiari-
ties is that they destroy one eye of each
! new born child.
The reasons assigned by the Aissao-
! u.s. for their worshipinS of the devil is
that they want to secure, his good wiz
| should they chance to displease God.
| They ask him also not to inflct upon
them bodily harm on earth; hence the
| sacrifice OF one eve which they offer him
The creed Of the '.Luciferites' is quite
| different. a,Hey say that God will pardon
| Lucifer on Tie day OF the last Judgment.
and that he VIII thus interfere for ther1'
This world. they claim, is so wicked that
it will be annihilated by God in a short
time, and they would rather suffer for a
few years than during eternity
Besides the black mass the 'Lucifer-