The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-06-29
srRANon nnllolous snerHnEM
Every Day They Dis rheir Grascs -
Nnt only Mhat rhry neg.

Every Day They Dig rheir Gravcs--
Rat only what rbcy neg.
The strangcst religious body in
America exists at Ottawa. Canada. Its
members daily dig their graves and
only eat what they secure by begging.
says the New York Journal The
members OF the organization number
a dozen all told. but Jesuitical rule Is
no more severe than theirs. Their one
garment is a loose brown robe. They
wear neither hats, shoes nor stock
ings Each day they perform a little
OF the task Of digging their own graves.
On the sole OF each foot is fastened
with thongs a piece of leather two
inches thick. This leather and the
brown robe are all GEt the monk
wears. Wind rain and snow beat on
his unprotected. closely shayen head'
but he must not murmur. PriVatloh
is the lot In life he covets. None can
doubt the fact in one instance at least
ambition is gratified. Nor is the
garO the only pecullarity OF these bare
| foot brothers Every morning at daWa
be 1t fine weather or bad. each brother
| takes the iron spade from his cell ana
silently wends his way to the garden
where. in the lifting mist. he solemnly
| delyes In the deNy ground and Slowly
| raises a weight OF earth from the spot
where one day his own body VIII be
laid. Day by day, shOvelful by shovel
ful, each brother digs his grave ana II
he do not die by the tine his grave is
finished, he begins, shoyelful by shoy-
ellul, TO return the Cast-up soil. should
death come while the grave Us unhn-
lshed, the dead mans comrades com
plete the task for him. Then. after
hours Of silent prayer. the uneofhned
body Is lowered into the ground, clad
In the garments he has worn during
life simple wooden cross marks the
head OF each On the southwest out
skirts OF the city Of ottawa is the chap
ter house OF these eccentric brethren
1t is a one-story affair Of rough wood
and the premises are surrounded by
high fence Of the same material. IL
the early morning the Inmate OF a Gel
jumps from his bed, which consists o
} three rough planks. Refreshing hli
, face with the cold water in the III
, basin, the brother tightens the rop
] about his waist, proceeds to the chape
and thence to the breakfast table
After breakfast he slings two cottol
bags over his shoulder and starts on
in the city on his regular tour OF beg
ging The rules OF the society forbi'
z It's membership TO do any sort o
worldly labor. They are not perm.tte'
e to own a penny's worth OF anythin
I and none can eat any article which /
y not received by begging. The broth
! ers pass almost their entire time II
begging and praying The remaining
portion OF the day not consumed II
. eating. sleeping or digging their Owl
: graves they arc supposed to devote Il
8 tying knots in the ends OF the rop
y about their waists and then TO untyin
. the same knots When a brother wa
once asked why this knot-tying and un
b. tying was performed. the brothe
gravely replied. ITO keep the thought
OF the brethren from dwelling on tn
world the flesh and the devil Strane
. TO say, these brothers are seldoI
y scoffed at, though most people kno'
h their habits. On the contrary, as
brother walks along the streets tn
8 small boy stops his game OF marble
X ana doffs his cap as he passes by. Girl
" too. cease their chatter as he approach
~. es them, and lower their heads in sa
utation as he calmly passes on the sidt
walk. Even grown-up men are seen
throw their hands to their hats whe
n they meet a brother on the street an
L. no one seems to doubt but that thes
u men have n divine right to beg the
d living and an undenlable right to
II reyored OF the multitude. The sociei
y is recognized by the Roman Cathol
N church and the members receive the r.
spect and homage Of all devotees Of n
Roman Catholic faith.