The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1897-06-25
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Thc strangest 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 } suitica. rule is
no more Sc s~e he theirs. Their one
garmenf is 4 loos, brown robe They
wear ueithe hats, shoes nor sloct
lngs. Each lay they perform n little
Of the iask o ligsing their own graves
On h sole )f ach foot is fastened
with lhonss q piece OF leather tw0
inches ,hick This leather and ihe
brown robe are All that the monN
wears. Wind, rain and snow beat ON
his unprotected. closely shayeh neat.
but he must not murmur PriHati OF
is the lot in life he covets. None can
doubt the fact IN one instance at least
ambition Is gratifed. Nor Is the
garb the only popularity OF these bare
foot brothers. Every morning at dawn
De II fine weather or bad. each brother
takes tn iron spad from his cell anu
silently welds his way 10 the garden
where in the lifting mist. he solemnl.
delves fn The dewy grorpd and slowly
raises weight of earth from the spot
whore one day his own body viii he
laid. Day by day. shovelful by shovel
ful, each brother digs his grave and II
he do not die by the time his grave ia
finished, he begins. shoyelful by SHOW
elful, to- return the cast-up soil. Should
death come while the grave is unin-
tshed the dead mans comrades COM
plete the task for him. Then, after
hours Of silent prayer. the uncofiined
body is lowered into the ground, clad
in the garments he has worn during
life. A 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.
II is a one-story affair OF rough wood
and the premises ar, surrounded by a
| high fence OF the same material. In
the early morning the inmate of cell
| jumps from his bed which consists OF
three rough planks Refreshing his
face with the cold water in the TN
basin, the brother tightens the rope
| about his waist. proceeds to the chapel
/ and thence to the breakfast table.
! After breakfast he slings two cotton
bags over his shoulder and starts out
in the city on his regular tour Of beg
ging The rules of the society forbid
its membership to do any SIT OF
worldly labor They are not permitted
to own penny's tyorth of anything
and none can eat ~, articx whicr s,
not received by beg, ing. Ke br "a
ers pass almost the ieentiiW ti'ne3-
begging and prayine The remaining
portion OF the day not consumed in
eating sleeping or digging their OWE
graves they are supposed to devote IL
! tying knots in the ends OF the rope
about their waists and then to untyinl
the same knots. When a brother was
ones asked why this knot-tylng and un
tying was performed. the brother
gravely replied: ITO keep the thoughts
OF the brethren from dwelling on tn,
world. the flesh and the DEVIL Strang,
to say. these brothers are seldom
scoffed a. though most people know
their habits. On the contrary, as
brother walks along the streets tn
small boy stops his game OF marble
and doffs his cap as he passes by. Girls
too cease their chatter as he approach
es them, and lower their heads in sal
utation as he calmly passes on the side
walk. Even grown-up men are seen 6,
throw their hands to their hats whel
they meet a brother on the street AM
no one seems TO doubt but that thes
men have a divine right 20 beg thei
living and an undenlable right to b
revered OF the multitude. The societ
Is recognized by the Roman Catholi
church and the members receive the re
spect and homage of all deyotees OF tn
Roman Catholic faith.