Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1898-05-14
TAKING THE OATH.
Kissirsg the Bible and Other Forms Of
Legal Swearing.

KissirSg the Bible ana Other Forms Of
Legal Swearing.
Once again has attention been
drawn to the danger of kissing the
book The medical officer Of health
to the Wareham rural district coun-
Gil attributes the death of Il police
constable TO acute liberation of the
throat, which was PRODUCED by the
insanitary state OF the Testament he
pressed to his lips before giving evil
dence ut the petty sessions Il few
days before he died 1t is strange
that the people who complain of the
danger of kissing the book should
be unaware that no witness is
obliged to incur it. The oats act,
1855, provides that "if any person
to whom an oath is administered
desires to swear with the uplifted
hand, in the form and manner in
which an oath is usually admins.
tered in Scotland, he shall be per-
nitted so to do, and the oath shall
be administered to him in S uch form
and name, without further ques.
ton
There is nothing in the Scotch
formula which explains why this
provision should be practically
dead letter in the courts. The oath
that is supposed to be binding on the
other side of the Tweed is in these
words: Il swear by Almighty God
and as ! shall answer to God at the
great day of judgment that will
tell the truth, the whole truth and
nothing but the truth Not many
months ago county court judge
allowed Il witness to cover the Bible
with clean paper before he kissed it,
and the practice seemed to he spread
ing until twas suggested that 1t aft
fordcd complete justification of
the propensity Of many witnesses to
kiss their thumbs.
kissing the book" did not be-
come part of the ceremony of oath
taking in England until the seven
teenth century. 1t is clear that the
practice did not prevail in Cokc's
time, since in dealing with the adj
ministlation of the oath he makes
no reference to it. 1T is called II
corporal oath" he writes, because
the witness toucheth with his hand
some part of the Holy Scriptures. "
England is almost the only country
in which "kissing the book" il
known. Tho witnesses ut French
trial have very simple ordeal to
pass through before they unfold
their tales. The judge, seated be-
meath Il crucitiX, says, "You swear
to tell the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the trCths" and the
witness, lifting up his right hand,
answers, II swear it," The expires
sion "the truth, the whole truth
and nothing but the truth H. used
in Italy and BELGIUM MS well as in
England and France The Austrian
witness is sworn before crucitiX
between two lighted candles, and,
with his right hand lifted, makes
this declaration: II swear by God
the Almighty and All Wise that |
will speak the pure and full truth
and nothing but the truth in answer
to anything may be asked by the
court" A witness in Spanish
court is required to kneel Oh his
right knee and to place his hand
on an open Bible. "Will you swear
by God and by these holy gospels
to speak the truth to all you may
be usked?' inquiries the judge.
"Yos, Iswear," answers the witness.
"rhen if thus you do says the
judge, God will reward you, and, il
not, will require II OF you. st
James Gazette.