The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1899-02-25
SACRIFICES TO SATAN.
Devil Worship Among Our
Brethren of the Philippines.
supERsTIrIoNs IN MISDANAo.
Abode of Demon and MaIevolent
SpiritseSavage Ceremonies to APP
pease the Wrath of the Deities Of
Destruction.

Spirits-Savage Ceremonies to APP
pease the Wrath of the Deities of
Destruction.
Our Filipino brothers, not content with
the eannihalism they are bringing to us,
will be able to initiate US in many wonder
full religious ceremonies. There are strange
sects on the islands, and one of the most
mysterious is the Davatawi Yezias, a
small race numbering several thousand of
the most fanatical Mohammedans of the
island of Mindanao. Although numeric-
ally inferior to the great tribes surround
ing them, their bold and warlike nature
has preserved them from aggression, and
for hundreds of years they have maintain
I'd q unique faith, differing entirely from
that of the other savage tribes of the
islands. Their chief village is Sheiha, in
southern Mindanao. Few Europeans have
ever entered this mysterious place and
fewer still have witnessed the strange rites
performed there. Even the barbarous
Philippine tribes ascribe a supernatural
reputation to that land and shun it as the
abode of devils and malevolent spirits.
During my explorations in the Philip
pines I fortunately reached this strange
city just before the yearly celebration was
to take place. The Yezias, although IA
natically brave when their religion is as
sailed, are q mild and peaceable race OF
agrieultufists, and we were invited to view
the subsequent ceremonies. The precepts
of the sect may well puzzle ethnologists,
for while all the other Philippine tribes
are engaged In worshiping numerous gods
and deities and perennially bent on encon-
passing the destruction of devils and evil
spirits, they have adopted an ~antithetical
religion, paying all homage to maleyolent
deities while seeking to destroy all good
ones. Yet these people are prosperous and
in every way superior to their savage
neighbors.
On the third day after our arrival we
were led by one of the priests to a small
valley to the northeast Of the village This
was an idyilic retreat, shut in from the
outer world b i1nmense mountain ranges.
The hillsiaes and decliyities were well
wooded and beyond stretched the dark,
impenetrable forests which the devils were
supposed to inhabit. In the middle of the
glen was . large matched temple, sur
rounded On all sides for several hundred
feet by numerous coffin shaped structures
followed out of tree trunks. They had
been placed in the ground, with a small
slit down one side and covered with nu-
merous caba1istic symbols denoting the
residence of some particular devils. At
the back of the main temple a series OF
sheltered, alcoveiike pens contained the
sacred animals to be sacrificed during the
ceremony. They were tended by several
of the more important priests, whose duty
IL Is to seek certain trees in the forest
known to be the abode of devils, and with
their branches to chastise the sacred ami
mails, In order that they may imbibe some
OF the much desired evil tendency. The
animals are also forced to drink potent
drugs concocsed by the witch doctors from
the roots of various sacred trees and plants.
The frequent chastissment and the drugs
reduce the animals, usually dogs and cat
tie, to comparatively wild state, and their
constant cries serve to attract the devils
from the forest to the temple homes which
have been provided for them.
When by various subtle conversations
and magical Vaccinations the priests are