The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-11-16
A RELIGION or LOVE.

The adherents OF the new religion
of love" are really modern gnostics
following especially the system Of Va
lentinus. who claims that the secret
rites have been quietly handed down
from generation To generation, those to
e. whom these eltr4dtlons were intrusted
\ sReang .the ferferi and the Perfectae,
anu az all ages these people have suf-
ieFed and even died for their creed The
| present nartiarch Of this band calls him
SELF Synesius. which is. however the
pseudonym OF wen known French
! poet
In white hall about thirty persons
| We're presen,--on the one side the men
| IN Dlack dress suits and the wide white
| saShes and on the other side the Wo-
men WIN black robes and white sashes
| "A black curtain separated the main
nan Ifom the niche in which the altar
! STOOD. on this curtain in blue silk lei.
tefs were found the words: Gone
hlther all ye who thirst for true love,
zoo Is ioNe!' The services are con-
! Quoted I'm accordance wlh n printcd
ritual. which begins with "A chant mod
eled after the chorus song OF the an
Gent tragedy with the words:
Lucerna Pleromatls
Lucet mel scmitis
lncAnaW cor meum
Ad tuum eloquium.
90 light OF all fullness. il shines upon
my path | have inclined my heart 10
thy WOrd)
suddenly The curtain parted and ths
aliar became visible I'm pure white and
Sole and In a wealth of light The pa.
trarch celebrated the mass He was
oieaEed partly In Oriental costume, and
at his side, as assistants were two
D.shops' with the st0la and the cross
oi ST Anthony. Behind them stood a
lady nf rare beauty. the Superior Dea- !
coness, eleNating her hand over cho'r |
OF young women, who were an dressed |
IN the tuniCa and he peplon of the an |
clients. che full night falling upon their /
white garments. bare arms and placid |
races made them look Ike statues. The /
patriarch n blessed those assembled. ana /
then stepped toward the deaconess |
with the words; "Accipe osculum pa |
CiS C"recCiNe the kiss u peace') when |
they embraced and kissed each other
after which the bishops embraced le |
young women of tho chorus as the per-
iect ones. the believers, AS brethren |
and sisters.
Then there followed after this CONF
inlhtion OF souls the sC-called creed"
Nhich VAS iepeated by the deacOness
Win - eat Ceal OF enthusiasm. Is
leading rarts are these:
i believe IN a God OF the universe, |
the one father. whose thought name
~ the holy Eunola. ain agency equally
as eternal as Himself has produced
the hieIlrchv of The holy cons
II believe that the last the holy cons. |
SoFh'a tWisdoml has been Hted N,th
love to the Father. attamp.ed W.th
y 'Wer to force hsr way uD - Hiu, |
hut by weight Of this effort was hurl-
I'd INTO the lower regions
i trilcNc that cat OF this desire was !
Torn Soph Il Achamoth. who brought !
into existence the imperfect demiourg
tcreator) Of the world. the one who |
Drought order into the elements and
~ the creator of the heavens and OK |
all existing things.
i believe that the son Christ the
fruit of the holy pleroma after he had
restored again the disharmony caused
ny The deaire-e-i It IT
lhto thfs world in the person OF Jesus, |
ana that both gave 20 him through in |
spiration the doctrines OF the Gospel. |
inu tflat they did not again desert Him |
MI the moment OF His sufferngs.
Il believe in the deliver9ncn OF the |
entire world in love and through love-
After the repetition of this creed, the
ieaConess withdrew and the Patriarch |
bestowed his blessing i'm these words.
Peffecu and Pcrfectae. and ye Hylics
l. e. those who have not yat attained
he holy cons be with woul"
After these preimnaries the mass
roper began. which i'm most particu-
tfs is an imitation of that found in |
he Roman Catholic service. In con-
ection with il portions of the Cos
el OF ~. John were repeated in Greek.
While the elements Were being conse-
rated the choir of young women un-
er THE direction of the deaconess con-
Icted some sacred dances between the |
irtain. and the altar the purpose % |
he various motions being TO symbolze
.rtiain ideas of the religion of Valen-
nus. Then followed mystic prayers
ld poems. and the communion was
lebrafed with both clements and the | W
s. of peace was bestowed by the com NJ
After some further cere-
onles OF this kind the wor>s lite; |
issa est (Go: the services are over),
g said. and the esoteric portion be-
ns. TO which no outsiders are admit
l.Paris Matin.
------- tr!