Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1900-03-19
ISIS WORSHIP.

A few days ago It was stated that
an effort is about to be made to intro
duce sun worship to Chicago. Various
KINGS Of strange forms Of religion have
already gained ground in Paris, once the
boasted center Of enlightened ciyiliza'
tion. Among these are the rites Of the
Perfect and those OF a sect that call
themselves the followers OF SATAN
Another form Is the Isis Mass.
brought to the French capital by a
Scotch gentleman, Count MacGregor
and his wife. who now have assumed
the religious titles OF "HIerophant
Rameses," and High Priestess Anarl."
Their studies OF Egyptian antiquity
have suggested 70 them the idea Of re-
wvlng an ancient form OF worship.
In the Literary Digest we find an
interesting account OF the services OF
the Isis worshipers The priest was
dressed In long white robe around
his waist was the zodlaoal belt; the
arms and ANGLES were adorned with
bracelets; over the shoulders he wore
a leopard skin. The dress OF the high
prlestess IS symbolical. The long flow
ing hair typihes the rays Of light. Upon
her head she wore g little cone, the
symbol Of the divine Spirit, and a
lotus flower, the symbol Of purity and
wisdom. The whole idea Of the dress
Of the prlestess is that the life Of mat
ter is purified and ruled by the spirit
Of life from above.
The mass Itself, or the rites oonsttut.
Ing the worship. is thus described
'In the center Of the stage was the
figure of Isis, on each side OF her were
other figures Of gods and goddesses, and
IN front was the little altar, upon which
was the eyer-burning green stone lamp.
The Hierophant Rameses. holding In
one hand the slstrum. which every now
and then he shook, and In the other a
spray Of lotus. said the prayers before
this altar, after which the High Priest.
ess Anar invoked the goddess in pene.
tratlng and passionate tones. Then FOL.
lowed the dance Of the four elements
by q young Partisan lady, who dressed
In long white robes, had previously re.
cited some verses In French In honor OF
Isis. a short time before this lady
had become a convert. Her -four
dances We're: the danse des fleurs, which
symbolized the homage Of the earth TO
the Egyptian goddess. the danse dn
mlroir. which represented waves Of wa.
ter: the danse de la cheyelure. sym
bOlical II fire: and the danse des par
fums for the air. Most OF the ladies
present In the fashionable Partisan au-
dience brought offerings Of flowers. while
the gentlemen threw wheat on the al
tar"
The statement Is made that a great
number Of persons are interested In this
new religious alteration. Among them
are physicians, lawyers. literary lights
and men Of rank as well as Of common
people. Protestants, as well as Catho-
lies, are embracing the old faith, in It's
new form. They give up their belief In
monotheIsm as commonly understood,
and profess themselves "pantheists"
or even "polytheists." A temple for
the worship Of Isis Is said to be in
course OF construction now at the
French capital
on the idea Of the feminine element
IN the syine force, the Prlestess Anari
lie quoted as follows:
THE idea OF the priestess Is at the
root Of all ancient beliefs. only In our
ephemeral time has Il been neglected
Even In the Old Testament We find the
Priestess Deborah and the New Tes-
lament tells us OF the Prophecies Anna
What do we find In the modern deyel-
opment OF religion TO replace the fem
mime idea. and consequently the PRIEST
ess? When a religion symholizes the
universe by divine being. is Il not H.
logical 10 omit woman. who is the prin-
cipal half OF Il, since she Is the principal
creator Of the other half-that Is. man?
How can We hope that the world viii
become purer and less material when
one excludes from the divine, which Is
the highest ideal. that part Of its ma
ture which represents at one and the