Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-09-29
CONTEMPORARY DARK AGES
Strange Story Of Barbarous Practices in Religious
Orders of the Southwest.

tleIr FORMER connection with The orr
Pinal Lody. The idea OF holiness by
pennaCc once conceded, the fascination
OF the idea Of blood is great; and witt.
a body IF men at hand who carry their
imitation Of Christ to the scourging and
the piercing. there IS little to induce Il
real believer in the system to be con-
ttnt with halfway measures. 1t viii
not be al all surprising if the final re-
suit Of Sandoval's humane preaching
is III. auSInenting Of the order which
he is end. avOring 10 reform. In the
places which l visited where both or
derS exist, the older one fiOuriShc5
rather better for the friendly and sym
pathetic presence Of the milder
broth -IhoCd.
The CubanOs are confined 50 far az
hav,, Learned. to New Mexico, and are
not widely scattered or very strong
even there. But the regular order has
dozens Of lodges in Southern Colorado.
scores in New Mexico, many along the
valley Of til" Rio Grtnde. and Il good
many, though as yet have no basis
for estimating hoFv many, in Arizona
and Texas. instead, therefore. OF
d. cad-nt and practically obsolete body,
type number th.l, lodges BY many
Scorcs-I am sure. that ] might say
hundreds. have begun 10 believe
What have been repeat IDLY told that
probably Il ina ority of adult Ncxicaus
i'll Southern Colorado, New Mexico.
Arizona and Texas have belonged NJ
one time OF. another TO this order. Ger
tdinly in not 4 few communities they
ere practically in complete control.
People do not hesitate TO name promi-
ltnt politicians now living as men who
lave Joined the order Tor the sake of
their Offices.
one name now prominently men
toned for Il high Office is confidently
given me as Of this character H.
holds ana has he'd q high position for
lndny years because of the solid vote
Of tn McXiCans OF his district; and
this prominence in the affairs Of his
State is likely to secure him n Gov
trnment appointment Of very great in
Iiuence. II is suspected that he is RE
real head Of the order in a very large
territory. ana manipulates il for DO
litical ends. Upon his bare back the
lash has been laid in oft Repeated
scOurgings till blood dropped to his
heels. and the sign Of the cross has
| cen dug in his back with a sharp
flint. This may have been wholly cor
the sins he had already committed;
Ut the Americans Of his section Of Il g
country make no secret Of their belief
that his IT liSiOn is principally for the
sake If Office. II is far from being
impossible that mon Will occupy seatI
in tn United States Senate before
many years, pairing their votes with
the successors Of Daniel Webster and
George +. Hoar, who bear upon tt-ir
hacks as the price Of their election me
three perpendicular and three trans
Verse SaSheS of the picadOr'S flint
knife. This man is of American par
entaSc. and was Protestant till the
desire TO do prnance for his sins
changed his faith.
The initiation ceremonies are yerv
rigorous. Many of The members Join
young, at the age Of fifteen or sixteen.
one young man, in Colorado broke
away from his tormentors IL the night.
end ran to the ranch of an American ,
family. He was dripping with blood |
from wounds that covered his hock |
end was exhausted by his fright ana |
sufferings. He pleaded with Their, TO |
conceal him. saying that he surely |
would be killed if discovered The |
American family concealed him. and a |
&c" days later helped him 10 escape |
INTO New Mckee, where he has since |
llHed. not daring TO return to his h;,r1e |
est ne be PIT to death But in his |
present home in New Mexico he mas |
made no attempt to secure admission |
70 tha ORDER nor has he disclosed The |
tact That he once almost became . |
mA,hber
After 4 hrcIhcr has done ranancc seven
successive years. bearing crosses scn,,r,
inE himself, and doing whatever else may
m necessary I" mortify The flesh. per
maps attaining even 10 the honor or cru
ciiNlon. he becomes, If he lives through il
~. Hernllno &c Luz. n brother Of
!ight The brothers Of light arcompany
inc Hae' !lantS on their professions. and
sometimes Sc"urG" the Others but are nor
themselves srourgcd.They carry p1ils ii