The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1905-06-30
A STRANGE SECT
Who Nailed a Young Man to a
Cross Good Friday.
AS A RELIGIOUS RITE.

AS A RELIGIOUS RITE.
His Hands and Feet We're Spiked to the
Cross Beams of the Structure
They Called the Cross, Where
the Victim Remained Until
Taken Down Dead.
Oa Calvary HILL" near Torres,
Colorado, in Las Animas County, an
accident happened on Good Friday.
A young man named Jesus Gonzales
was nailed to cross during the Eas-
ter religious ceremonials of the Peni
tentes, and expired in view of the
awe. struck spectators. He had vol
unteered to take the part of the Sa-
viour N the solemn ritual Of the sect.
aud his wrists and ankles had been
firmly bound to the cross with ropes.
driven through his hands and he was
spiked to the Cross beam of the cross.
At signal from the high priest of
the Penitentes the cross was elevated
and the ceremonial continued.
Following literally the New Testa-
ment narrative Of the Saviour's crucl.
fixton, every incident aud episode was
Initiated. Some Of the Penitential
Brothers performed the part of Ro-
man soldiers, aud one Of them pressed
a sponge OF vinegar to the lips Of
Gonzales. The pseudo Christ smiled
feebly and whispered the Saviour's
last words, Father, forgive them for
they know not what they do" TIE
Penitentes then divided Gonzales's
clothes and cast lots for them, as told
In the Scriptural account. A brother
then seized spear and plunged 1T in
to Gonzales's side, and his face light
ed up with the beatific smile OF mar
tyr.
Meanwhile the various episodes of
the cruclfixion were executed with
solemn zeal, while the victim hung
weak and bleeding On the cross over
head. A priest approached and re-
peated the words Of St. Luke, 'He
saved others; let him save himself, II
he be Crlst, the chosen of God." Some
# the brothers who took the part OF
Roman idolaters, then crowded up 10
the cross, mccking and s;ofTng and
shouting If thou be the King Of
the Jews. save thys4lf!" Finally the
inscription. written in Spahish, This
Is the King Of the Jews" was nailed
on the cross, and then Mary AID Mar
tina and the women OF Gallee mper-
sonated by women OF the s.ct) az
preached.
This was the signal for lowering
the crosS-buG the smiling lips OF
Gouzales were silent forever; the eyes
upburned to the sky were rigid in
ueath. The Penitentes looked at each
other In startled surprise and said
| Gods will be DONE" The agony or
| the cross had been too much; the
half hour they had intended to keep
him there had stretched to nearly two
hours; in religious frenzy OF lamen.
tatiCns the Penitentes carried the
swollen, bleeding body of Gonzales to
t. NIB In the cemetery over the hill
The county authorities have made
efforts at an investigation Of this
Good Friday tragedy, but with little
success The Penitentes are Mexi-
cans, speaking little but Spanish, and
they refuse any information what
ever. The penitential Brothers. or
Los Hermanos Penitentes." have
been cast out by the r oman Catholics
and have been pursued by the local
authorities in Colorado and new Mex
ico until they have been driven 20 re-
mote mountain places where the
could conduct their rites without in
terference.
The writer witnessed a part of the
ceremonials OF Easter time as per.
formed by the Peuitentes near CLAW.
ton, New Mexico, last year. Starting
from Clayton, small town on the
Gulf road, we rode all day across the
hot, dry prairies on which the only
signs Of life are herds of cattle, plenty
Of antelope and the shrill wbistling
curlew. We knew the danger of ex
citing the Brotherhood, but we d. ter
mined to see, and photograph all we
could OF the ceremonies, and to that
end had literally armed ourselves to
the teeth-dressed like Mexicans to
attract less attention, and hid the |
camera under the writer's coat. AS
cending hill we unexpectedly came
upon the scene of aZGion, and never
can we forget the sight. 1t was late
In the afternoon OF hot, clear day,
not breath Of wind was stirring.
Below us stretched small valley
whose side hills were scantily covered
with growth of scrub oak and pine
The little stone chapel was at the
head OF the valley; about i've hundred
feet away on small knoll, represent
ing the hill OF Calvary, was erected
huge wooden cross
Grouped about this, kneeling de-
voutly, we're perhaps fifty people, and
when they began to chant the mis-
erere" In melancholy wall the feet
was wonderfully weird. When this
ceased, the Procession OF Cross
Bearers" left tho chapel. Men chief
ly take part In the actual ceremoni
though women are present. The |
crosses are large wooden affairs. and |
weigh over two hundred pounds each.
Those doing pepance frequently con
ceal their faces with black cloths, and
the officers may be known by the I'll
cts on their heads. The procession is
headed by a piper. Then comes a
brother walking backward and wear
ng crucitix. He is followed by the
who are naked, eScnpt for