New-York tribune., 1906-12-09

peers present arrayed in full canonicals as a
bishon with lawn sleeves, rochet, hood, etc,
every one of the temporal peers kneels, some OF
then, on the floor of the house, others on the
benches presenting much the aspect Of lot of
bald headed and gray bearded children perform
ing their evening benisons Curiously enough,
il is only the spiritual lords-that is TO say, the
archbishops and the bishops-who do not think
if worth while TO kneel TO the Almighty. Their
1000 -, Canterbury and of York. we'll as
rbeir right reverend colleagues attired in their
ecclesiastical vestments, without which they
NAV not crcxs the threshold OF the House re-
main seated ana content themselves with mere
- irc,,ninp their heads and looking very solemn.
Tho public never has a glimpse OF this. FIsltors
ave excluded from the gallery of the House until
+bo Iost amen has been pronounced. and it was
,-a1, ,v q niece Of oversight and official negh-
gance tha- an opportunity was afforded me or
r-itnessing this wengh unique spectacle.
r7,-en kings. queens and euperors kneel, and
.ba+ not merely TO the Almighty. but to human
beings Thus on Maundy Thursday OF each
,.ear tho able Emperor of Austria in mem
orv of Christ's washing the feet OF HIS apostles
performs at the Imperial Palace at vienna the
ceremony OF washing the feet of twelve ola men
assembled for the purpose kneeling before each
of them in turn. pouring perfumed water Oh
their feet and drying the latter WIN Io"elS
handed to him by archdukes and prelates King
Alfonso goes through the same performance 't
Madrid. and next year his young Engsh-born
consort will be called upon TO wash the feet OF
twelve old women kneeling before them. Until
1870 the Pope was wont on his knees to wash
the feet Of twelve men in the Church of the
Iateran But since then this duty has been
delegated to the Cardinal Vicar OF Rome.
Cenufexion naturally plays important role
in the ritual and ceremonial of the various
churches. In the established Church of England
there have been in course of the last fifty years
bitter controv ersie to the right of the clergy
10 bend the knee at certain portions Of the
divine service Numerous genufiexicns are re-
auired Of the priests of the Roman Catholic de-
nornina ton, especially when celebrati ting mass,
and it is likewise customary 10 bend the knee
before the highest dignitsries Of the Church
Indeed at the public audiences granted by the
Pope all present, men, women and children. IT.
respective Of their creed, required to kneel-
Nowhere else however. does kneeng play so
,rnportant part as I'm the Orient, particularly in
China where the obeisanCes of this kind are
divided into fve different classes. Thus. there
e .he ta-tsen which is the bending Of the knee
"a ~ bout 10 lxnee Then there is the kVvei, or
actual kneeling. Then there is the kow-toV'
which consists in kneeng and striking the head
an
an the ground and knocking the head thrice.
This is called the sun-kaO. After that comes
tho Iub-kao which consists In kneelng, knock
ing the head thrice upon the ground. then stand
/ irp upright. and again kneeling and knocking
me head three times more The climax is the
/ ann, l,,-ei- -kul- -kao thrice kneeng and nine
limos knocking the head. The Emperor is en-
,Itiod 70 this last mentioned form Of salutaton.
,nd II is Difficult; 10 believe nowadays that IN
l-,,ar times European ENJOYS readily accorded
bis ooazns act Of subseryiency to the mo-
&c ~ china II is 10 the American g.. -l-s-
.,,t and 10 its envoy at Pekins that th- ioreisu
,,,,..ers are indebted more particularly TOR the
,,,aonrnent by the Chinese court Of this form
,ts,,ce ON the part Of the foreign ministers
-o,,,,5 f., the Celestial Empire, Mr.. Low
,,a,Iarinr on behalf of himself and Of his col
- that under circumstances would
-. LnaAI before the Emperor or perform an,
,,,tor ceremony derogatorv 70 their own dignity
chat of their nationalities.
,,.-a ts ore spectacle in which kneeling was