New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-09-03
PRAYER AND RIFLE PRACTICE

To those who are accustomed 70 consider the life
Of monk devoted entirely 10 PRAYER fasting
meditation and hageation. the mode ~ existence
81 these warrior monks Of the Sahara will appear
4 strange anomaly. Fasting Is dispensed with Al
together and the only dietary restrictions imposed
upon the monks that they shall Invariably
content themselves with the food Of the district
70 which they assigned. Thus for instance
in places where II ia impossible 70 Obtain bread
they have 20 he satisfied with dried dates There
is M fixed time appointed for their devotons
They left free 70 pray when the spirit moves
them TO do and Sunday. instead ~ being ap-
piled to solemn services is observed bv military
drill and by rifle. sword and pistol practice. The
rules. however. demand that they should never
sleep otherwise than fully dressed and with their
weapons beside them. N he always ready
for emergency.
One ~ the principal features IF the ceremony cf
the administering Of the the White Fathers
consists I'm the solemn blessing Of their arms Of
their equipment OF their dromedary mounts AMI os
their attire or rather uniform The latter consists
Of long, white tunic descending below tho knoe
belted the waist. and with a largo red Maltese
cross the breast. The pantaloons are loose and
baggy. such those affected by the Turks Of tho
old school: a volumnous white burnoose hangs from
the shoulders. and the head f. Il white NTH
helmet. surmounted grand occasions by n white
plume and emhenshed in front with a red Mates,
cross. The entire costume hears some resemblance
"a that with which AlphOnse DaGdet invested the
1cclesastics who accompanied the famous expadi-
ton or the immortal "TartaTin de TaTascOn." u
should be added that. except when the move or
when fighting. the monks invariably wear the veil
OF white or black cloth which is in use among the
Tusreg tribes These wells. which tied loo ;ev
AT the back Of the head protect the mouth and tho
nostriis from the sand during The desert storms
snd from tho plague Of Insects The VOWS of the
White Fathers. instead of being taken for life are
limited 70 term 81 Ave years renewable ~ will
Until now their work has chiefly been among the
Tuaregs, the most fierce hloodthirsty fanatcal IN
mt Ara of
profess the most intolerant bgoted and fanatical
Mahometsnisnn. are all members Of the great Mos
lem Senoussi fraternity. which holds not only
that Il is wicked 10 salute speak or trade v-i.h
unbelievers. but that II is lawful and even soqlv
70 rob every Christian they meet
There has never been any lack - volunteers or
20 speak more correctly ~ pOstuauts for adnlis-
sion to thu Order 81 the White Fathers nov, more
than thousand In number Most 81 them are men
OF birth and education. and few ~ them are With
| ont more less romantic antecedents while in
many cases tragedy figures IN tho motives v-,ici,
have led them 20 Join. on the roster OF the order
are 20 be found such names those Of Fsterhaz,.
A. BrScourt de Pognac. de Lisne Roba, Trrsoi
La Rochefoucauld. stolberg de Beaumont ae M
set, de Montigny and many others. the names ~
the French nobility predominating Of course
Hitherto an essentially French order the yvb,,a
Fathers have now become TO all intents ami pur
poses German one, and will henceforth f,r-
nish 20 the German ''noblesse" the same onro-
,upities OF combining military adventure with re-
ugion that attracted the knights olden times 20
the formerly militant but now purely honorary
orders Of Malta and OF 81. John Of Jerusalem
COUNT HARRY KEssLER "CoMsTOCKED"
weirnar like New York. has its Anthony Com
stock and It is owing 20 the foolish objections Of
these purists 20 the exhibition OF the works OF the
| famous French sculptor. ROdn. that Count Harry
Kessler has resigned hts office of director OF The
Royal Museum OF Art AMI OF Art Applied to Indus
| try there The count. a re.re- 0'hee- or the 81
\ -.
| sian army is a son OF that Count Adoloh Kassler
| who spent 30 many years In business In New York