Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1907-09-21

ops. and "a large number OF priests ana
dcaCOns. They have their monks ma
nuns all Of whom lead hard lives
they fast and pray, wear shirts M
rough wool and live upon vegetable
The Copts believe in God the Fatfer
and In the lord Jesus Christ. as mix
Son. They believe IN prayer anal
like tho Mohammedans. pray five or s.y
times "a day. They begin their prly.rI
nc davhreak and are supposed 90 rata
five separate petitions before dark HnH
TO close up with another prayer NJ
midnight As they pray they rccIta
Psalm or chapter from the Gospel. and
they count 4 times) saying the words.
oh my Lord have mercy"
After this they close IN with s'...,
prayer. They wash before pravI..
and pray with their faces turned he
ward the east They believe Iu ham.
tlsm and think that an unbapUs.f
child will be blind In the next rf.
They have fixed times for baptism.
q boy baby being baptised at 80 DAVIS
and a girl baby AZ so days after hhfh.
IN THE COPTIC CHURCHES
There are Coptic churches am ,...
Egypt, and / ind several hero n
sout. The average church USUALLY .r...
rounds a court II consists of f.u..
or five buildings. comprising gn.r.r
a hall Of worship. the residence .. ~
bishop and other rooms. TN. rrrr..
proper contains an altar which .r.
aratod from the rest Of the r.ur. ..
screen. covered by a curtain vH.
a cross worked upon st. Borar. b.s
curtain stands the priest and fn. .H..-
and the more influential m.mI.rs .,
the congregation. Behind tham D. ,
lattice work. and on the Uth.r ..l.
OF &c are the less important mon .f
the church. with the women I'm tbr
rear. Every one IS expected fH f4I.
on his shoes when he como .nf,
church. and in many OF the halls af
worship there are no seats and The
people lean upon sticks while The eor.
mon Is preached. The sorviu. U.e.rs
at daybreak. and often lasts f1ur ar
five hours. so that Il is mo- wonder
that some Of the members OF tho com.
grcgation fan 20 chatting during ha
preaching. and business and Social
matters are discussed.
am told that the Copts DO mot ..ust
their wives. Each has but one. hut
he does not make her his c0nddlut
he never tells her any Of his business
secrets, ana does not pay her CAS-
much respect as the native Protestant
Christians pay their wives "a. s.l-
dom sees his wife until he is married
and he IS forbidden by his religion 90
marry any one but a Copt AS among
the Mohammcdans. marriages ar. u.s.
ually a matter of business. with dow.
rs bargliaed upon beforehand THE
favorite wedding time Is Saturday
night. and the marriage feaets last
throughout the following week when
the marriage contract IS made 200 lho
parties 90 It say the Lords PRAYER
three times. and before the cerom0n.
les are completed tho bride and bride
groom go separately Co church and tha
Eucharist is Administered TO them
just before her marriage the bride
is given steam bath. and her finger
nails and toe nails are stained red
with henna. Prior 90 the ceremony
the bride sends the bridegroom % -lr
Of clothing, and a woman from her
house goes 20 him to see that 20 IS
delivered properly and that the bride
groom is taken to the bath Thus &c
Is provided that both start the mar.
ried life comparatively clean.
FRANK G. CARPENTER.