Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1908-11-12


John r, Lesher haa letter frcr
Ibis cousin. Rev Bruce = Kershuer,
missionary at Maaila. that tells
strange story Of queer religious wor
ship. He says;
| "This Il the Saturday following
Good Friday possibly | should say
Sad Friday. for this q certainly whal
lit is to one who sees. from the Amer
lean and Christian Point Of view, the
heathenish practices Of these people.
Lying just before me are some Of the
bloodiest trophies Of Christianity l
ever saw, They are scourges used
yesterday morning by aagellants. !
had heard Of their practices, but this
was my first available opportunity to
see them. l spent two or three hours
on the ground, and felt sick as con-
sequence.
"The place Of fiagellation is beyond
the city, in little valley back Of the
Iona cemetery, where a rivulet wends
It's way in their usually crooked man
ner. Two large Mongolia trees mark
the starting-place Of the course.
There, under a little clump Of bam-
boos, the penitent strips himself with
the exception Of a pair Of drawers,
which are fastened with a draw-string
about his waist His next step is to
tie rope about his neck, and extend
it downward, tying it three times
about each leg. Then he is blind
folded, or rather has a handkerchief
tied over his face in such a manner as
to conceal his features. This is the
preparation.
"He now begins to beat himself
over the shoulders and back with a
scourge made Of rope about eighteen
inches long, to one end of which is
attached a dozen, more or less, OF
sticks about six inches long and half
inch in diameter. This lashing con-
tinues for some minutes, after which |
he falls upon his knees, and extends
his arms in the form Of cross.
While in this position, an attendant.
who seems to be- acting under instruc-
lions, approaches him with strap Of
BAN boo lash in hand, and kicks him
rom behind SO that he falls prone
upon his face, his arms stretched out
cross fashion. He is left to lie 10 this
position for some minutes, after which
he attendant strikes him from one
tide three solid lashes over the rumps,
hen steps on him TO the other side,
rom which he administers four more
trokes are said to represent the seven
offerings Of Jesus.
"After a further delay, the peni-
sut rises to his knees again, and
gain makes the sign Of the cross and
egins beating himself. He is now
ghassly sight; the blood is flowing
own his back, and the scourge tax
lg it up, filings 1t about in drops. :
lowly walking on, he follows the .
purse, beating himself necessarily, q
nd at intervals dropping to his knees II
nd being kicked to his face, in which
osltion the leather strap is again ad- .
Mustered as formerly. In this man "
,r be traverses q distance ofpossibly "
rec hundred yards, varying the dis
nee and time according to the ma u
re Of the penance he is performing, F"
le man whom | watched was about ~
% hours in all; others occupied less &c
an half hour. ~
when their course was completed, =
BY went down to the little stream, =
d washed the blood from their 3
dies. remained until all but one
d finished, and succeeded In pur-
using one Of the comb-shaped glass
yed instruments, and two Of the ~,
urges, which | am keeping as ~.
cd, yes, CORY, witnesses of physi- g.,
mutilation such as l never sup ~,
led could be practiced under the
rs and Stripes, and which suggests
rible thoughts Of the thinness Of a
little crust Of civilization which
,rvenes between us and the I'M
akable time Of the ipquisition. a
1 inquired of bystanders the mean
Of the Negotiations and was told
several that they are acts Of PEN
. performed under instructions
q their coniessors. My narrators lII
Ach instance, however, threw the
,hasis rather upon indulgence for