The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1908-05-05
WORSHIP A ROOSTER
Strange Form Of Religion Found
In Philadelphia.
PLENTY OF Spirits" THERE

Black "Ejsmba" Puts Up Affairs and
Speaking Tubes TO Talk Win the
Spirits-The Temple a Wonderful
Place.
Philadelphia. May t-Step into the
second door front room of $3.50 Fair
mount avenue and get initiated into
the strangest form OF worship in Phila
delphia. mixture OF voodooism and
barbaric Christianity.
Timothy Leay. a West Indian negro
is EJambs- He is the leader. the
Moses. the chief priest. lie calls his
faith The Ancient Grace" and he
worships a rooster.
His temple is a wonderful place All
ed with affairs. war drums. speaking
tubes and trumpets. over in one cor
uer hangs a figure dressed in white
satin and crowned with garish crown
Of giittering Imitation gems That's
the Queen Of Ethiopia. and she is wor
SHIPPED with due solemnity.
On the walls are robes OF purple
and yellow masks Of strange design.
and brushes 20 sweep away the evil
spirits. 4 battered photograph of the
slain President Garfield. mounted upon
stick. in the form of cross. also
figures IN the ceremonies
I am Ejamba. the leader" said
Leay. as he quit praying with -four
women and seated himself AZ the foot
of a throne Il show the true way.
our symbol is the rooster. and We pray
20 him and dance in his honor How
We worship Is a secret and only the
initiated dare join in. We also be
lieve in the Great God. and We dance
TO please him"
talk with the spirits he remark
81. rather casually. as he leaned for
ward and his eyes rolled. Il talk
with the spirits and they talk to me.
See my echo?~
rhings that look like painted spools
hoat around gaily in pagoda
filled with water. \ tiny bell is sus
pended from the roof OF the pagoda
and when any spirits happen around
they always notify Eiamba Lesy by
ringing this bell
From under the water a speaking
tube stretches across the room to
converter Il is filed with wheels
has glass front and a bit OF stove
pipe sticks out OF the top. Leading
into the converter. from the throne In
the western end Of the room. is an.
other speaking tube Still a third
tube finds its way into the converter
from kettle drum In the east This
kettle drum j. made OF china wash
bowl covered with skin.
final tube is carried out into Fair.
mount avenue. This has a mega
phone exit and IL is from this mega.
phone that the people in the neighbor.
hood get notice that the spirits are
busy and that the rooster is being
properly Neneratcd.
There are TWO affairs. each covered
with white clothes and decorated with
countless candles and rooster feath.
ers. The feathers are in red and vel
low and purple
Several swords witches. brooms
columns decorated with more rooster
feathers and rabbit FUR are scattered
around. 90 give tone 10 the place.
The Eiamha laid aside his robes and
masks OF jute and put on coat. which
was sleeveless.
We have q beautiful and inspiring
ceremony. he declared.
Eve have. Indeed" came an assent.
Ing chorus from the sisters. Why.
when the candles are lit and the me
get On their robes and masks and the
spirits commence talking. it's simply
grand"
Do the spirits really TALK"
Do they TALK" came the incredu-
lous query OF woman companion Of
the Ejamba- Why. I have been in
here alone and those drums have start
Cd beating on their own account. and.
the echo has made a noise like this
'Whoo-o-o' and then just got.
away"
The Ejamba laughed. The sister isl
right When I hear the spirits. I get
talking % them through one OF the
tubes and they tell me what 10 do"