Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-05-08
EACH RACE HAS ITS OATH.
Swearing of Witnesses Sometimes an
Odd Ceremony.

In a certain municipal court the
other day there was a most Oriental
setting to the case on trial. Slant
eyed men. with queues wound around
In thick mat at the back Of their
heads, and in loose. quilted coats and
bagsy trousers. filled many of the seats
reserved for spectators, as we'll as
| those occupied by the plaintiff and de-
PENDANT. A Chinaman in European
dress stood near to act as interpreter,
and witness was called to the box.
Swear the Witness" said the court
clerk. and at word from the inter-
prefer the Chinaman sank upon his
knees and was handed saucer.
you Shall tell the truth, the whole
truth" droned the interpreter in his
own language.
The witness struck the saucer upon
the brass rail before him and the china
was cracked into half a dozen pieces.
IF you 90 not tell the truth your
soul snail be cracked like the saucer"
continued the official administering the
oath, and the ceremony was over.
An oath has nothing whatsoever to
do with Christianity, and adherents of
ever; sort of religion the world over
have their separate ways of affirming.
or swearing. to the truth. An oath is
solemn attestation made under i'm
mediate sense of responsibility to the
Deity, whom the one taking the oath
believes in. and also the Invocation of
Divine vengeance upon the witness
head should he speak falsely Oaths
have been used since the earliest ages.
and have always been considered as
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conscience OF man as a pledge of fu-
ture conduct-a guarantee of veracity.
Although the forms of Oaths differ,
the substance is the same, which is
that the Deity is called upon to witness
the truth of what is said. A Jew is
sworn on the Pentateuch, or Old Tesla
ment, with his hat on, closing his oath
with: $50 help me, Jehovah" The
Mohammcdan is sworn on his sacred
book, the Koran, the Gentoo (HindOo)
by touching with his hand the foot of
Brahmin, or priest, of his religion.
and the Brahmin himself is sworn by
touching the hand of another priest.
AS shown above, Chinese are some
times sworn by the breaking of a sau
GER; but also by what is known as
Joss stick burning. This is cere-
mony Of burning one of the sticks used
by their priests in the ceremonies be-
fore their Joss, or god. This signi-
fies that their god is called upon to
witness the veracity of what they say
The Quaker will not take an oath,
ana there are others, because of re-
ligious scruples, or because of holding
to no religion at all, who refuse to
swear to the truth. They affirm Ar
frmationS consist of the raising of the
right hand above the head and instead
of swearing to the truth, the witness
affirms In olden times theft was pun
isned by branding the palm of the
thiefs hand; So if a witness hand
was raised in affirmation and this scar
revealed his testimony was refused.
In some lands the thumb and index
finger were Topped off for theiving,
and such "a deformed culprit would
be instantly detected if he sought to
make affirmation in any court.
The very devout Hebrew, in affirm
ing, raises the right hand and extends
the thumb. index and second fingers,
forming the letter Scheen, indicating
the first letter of the word Schadie, or
God. The devout Christian of certain
sects raises his hand in affirmation in
the same manner, with the same fin
gers and thumb extended, CONSIDERING
that the gesture represents the Holy
Trinity.
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