The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-04-04
MAUNDY THURSDAY
WIDELY OBSERVED

recipients. carefully selected. CORE
spond in number in the case of each
sex with the age OF the sovereign.
Men and women viii DO dressed in
black. On the doors of the abbey be.
Ing opened. thoy will be conducted
( to their place by the vergers, and
VIII h!l tho lowest row of seats in
tho choir. forming two columns, reach
Ing from the organ to the Hacrarium.
On one side Sit the women, on the
other tho men.
suddenly the organ begins TO peal
forth and tho procession appears, en-
terins through the nave to tho choir.
II Is headed by the beadle OF the alb
bey. bearing the mace. Following,
him arc the royal choristers, tho
Srown-up members of which are Of
iiclally termed "the gentlemen OF the
choir These fall into their regular
places as the procession advances
Next come throc clergymen, repro
senting the recipients Of the royal
aims. They carry bouquets, the col
ors OF which are Invariably red,
wh'to. and yellow Following them
Is the gorgeously appareled sergeant
major of the Yeomen of tho Guard.
Gigantic Ycomcn Bcnr the Dish.
All eyes are directed toward the
two next comers and their burden.
the Guard, carrying. shoulder high,
an Immense brass dish. from the edge
of which In perfect circle. depend
long red and white purse strings, ter
minating In sIllScn tasscls. On the
top Of the purses lay twelve we'll
filed bags OF chnmols leather. Tho
dish Is laid by the Yeomcn of tho
Guard upon a tall, circular aoken table
OF ancient date that looks as IL It
hop fnr ho
pose and for no other. Then the Yco-
men of the Guard take their station,
ono on each side OF the teble. md
! behind them. on their way to tho
sacrarium, pass Dean Armytage Rob-
inson, of Wells Cathedral. who Is the
lord high almoner; the subalmone err.
Canon Sheppard; tho Lord Bishop
Ryie. who is Dean OF westminster
Abbey, and the canons of the chapter
thereof. Women OF the Guard. some
sixty in number. all armed Will, hall
herds, form line on either side OF
the choir.
The Office for the royal Maundy Is
then intoned by the Dean OF West
minister, and at the conclusion of the
| first anthem, the first distribution
takes place. Tho two Yeomcn Of the
Guard lift tho brass dish from the
table and march to the head OF the
line of women. They arc followed by
the lord high almoner. the subal-
moner, and their secretaries, the lat
ter in court dress. and passing along
the line. the doles of money. repro
senting about $40. all In newly minted
silver, are handed By the lord high
almoner to each OF the recipients in
| turn, In antique red and white kid
purses. A third anthem Is sung, and
then there is second distribution TO
the former recipients. of second
purse, containing another $40. There
upon with a prayer for tho King and
Queen. and tho royal family. and u
bcncdictton by the Dean of Wcstmins-
ter the royal Mauady function Mt
Westminster Abbey is closed.
Services Mt Catholic Courts.
At Vienna tho imperial Maundy Will
be observed to-day with all tho old
| time medieval pomp and state Of the
court of Austria. by the aged En-
peror, who. assisted by the grand
dukes. and by the leading ecclesiasti-
cnl diSnitaries OF tho Dual Empire.
Will go through the ceremony OF
| washing the feet of twelve poor mon,
| who VIII he sent back at tho close OF
! the ceremony to their homes. In i'm
perial court carriages. laden with
! gifts of money. OF clothing, and OF
| food.
At Madrid the ceremony VIII be per-
loriHcu DS flnE Alfonso and Queen
| Ena. the latter washing the feet OF
| twelve old women. and her husband
the feet of twelve old men. who. us
at Vienna, will be sent back to their
respective homes, in court carriag es,
laden with gifts.
The nonogenarian Prince Regent OF
| Bavaria goes through, ut Munich, idcn-
teal the same ceremony as those
| at Vienna and Madrid; while the Car
dnal Vicar of Rome has, since the
confinement Of the holy father at
| the Vatican, been delegated by him
to fuitill tho ceremony of feet wash :
ing In his place.
In Russia the feet washing on
Maundy Thursday is performed By the
| leading dignitarics OF the national
church. the METROPOLITAN. and arch.
bishops; while at the Lutheran courts.
| such as, for instance. Berlin Stuttgart,
| in fact. at all the German, Dutch and
scandinavian, churches OF the protcs-
| tant denomination. the monarchs anu
members OF the royal family are ac-
customed to observe the day by re-
ceiving communion
| Copyright 1912. by tho Brentwood
Company
| HEARING or TESTIMONY
IN COAL RATE CASE