The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-03-25

patriarch and his assistants did the
washing and ii was the feet of priests
ana not those OF beggars which were
washed
At the Shrine OF Guadalupe
one OF the best places to see how
earnest h Indians are in their wor-
ship is at the Shrine of Guadalupe.
situated about three miles from the
Cathedral Of Mexico City. The place
may be reached by street cars. / have
spent several days in moving about
through the thousands of Indians who
come there to worship. The shrine
IS based upon a miracle. said TO have
been performed by the Virgin Mary.
about 400 years ago. 1t was one
bright December morning when Juan
Diego, a poor Indian peasant. was
on his way to worship at a church
farther on, that he crossed the rocky
arid hill where the shrine is. AS he
reached it he was confronted by a
beautiful woman. who told him tina,
she was the Virgin Mary and that
she wished the Mexican people to
bulld a church on the spot where
she stood. Juan was Commanded to
report this to the bishop. He did so.
but was disbelieved.
The next day he came again and
again the Virgin met him and called
him her son and repeated her wish
- IN Odlo. ot1C lICii
said that she would give him "a sign
10 show the bishop hat he was tell
ng the truth, and babe him go TO
the top of the hill and bring back
an armful Of roses which grew there.
Juan knew that the hill was a rocky
desert, and covered only with cactus,
put he went and 10. it had changed
10 a bed or beautiful flowers. He
took down the cloth from his shout
derS and filled it and the Virgin told
him TO carry the flowers to the bishop.
Juan did SO. He repeated his story
and spread the flowers out on the
ground. At the same time his held
Up his mantle. and 10, the portrait
of the Virgin was to be seen paint ed
upon it.
It Was then known that a miracle
had been performed and the news
vent far n wide. The bishop de-
and with the money that rolled in
was erected the Guadalupe Cathedral.
which cost more thar a million dol
lars. This was generations ago.. The
sacred picture repOsed for a time
in the cathedral in Mexico City, bu,
later on it was brought to this churrh
| and it may now be seen on it's altar
t l have a photograph Of it which
was recently made by Waite. the
American photographer of the Mexi
ear capital.
e Thousands OF Pilgrims.
r Every peasant knows of this shrine
and the pilgrims come by the u
dreds Of thousands to visit it. Tn
: railroad officials tell me that tn,
: travel to it materially increases tn
receipts Of the roads, and that it i
a traits asset~worth several hundre'
thousand dollars a year
I wish you could sec the Indians a
j they crawl up the hill on their knee
e to visit the spot where Juan fount
e the roses. I should like to take yo'
S into the mighty cathedral, n shoy
: you the altar of marble and bronz
S which cost more than 5000 900. an
at the same time have brought gu
e the crown of the Virgin, which i
e st udded with jewels, worth almOs
: a half million dollars in gold. TIL
S crown is of gold and it weighs thirt
pounds. It is about three feet i
e diameter.
Another spot at Guadalupe wher
e the praying always goes on is in tn
n Chapel of the Well back Of the cathe
S dral. Here is a spring Of sulphu
which boils and bubbles below tn
pavement within it's walls Of we
n stone. The waters contain sulphur
r magnesia and patash and they SINE.
like old eggs There is a gratln
3 over TIE WE'LL anu upOH IL LIZ CoE
l. per dippers, fast ened to chains, whic
the pilgrims let down to draw u
is the water. There are no individus
4. cups and the microbes Of 10000 dill
y ferent mouths are mixed togethe
d upon the rims Of these cup
le But suppose we go into h church
h It is filled with Indians, girls an
d boys n women and men, all O
their knees and all holding candle
the flames Of which make a smOk
so thick that it half hides b alta
There are candles burning about til
altar, and outside are dozens Of pee
re dlers who sell candles n rosario
is The candles are all sizes. from thu
n Of your finger to hat Of your lei
lie and they range in price from ]
ir cents to several dollars.
tn Another favOrite shrine of Mexit
at is at Amecameca, on the slope
M ~Popocatapetl, and there are othe1
cs scattered here and there over TT
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