Indian Antiquary Vol 24

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 35

FEBRUARY, 1895.] SPIRIT BASIS OF BELIEF AND CUSTOM.
it prepare a holy water to lighten pain and remove disease.48 The Papuans of New Guinea, when they mean to be peaceful, sprinkle water over their heads. The New Zealanders wash new-born infants.50 At Guinea (in 1562), 51 a captain of negroes came up to a British ship in a canoe, hollowed like a trough to feed hogs in. He stopped at some distance, and put water on his cheek, and would not come near till the English Captain did the same.
Holy water is used in Madagascar, 52 and while building a royal house the chief post is sprinkled with holy water by the king,53 The Buras of East Africa, to clear the road, squirt water from their mouths over any one about to start on a journey. Among the Zulus, wheu an epidemic breaks out, a doctor passes through the town with a bunch of boughs followed by a man with a large bowl of water, and sprinkles the water on the door of every house.55 Nile water cures children of rickets.56 Among the Nubians of Africa the best medicine is water, in which leaves of papu with texts from the Korân have been washed."7 The Bongos of the White Nile sprinkle the sick with boiling water.59 Among the Matambe negroes the widow is ducked in a pond to scare the husband's spirit and remove the risk in a second marriage.59 The Mongols, the Africans and the people of Guinea use holy water.00
In the elaborate Mexican baptism the early object to drive out evil spirits is hidden by much that is more modern: still, that the object is to drive evil out of every limb is shewn by the detail of touching the babe on the breast and crown, while the nurse says: "Whoever thou art in this child, begone, leave it, put thyself apart." The Peruvians have a yearly sprinkling with water on the first day of the September moon,82
The Greeks used holy water mixed with salt. The perirantocrion, or holy-water vessel, was generally placed at the entrance to the Greek temple.63 The Romans used to poar out libations of water at the end of every feast.64 In some of the higher masonry degrees the candidate is purified by water, nominally to cleanse him from the taint of the lower condition.65 In consecrating the throne, or altar-table, in a Russian church the wood is washed with holy water and wet with wine and then dried.60 In the Russian church at baptism the priest blows on the brows, lips and breast of the child, and says three times : -- "May every evil and unclean spirit that has concealed itself and taken its abode in his breast, depart."67 The Russian priest consecrates water for baptism by passing his hand three times over it, making a sign of the cross, blowing on it, and signing the surface with a feather dipped in holy oil.09 In Russia water is made holy by dipping the cross into it. The drops that fall from the wetted cross are sprinkled on the bell. The Russian Bishop, after he puts on his robe, has water poured over his hands.70 In giving the Sacrament, the Roman Catholic priest washes his hands." At the Roman Catholic lay baptism, when a priest cannot be found and the child is dying, the child may be baptized with common water.72 Holy water is sprinkled on the Roman Catholic bride and bridegroom.73 In the Roman Catholic ritual the sick man drinks water in which the priest has washed his hands.74 In Brandenburg, peasants pour water at the door after the coffin to prevent the ghost from walking.75 It is a common belief in Europe that spirits cannot cross running water.76 In the South of Scotland, about the beginning of this century, all but the profane, before going to bed, set a tub or pail of water for the good spirit
48 Fornander's Polynesian Races, Vol. I. p. 116. 50 Tylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 431.
52 Sibree's Madag scar, p. 219.
New's East Africa, p. 479.
56 Parson's Travels, p. 812.
58 Op. cit. Vol. I. p. 309.
Op. cit. Vol. II. pp. 431-433.
6 Mackay's Freemasonry, p. 16.
Gibbon's Decline and Fall, Vol. II. p. 20. 66 Mrs. Romanoff's Rites and Customs of the es Op. cit. p. 70.
72 Op. cit. p. 17.
75 Tylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 217.
69 Op. cit. p. 277.
73 Op. cit. p. 703.
81
49 Earl's Papuans, p. 13.
51 Voyages, Vol. VII. p. 297.
58 Op. cit. p. 287.
55 Gardiner's Zulus, p. 95.
57 Schweinfurth's Heart of Africa, Vol. II. p. 325.
45 Tylor's Primitive Culture, Vol. II. p. 23.
61 Bancroft, Vol. III. pp. 372-376,
63 Fornander's Polynesian Races, Vol. I. p. 117.
65 Mackay's Freemasonry, p. 3.
Greeco-Russian Church, p. 91.
70 Op. cit. p. 424.
67 Op. cit. p. 68.
71 Golden Manual, p. 250.
74 Op. cit. p. 721.
76 Leslie's Early Races of Scotland, Vol. I. p. 77.