KISSING THE BIBLE.

Clutha Leader, Volume XXXVI, Issue 46, 19 November 1909, Page 4

KISSING THE BIBLE.

(To the Kdifor.) Sir.-- \s (he incident of "I,: in:; tlie liible" has hern e.-i\en puli!i.-iiv. i l< to state that I did not "l,i- " tlio I'.ilile at all. The farts a,re <';"! tlic clerk handed me the Hibh- t . take i» my oun' hand, as [ (hcii-li:. ul.irh 1 at once' did, mer 'lv (in-i.-.uiisi': t» "kiss" it, when lu> snatciir,: it ti'um me ill ii must insolent maimer, and M't it. until l.e had lin'ishr.l r.|*o;itilli! tho formula. Tho )l,rji<[iatc ordering me to "kiss" it I then male my obiert'oc, v. !irivii|>"tl he stiL';»'es(i>(i the oath 11- In<. taken in the Scotch form. I hop,. I a'.av I* foiyhcii the irreverent, pavret-liM way in which I repealed the clerk'* words, which I believe were p:"' l '/ extempore. During Messrs Cnii* shank and Matthews' time I hud occasion (o attend the court sittings twice. The first time I was not even expected to take the oath or "kiss' the Btli'e. Tho second time I mft«9 »)iy "nretonei;" of it without thoso UenUemen taking the. slkdite-t notice. T suppose it, is a time-honoured « r ?* niony, probably Imvimj its urisfio suuit* oouturiuj ago, but H is ft uwil

absurd and senseless -custom, quite unauthorised in the Bible itself. Those ttlio are truthful -will speak the truth' for its own sake, and those -who aro untruthful will not be corrected by BU y amount* of Bible "kissing." I should think a large printed «opy of thp i)th Commandment would have a much better effect,. and impress all the logal luminaries, as well as the poor fitnesses, for why should the former 1 ba exempt from the Bible "kissing ?" ,4re they such immaculate truthtellers ? Besides being absurd and unmeaning the practice is undoubtedly insanitary, and it is surprising that it has escaped the notice of the medical profession. When it is abolished it will be one reform in our Jaw courts.—l am, etc., L. W. PURVES.