Page:Journal of the Straits Branch of the Royal Asiatic Society (IA journalofstrait341879roya).pdf/24

 : "In this virtuous family there will be no trouble; the Sun will continually illumine the door."

In a room convenient to the Lodge, on the right of the "Market of Universal Peace," the candidates having purified their bodies by ablution, and wearing clean clothes, are prepared for admission.

Each candidate must be introduced by an office-bearer, who is supposed to be responsible for him, that during four months, the new member (52 新客) shall not even come to words with the brethren, and that for the term of three years, he shall not break the more important of the 36 articles of the Society's Oath.

Experience however shows, that this obligation sits very lightly on both new members and Head-men, at any rate amongst the class which now-a-days composes the Societies.

Each candidate having paid a fee of $3.50, ($2 of which go to the treasury of the Lodge, while the balance is expended in fees to office-bearers, and in the expenses of the evening), his surname, name, age, place and hour of birth, are entered on the Register of the Society, and copied on a sheet of Red paper.

In token of having cast off all allegiance to the present dynasty "Chheng," the "queue" of each is unbraided, and the hair allowed to flow loosely down the back, the right shoulder and breast are bared, and the candidate is not allowed to retain a single article on his person, except a jacket and short trousers.

In consideration of the poverty of most of the new-comers, they are not required to put on new clothes, but newly-washed raiment is insisted upon.

The Sien-Seng, Sien-Hong, Ang-Kun, and the Chhau-oes who act the parts of the Generals guarding the gates &c., must, however, dress in new clothes on every occasion.

After preparing the candidates, the Master proceeds to arrange the articles on the Grand altar, the most important part of this duty being the insertion of all the paraphernalia in the "Peck measure," or "Ang Tau." (53 紅斗) On the front