The History of Java, Vol. 2 of 2 (Classic Reprint)

Excerpt from The History of Java, Vol. 2 of 2

In every chief town there is a high priest, who with the assistance of several inferior priests, holds an ecclesiastical court, and superintends the priests who are appointed in the subordinate districts and villages. Ilis emoluments consist of a share, which varies in different districts, of the zakét levied by the village priests, of fees of court, presents, &c. These chief priests are usually either Arabs, or descendants of Arabs, by women of the islands. Their number in some of the large towns is considerable; at Pakaléngan and Gre'si'k they have amounted to some hundreds. The village priests are mostly J avans. On entering the profession, they adopt a dress different from that of the J avans in general, wearing a turban and long gown after the manner of the Arabs, and encouraging, as much as possible, the growth of a few hairs on the chin, as a heard. It is probable, that the total number of priests is not less than fifty thousand, which forms a nine tieth part of the whole population of the island.

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