you could define a delay-method by yourself:

1. void delay(int ms){
2.   int current_time = millis();
3.   while(millis() - current_time < ms);
4. }

another version ( i think this version or a similar one is currently part of processing):

1. void delay(int ms){
2.   try{
3.     Thread.sleep(ms);
4.   } catch (InterruptedException e) {
5.   }
6. }

Wrong place, Processing Implementations is about alternatives implementations, in other languages!

And the second answer of thomas_dewald is the right one: it is easy to implement it yourself, if you need.
I saw very little correct usages of delay, and lot of wrong ones...
Correct: when used with serial (and other hardware interactions) or events (space out events).
Incorrect: to slow down sketches, for example... Acting on frame rate is a better way.

I searched 'delay' in Processing 1.2.1 examples: found 6 occurrences in 5 files, all for sketches using serial. Similar results in 1.5.

Thanks for the feedback.

With regard to the proper place for posting this question, I stand corrected as to the forum used.  I will attempt to be more informed about this aspect in the future.

With regard to the 2nd suggestion for an equivalent delay function, I suspected there was a better way to do this using base Java components.  Processing is my first exposure to Java so I have a ways to go for some profficiency in that area. 

I will look into the suggestion with regard to framerate.  Appreciate that.

Back to the original question, why was delay put into the language in the first place?  If nobody understood what it does, that probably includes the authors (?),  If anything is mis-understood, it would appear to be the logic for removing delay.

All of the examples that use delay() are in Arudino code that's include with the Getting Started with Processing examples. It's an essential function for microcontrollers, like Arduino. In Processing, delay() does have a use, and that's why we included it originally. However, it was misused more often than not and has created more confusion than clarity. Especially as people familiar with Arudino move over the Processing and try to use it in the same way.