Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1836-03-17

IForUGrdedto tie Editor Of the Vermont
1907 = ~.@' TelegTGpkl ,.
MISSIONARY PROSPECTS IN
."f' W. '"- BARMAH."
An Address delivered at the Monthly Missionary
Prayer Meeting Of various denomi nations Of
Christians held at the Union Chapel. Calcutta,
October s., 1885. By. NJ BROWN, Ameri-
can Missionary.
Having been requested to lay before you
this evening short account OF the Bar
man Mission, propose to notice in the first
place some Of the difficulties which the
peculiar habits, religion, and government
ofthe Barmese present to missionary oper-
atoms, and, secondly, what success has
hitherto attended the efforts that have been
made -..-... -.>
In orderto give some idea.of the influ.
ence which the religious system of the
Burmese exerts over the minds of its vota-
ries, it is necessary that should present a
brief sketch Of their belief, as contained in
their sacred books II will not of course
be expected that shall give any thing
more than a mere outline.
According to. the sacredwritings Of the
B1rmese. the base Of the universe is a vast
plane, infinite in extent and containing an
Infinite, number. Of Sekya. systems, or
worlds. These systems are exact circles,
each bounded by an immense circular wall
or mountain. $4,000 yuzanas, or upwards
ofa million miles, in height. The dame
ter Of each Sekya system is Is millions OF
miles They are placed in contact with
each other, and the intermediate spaces
are reserved for hells, where the wicked
aretormente1.- r
The ground composing the earth, or
foundation Of each ofthese Sekya systems,
Gncluding the waters of the ocean, which
IS $4,000 yuzanas, or about 1.050,000
miles, deep,) extends to the depth of one
million and a half miles. Below this is
solid rock, reaching to a still further depth
Of one million and half miles. This
- rock is sustained by sheet OF water, ex-
tending down 6,O00.O00 miles Under
the whole is an expanse of air. the thick
ness Of which is 100000 miles.
Asthe Sekya systems are all similar, it
is necessary to describe only the one upon
which we live In the centre of the sys-
TEN rises the Myenmo mount This is
f,050,000 miles high, and sinks into the
water to the same depth. Il is surround
ed byseven concentric ranges or rings of
mountain, which are separated from each
other by seven rings ofwater. The inner
mountain, called Yugandho. is half the
height of Myenmoi the next mountain
half the height of this, and so on, Be-
tween these mountains, and the great out
er mountain which bounds the system,
are the ocean, the four great islands, and
1000 small Islands ,7''1.'
1.-The beings who inhabit a Sekya svs-
TEN inciude 81 different states, four OF
which, being below man, are considered
asstates Of punishment The superior ce-
'lsstial states Of heaven are 26. Ascend
ing from man, we haye'the six heavens OF
the Mas of which the first is Sadamaharit,
half way up Mynemo mountain, and 525,.
0o0 miles above the surface Of the ocean.
Here the inhabitants live through peri.
cd of9, 100000 years, before they trans
migrate to other states. II is at this dis
lance above the earth that the sun, moon
AMI planets are placed, where they revolve
aboCt Mynemo mountain. The sun iso
~ Gas miles, (in diameter,) while the
moonis6l2, wanting only Is miles to b
equal in size to the sun. The eeipses are
oceasioned by a Nat Of immense size, Co..
600 niles high, ami measuring Is, 00C
miles across his breast, who. in his spor
occasionally GESTURES the sun and moor
from the sight Of men According to III,
Blrmese theory, one Of his fingers is O
sufficient size 10 cover the sun. ~ o.'-
. q Oufhe summit Of Mynemo is the Tia
wadingiha heaven, plain l25, 900 mile.
in extent The duration Of life in thil
= state ia S6,000.000 years. Above this, a
q distance or $4,000 miles, is suspende,
the third heaven Of the Mats. Still high
e. AMI at similar distances, are suspende'
the remaining three. The joys Of thes
- FfA - ssteN a.t M .@ae
IA win Be observed mat the photography :
O. word 4 usn from ,Int IA. common Dss in IN
soeairy. n win aso bs col eeisd that g Er.w.
di"waaussa Instead Of Irawsddy. in allsl,'
from b.. Bpwa. puhlhhsd 10 he TsI.grsph-
kEpsl L. s'ftfI 49, - II ~ - -. d.