Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1863-10-31
MISC ELLANEOUS.
orrIAND1sn RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES.

The San Francisco Bulletin, of September
10th. gives the following account of visit
to n Chinese temple in that city:
The Chinese are having a great time in
their Temple, on Sacramento street, just
now. Evidently the festival is OF religious
character. though whether the proceeds are
t. bc deN oted to canccling mortgage on
their church or to sending out pagan mis-
sionarirs 20 win over Christian believers to
Buddhism. is more than inquisitiN eness itself
has been allie to ascertain. The dignitarcS
of their Temple are not mt all reticent but
display charming readiness to indulge in
IL conversation with visitors to which the
onIy draw back is that neither understands
the Others language. However, they them
selves know what the celebration means and
is intended for, and they being the principal
pItics concerned no others have Il right to
complain.
The first thing that strikes the visitor on
entering the Ncsihur of their sanctuary is
II most ancient aud i>h-likr smell, and if he
approaches the alta? he viii discover that
the breath OF the gods smells STRANGELY OF
stale salmon. Evidently their drink is not
nectar, neither is it possible that their vic.
tuu, is amhrosia. The first object of Chi csc
alteration that meets the eye is high and
hilarious god, standing some seven or eight
feet in his stockings, and ilourishng cigar
in his left hand, like a Montgomery stItct
swell The attitude Of this ilol is not very
graceful. while his legs widely spread apart,
and the air with which he braces back
against the wall suggests that he is under
The influence Of the rosy. Altogether. he
has II Convivial look about hm. liuhly
fsl,. 4 4 ,l... 81
encd hy two horns, with srrral,d edges
which sprout gai'y from behind his ears
His belly is modelled like bass drum, hut
20 nicely adjusted as not to seriously inter
frrc with tue even tenor of his whole con
tour.
Passing on and ascending q narrow and
ishy staircase. we find balcony, gay with
Iia-s and lanterns and illuminated with
-crollS Written III sinuOus characters, prOlHi-
hly pregnant with the wisdom of tie i'm
mortal hung g-tutre, whom the Latins name
C"nucluS. We may very we'll conclude
that the books whica lie open but shut So
Tar as our understanding is cOncerncd--hc-
IuTc is are the SOltdG Uscldrit0 and the
C0hc0' dttc FO1mHha of their pt cuIiar church.
Here thc sound of music is loud-rcCklcsS
discipIts Crashing anvil choruscs upon i'm
mcnsc longs, '.hilr miidcr mannrlcd mus-
cans kept Up IL rattling accompaniment on
kettle. drums, blended with symphony of
,"rlll notes from tn lips or cracked Iites
Imc gods stand it narI cInusly well, how
>,rr, and 81 docs tIr temple. though much
CSa nUi>c brought down the walls of Jericho
al the temple, the gods and wOrshippUrs are
81 nulCruuS that one calls them no longer
john, hut legion. You stumble over II little
god on the moor, or prccipitate your head
.ito the stomach OF the biz one bracrd
against the altar The big ones numbered
Two, and face each other in II Cog and Ma
-o4 style. In height they are Anaks. each
standing good eight feet above the level
"l ihc lIoor, without counting in Slight
Wrinkle IN tie tack which would give them
II few inC"cs uulc were i ironed ont. Each
mas one i"ot pcrchcd on ii supposilious rock,
Nhi.r the oiEer rests on u p"pyr tigcr--.thcy
seem To have been buching against the tier
all the nlgut thlougn. One holds e golden
apple IN lis hand, p uckcd from 10 one
knows What llcspcrlucs the other grasps Il
go.dcn wreath. they arc spanglcd like
harlequin, and bearded and mustuched like
bogus baiOns. y chronic lassi:udc rests on
tncir features probably occasoncd 10y lluv,
.ng been up all night. Before them is
spread either II late breakfast or an early
Iunch, but they seem in no hurry To attack
At. Undoubtedly they feel safe in the assur-
ancc that no one else will eat it. Ranged
around the wall, in colycnicnt little sentry
boxes, stand tudgy little gods. with spay
Ieet These he the common "JosSrs' Of the
concern. One OF them is habitcd like
Christian martyr, and has the d0.oyous look
o. one cond, mned to be burned. The ap
p'chcns on seems not entirely groundlcsS. rs
"a numl CT "I torches are lighted close to his
feet. Shcu.d ue. Turn on, the spectacle
would rc Finished Of baked tomato.
The NorShipperS in the pullicus of the
t mi are not very dc u IT, They Loaf
aroHLd and take AL sorts ut Liberties with /
tier gods, even To the o ca .innal Smouching /
81 ton ID from thelr breakfast table !
lh'rc are dowagcrs with huad-drr,s which /.
tower up in crinigorous BaheIs, and damscls (
with eyes more C,ani.shcli than almond shell /.
shaped. Ihcic are male Gilman en- having |
tlic ln"k OF ChlmpanIees, and Others dandl |
I!ud enough in appearance Ia stand as lay |
ii5Hrrs IN BARRIERS wlnGoAs. \. Together the !
p.cu re- Is motl,y unc, and wei worth sec I.
my, 'tt curious visitor, shuula he vacnatrd !
d lore entering the synagogue and carrying /.
smelling ,ats with them.
Were there time in ia connection to IN /
dul@c IN speculation and reelection concern |
ing this curious coplc wl ave moved |
'eir temples aud gods in our mi,ist IN sal
down among us, hut of whom We really /
know 30 llItle, there were ample food Iur il. /
How long viii they maintain their idoalroLs 1
worship In the iuli blaze of the Ii lat which /
u O. r.silan community shed, o. l. il M !
lalr To cali them i.lolatcrs when rs. images /
which they make unto themselves are NOT |
made "ln the shape OF allthing in the hea-
Hcns abONe, in the earth luuCath or in The J
waters under the earth = Viii ever ah /
loouuclast come along and send these paper /
dclilcs illing higher than any kitri Viii |
these Ihors linally he hrokcn with their own |
hammers Or ~ill tHis people ~ on chant, |
ing harharious hymns Ihruugh their nuses |
and hrallug tum,tnms 10 the honor at their !
tom-cods aud tom tomBods to the end oi
anoibcr century