The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1886-11-09
Glre gsteLIigsneer
oMeo1 Nos, 20 and 81 VouTtseala street,
IN INDIA.
DR., stones Letter From BOmbay-Ths Rainy
Ssasou-IIlndOo Festivals,
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DR., Stones Letter From Bombay-Ths Rain
Ssasou-IIlndoo Festivals,
Special Correspondence N ne IaialiqRerr.
BOMBAY, INDIA, Sept. 2S,-We are nov
experiencing 3 little Of the unplessGntnss
OF our adopted land. Since the middle o
June our rainy season has been maxim
life o delight both in cooling the air AM
causing the grass and iolisgs to grow.
don't think I'd be ashamed to have you
reporter visit my parsonage garden Rnt
my church yard now, Plant life luxuri
ates during tho warm, rainy season Of In
dia, ferns especially In great variety AM
beauty abound, But the rainy season il
now about over and the southwest wind i
dying, For about thirty days following
tine rains the wind ceases to blow, and vi
cease not to pant, sweat, and complain
Then "a ushered IN, however, the cold sea
con, which Is delightful in Iudia.
We have had an unusually heavy rRiE
fall this year, II has amounted 10 nearly
100 inches, Eleven inChea isll in one dAS
early in the season, Many houses In thu
native city tumbed down ~ q result, Thu
houses in Bombay occupied by the middle
class Of natives would surprise you BY
their height; some Of them being si1
stories. As o rule they are irail struc
tures-WhRt in our home cities would bt
called fire and cyclone traps, A fail
shake Of an earthquake or worse, a blast O.
one OF your cyclones would spread de,
struCtion through Bombay. Bombay
being on an island, Gramped for room
must OF necessity crowd skyward,
The death rats continues to DO about 40C
week, We have not had much cholera
this year, Still this fall plague always
Turks about our city Blums, Business be,
cOmes very dull during the rainy season
II now is looking up. Trains arc begin
ming to run heavy and more ships to load
in the docks, This 10 a great festival sea,
son among the natives. Last week thu
great Gunputh season closed, last SaLur.
day WIS tbs PdrSis' new years day, mex,
week begins the most important festival
IN India in many respects. II il called
the Moharrum, a Moslem festive tlme.
Madness, ianatiCisln and hedlam will
reign Tor halt moon or more. One.hali
the sons Of Islam will mourn, the other
bali rejoice, and at times tears and smiles
will be got aside Tor clubs and gally 1.-THE
Indian term for lbuse,) l forgot TO uleR.
ton in enumerating the great days, that
on the 10th Of September the Mohamme.
dams from all the parts Of the ord enter.
ed Theice to perform their big pOoid, (Cer.
emony) about the Black Stone.
This day was ObaerYed in India by the
faithful. The festival in honor OF the
elephant headed, pot belied, 600 gunesh
which closed last full n Don, is full OF in
terest to Hindooa and Europeans, but
lrom different polnIO Of vision, Gunesh Il
the Hlndoo god OF wisdom aud knowl.
edge. He is represented as l have just
intimated.
Should any Of my readers have arrived
in Bombay two weeks ago he would N
liFst nave been struck with the signs OF
western progress, the steamships aud
launches moving about in the harbor, the
great dOcka and chip yards, tae stately
public building, unrvalled in India, the
clock tower with its chime Of bells, the
streets and storeH, brilliant with electric
light, the maze Of telegraph and telephone
wires, American horse cars running full
Of passengers, no would say certainly
India is not what 1t Is represented. This
land has imbibed the spirit Of tho l0sh
century, Progress, enterprine, enliGhtan.
lDent, aud civilization are here. | feel nj
homo in this atmosphere. ! breath the
ozone Of New York and Chicago.
But lot them cOne over 10 the parson.
age and learn how tho civilization Of A,
D. 1900 and the superstition OF b. O. 1900
can melt as the darkness Of Egypt and the
brightness Of Goabon without the one to
all appearances affecting the other.
You cannot imagiue more dsguBling
object than the Hindoo god Guncah or
Gunputti. He hes an elephant head and
is made to look as hideous no poFsible.
The story Of his origin Ia better left un.
told. Every year Thousands Of clay i'm.
sge8 Of this god arc made, bought by the
people, ConstCrated by the priests, dressed
laudily, kept in the houBes Of tho people
for 3 number Of days 90 cur Christmas
trees are preserved, then taken in process.
sion-Carried In palenkeens or on mems
heade, to the Eea, into which thoy are cast,
The noise made while this festival lasts
surpassrs your Imagination Of bedlRm,
And 40 ycu watch the devotees perform.
Ing their antics like mad men with no
meLhod in their madness you will say,
"Are those creaturcs human being82' A
group OF tho Gunesh wOrshipeIu the other
day were spoken 10 about their god and
their reply was you have your Jesus
Christ. Then pointing 10 the elephant
headed monttrosity In clay, "Fhis Is our
Christ" they said
1t seems marvellous how men could
ever form such ideas Of God ss ere reprG-
sented in the image worship Of Inlla. For
the most part the hymns they eicg and
the stories they relate concerning their
deitles GRO nonEenGe or tn.
What is Western civilization doing fer
these people is ready question. 1tcer.
tainly Ia breaking up old expectations
among some Of the people. Caats d be.
coming weaker every decade. Tho cup;
posed lniallible statements Of tho sacred
booka upon scientific subjects are now
laughed at by the EDUCATED. Tho burn.
Ing OF widow the ACCUMULATION OF infant.
ode and bodily mutilation In religious
worship are things Of the PINOT. Is India
advancing In moTSlsH The most reliable
educational reports will ssy, in proper.
ton to the acceptance and practice OIL
Christian truth In plsco 81 auaIdored su
perslitlons Ia India advancing morally.
Lord Lawrence, one oil Iudia's best Vice.
roys, said: "Educato Indian yoptht
without Ohristisnigipg them and you
will have generation Of educated
devils" When Hinduism oteps-dawn
either Christianity or some modified form
OF IL, or Atheism must step III. Rank
Atheism abounds in this laud with all o.
It's results. ] think there Is little doubi
but there arc many more Atheists thar
Christians in India. Ia this due to the
presence Of tho missionary or IA the fac
Of there being 90 tew Of them at hand Il
lead tho people III This transition period
from bcRBtly superBtitiOnB paRt the dread
iul regions Of ''no.belitf" Into the liberty
OF tho gospel Of the Lord jesus Christ
Missionary preachers and missionary cd
nCatota CeElatnly arc needed now In THU
land. a nRtlon'wiLhout any faith In Goo
Ia an ORGANIC ition--a continue Of friends
Should men minimize Christian mission
IN lndi62 Would you discourage tht
spirit thutled England and Europe to re-
Bpond to tho cry from burning vhiCsgt
ali, hos Inoavnin0nnd nv iha bnifik n