The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-10-04

Next, lac crosses his arms upon bis breast.
with the outstretched fingers almost touching
the opposite shoulders, and 50 bows three
times Then he returns 20 the first position
and bows three times moro in tho original
way After that be may, or may not, &C
c0rling 10 his own lnOwicdgaof bis spiritual
requirements. bow twice moro IN the second
fashion and perhaps twice again as at first.
Whilo be IS doing all this be Is mentally
praying, either putting special petitions
suited % his requirements before the Deity
for consideration, or repeating ono or more
OF the 200 formulated prayers prescribed by
the priests, many OF them said % be far
more ancient than the Christian religion.
Here is a free trans alton of one that is said
to be more than 1900 years OLD, and is yet
one OF those in c0mmonest use today:
"Oh, God accept my love- Forgive my
misdeedl. Of the body and the thought.
Bless me. and my family, ami my ancestors,
and those 1 love. and an who love thee
Bless those who love thee not ami bless
those who know thee not Givo unto me
a happy future and call me as thy child
when all things arc past. And bring about
the time when tn0u shalt be with U.s. Amen.
ANU AlHlt - h.AH NA AAANAt AiiNi. ~ Nttst
conyeys tie ideas of reincarnation and
kGrma.
"Oh. Lord. I thank thee that have grown
through so many lives 20 be a man and
thence 20 be myself | pray thee that my
good deeds may hold me up in other lives
and that thou wilt assist me IN my growth
until reach thee in the end
Finally, here Is one with which the wor
shipper may close his devotions as simple,
trustful and beautiful as any childs prayer
ever was.
"On Lord, now lay me down to sleep
Keep away from me all diseases and all
dragons, and so I'll my soul with thy good
ness that when | awake | shall be better
man.
But before arriving at that point, when he
has sacrificed, made bis obeisances and said
his prayers. tho worshiper-especally in
these troublous times-will want to look into
the future Quong- Tai-Gong If bis adora-
tons have been acceptable, will aid him. On
the altar stands deep cylindrical bamboo
vase, handsomely lacquered. In 10 are stand
Ing upon end many very thin long strips 4
bamboo that do not e.lito reach % is top
OF these strips but there should he 800 With
the latter number one has an oracle that
amounts 70 something he who inquiries Of
fate clasps bis hands around The vase and
shakes IL with q rotary movement As be
does SD one of TIE slender bamboo strips de-
.acle5 itsel. from the mass and wiIl q steady
movement. as il it really meant 10, rises
higher anl higher, until it is ready O. fall %
tho ground. and doubtless would DO So & the
shaking were continued The theory is that
q magnetism from the soul OK tie earnest in-
qu.rer especially when lie bias just been puri-
tied by prayer, acts upon tie bits q bamboo
and causes them 70 be receptive Of the
spiritual power that selects tho particu-
lar one tia. points out a truthful
answer u the question that is d0ml-
uaut In the mind Of him who
holds the vase. Each Oh the strips bears a
number and that number Is affixed 10 a sen
tenco in the Book ~ Fate-a volume that lies
upon a table 40 the farther end OF the room
from the shrine. A priest generally takes
the strip hunts 10 the sentence 10 indicates
and reads it % the worshiper. II is supposed
that el0se sentences reply, IN all possible
ways, 10 all serious questions concerning
life that can be asked, and, taking into con
slderat.On the Oracularly ambiguous con-
structlon Of some of them, they probably
iO-mOre or less
Cinnamon have an immense deal Of faith
la tbs method Of diyination, and a ma lority
have been informed that the evil day Is
not nigh" j, II. Connolly.