Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1889-08-08
a BUDDHIST CEREMONY.
services for tho Repose OF Those Who Por-
tShed on tho Oneida.

Services for tho Repose OF Those Who Per-
fshed on tho Oneida.
peculiar ceremony was performed
on May 4. 1889, ut the Ikegami tenn
pie, Omori, in connection with the
bones recovered from the sunken
man-of-war Oneida, wrecked nine
teen years ago in collision with tho
Pacific and Oriental steamer Bombay.
The idea originated with Japanese
firm of wreckers, who purchased the
wreck of tho Oneida, They recently
concluded operations for the recovery
OF salvage. During this work they
found II number of bones. These rem
nrnts of what had once been human
life were first taken to the American
Consulate aud thence removed to the
hospital. whore they at present re-
main. They will probably he Inferred
In the plot in tho Yokohama cemetery,
where u memorial stands over the re-
mains taken from the Oneida soon
after tho collision.
1t was to these bones that the service
bore relation. The ceremony NAV
not accord with American or European
emanated and the sympathetic spirit
which conceived it must command the
purest admiration. 1t was the recog-
milton of estimable sentiment mani
tested which prompted O large number
ottoreigners 10 attend at the perform
ance OF the rites at the ancient temple
of Daishi-in. The promotion OF the
ceremony by tho Japanese and the for
elgn presence accorded was warm evil
dence of the absence of national dis
tlnctions and Of the possession of COM
mcndaolo mutual religious tolerance
The sympathy was mantle sted by
modes curious to Western canons of
religious observance, but the spirit
which inspired it is one of the finer
feelings mono too com mon in the world
to-day.
Included in the party OF one hun
dred and thirty or one hundred and
forty who left Yokohama by train to
attend the ceremony were G. R. Great
house, United States Consul General,
Admiral Belknap, twenty American
naval officers. American men, -oi-war's
mon, ind the French and Russian
Consuls-General.
Whom the guests had seated them
selves In the beautiful temple seventy
six priests entered, intoning q weird
chant to the accompaniment of native
instruments, and afterward formed
around the altar, where incense was
burned and on which offerings OF
bread were placed. At intervals fiow-
ers were also cast on the altar by the
chief priests. This portion Of the
service occupied about fifty minutes.
At it's conclusion Amenomori Nobun-
ari fuently delivered an Grafton in
English, explaining the significance
of the ceremony and tho beliefs Of the
Buddhist.
After the address the priests filed
out from the temple and conducted the
foreigners to a point in the grounds
where there had been erected O tablet
standing thirty feet high. on which
were inscribed several Buddhist texts,
, the date when the Oneida was lost,
and the names of those who wont down
with her. This tablet was dressed in
a beautiful floral framework. Here
the priests again formed round, burned
incense and offered up prayers
for those in whose memory the monu-
ment had been erected. This ended
the ceremony. The foreigners wore
next escorted through the gardens,
taken through the temple, shown its
rich and costly relics OF times and
deeds which have passed forever, each
presented with bag Of sweetmeats,
and then they departed. Japan Ga
zette.
--Tramp--"Can you give me some