The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1889-05-15
stTHE LIGHT OF AsIA.n

But, say the admirers Of Buddhism
least YOU will admit that the Buddha td
men to get rid Of sin, and to aim at ssnct
of life? Nothing of the kind. The BuddI
had no idea Of sin as an offtnce against VI
no idea of true holiness. What he said w
Get rid Of the demerit Of evil actions
store up merit by good actions. This storl
up of merit-like capital at bank.is q
of those inveterate propenslties OF hum
nature which Christianity alone has DEL
cred men from.
Only the other day I met an inteliig4
Sikh from the Punjab, and asked him ap9
his religion. He replied, 81 believe in
God, ard repeat my prayers, called Jap-
every morning and evening. These pray
occupy six pages OF print out ! can i
through them in little more than. ten IN
utes." He seemed to pride himself on
rapid recitation as wora OF lncreaseG II
it. said, "What else does your religion
ouire of you?n BE replied, IT have nj
one pilgrimage to sacred well near Ann
sar: eiehty-five steps lead down to 1t.
scended and bathed in the sacred pool. Ii
I assembled one step and repeated my Jap,
in about ten minutes. Then descend
again to the pool and bathed again.
assembled to the second step and repeat
nv PRAYERS second time. Then descendeS
third time, and ascended to the third step,
repeated my Jap-jee third time; and 50
for the whole eighty-fve steps. 1t took
exactly fourteen hours from 8 p Md
evening to a. m. next morning" l ask
ssWhat good did you expect to get BY go4
through this task?' He replied, hops
have laid up great store Of merit VIII
will last me fer long time" This, let
tell you, is genuine Hindu idea. 1t is OF
very essence of Brahminism and Hind
ism. 1t is equally Mohammedan idea.
is even more a Buddhist idea. Buddh
recognizes the terrible consequences of
actions but provides no remedy except
storing up of merit by good actions as
counterpoise. The Buddha never claimad
be del.verer rom sin. He never pretend
to set any one free from the bondage OF
full acts and sinful habits. He never p
fessed to provide any remedy for leprosy,
sin, any medicine for dying sinner. on
contrary, by his doctrine OF karma
bound a man hand ani foot to the con
ouence of his own acts with chains OF e
mant He said, in effect, to every one OF
disciples. You are in slavery to1
tyrant Of your own setting up. Your o
deeds words, and thoughts In the prest|
and former states Of being are your oI
avengers throug countless series OF e
tences. If you have been a murderer,
thief, a liar, impure, drunkard, you mi
pay the penaly in your next birth; either
one of the helis, oras an unclean animal
as an evil spirit, or as demon. You q
not escape, and am powerless to set
free.n |Not in the heavens" says the Dha
-pada), mot in the midst Of the sea, no
thou hidest thyself in the clefts OF the moi
tains, wilt thou find a place where thou ca
escape the force of thine own evil actions
Contrast the first words Of Christ,
Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because
hath sent Me to proclaim liberty to the e
tives, and the opening of the prison to th
that are bound" Yes, in Christ alone tn
is deliverance from the bondage Of for1
transgressions, from the prison-house OF
mer sins; total cancelling of the past
complete blotting cut OF the handwritt
that is against us; the opening OF q cl
c Jurse for every man to start afresh;
free gift of pardon and Of life to every cr1
inai, to every sinrer-even the most heind
m. NonieT Williams.