The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1892-12-24
FROM midas CORAL STRAND
A Letter From Rev. L. A. Core
to His Sister.
Graphic Scenes At q Great Rinaes
Gathering.

The following letter was recently re-
ceived by Miss Mary Core, . sister OIL
Of Rev. L. A. Core. a missionary in In.
dia, who is well known to our readers.
MoRApABAD, india, Nov. 8, 1892
Dear Sister: / should hardly dare to lei
two weeks go by without letter or you
would begin to suspect something the
matter.
got back from the Hindoo Mela, Oh
Fair, on Sunday morning at o. CLOCK.
went by train to Shahganpur $50 miles
toward Lucknow slept there from to
8, when in company with Rev. Rockey
whom had known in Delaware, Ohio,
we started on our SO mile drive. We
went in two wheeled cart He had
sent tents. food and servants on ahead
the day before, in an oxcart We took
our guns as there are alwaye plenty OF
ducks and geese in ponds in India. We
shot several Of them.
We drove twenty miles and had our
breakfast and rested three hours. Then
at O'Clock we were out again. Up to
this point we had what we call puccs
road, that is solid paved road, but the
other l6 miles were over q kitcha road,
that is road through fields with dust,
ruts, holes and all sorts OF things and
were crooked to boot. Only foot passen-
gers and OK carts as q rule go over these
roads. 1t took us until 8 o'clock at night
TO finish, and our horse was tired out.
We went to bed as soon as we could get
a cup of tea. Next morning we went to
the Mela half mile distant from our
tent on the banks Of the sacred Gauges
river. Up to this time few people save
those who came to make money, had ar
rived. But the next morning the ground
showed a wonderful change. For mile
one way and two miles the other way il
was crowded with men, women and
children, OK carts, &C., living stream
was pouring in at a tremendous rate.
This was busy day with us; we
had ten native preachers with us and at
s we went out and took stand and be-
gan to sing and great crowds gathered.
Mr.. X. then preached ten minutes,
then one OF his men and 80 on, then as
our crowd was constantly changing they
could each be given over again. This
we kept up until 10 80 when we went
home for breakfast and a rest. At We
were out again and kept it up till dark
Great crowds gathered around and lis
tened very attentively. This we did
Thursday and Friday all day. and part
of Saturday. There were on the ground
hundred thousand people or more
Friday was the great bathing day and
for two miles along the river banks there
was one surging mass of people going in
and out They would take their chill.
dren too but the little fellows protested
loudly against being ducked under the
cold waters, 80 with the crying of the
babies and shouting OF the men and wo.
men they made a tremendous noise
From the deep roar that went up from
the assembled multitude it sounded like
human Niagara. Some whose rela-
tons bad died since the last Mels
brought their ashes from long distance,
that they might deposit them in the
holy river. Nearly everybody took a
small vessel of water back with them
with which to sprinkle their homes and
thus make everything holy and safe from
the anger of the god Rami. The Mela
reached its climax on Friday night wi en-
the moon was eclipsed. Hindoo astron.
omy is yet rather'crude. Regardless of the
motions and changes in the heavenly
bodies they explain this dark evening OF
the moon this way. They say that some
huge beast an alligator or q snake OF
something of that sort is trying to de.
stroy the moon so they gather together
in the sacred places throughout the
land set up great noise with wailing
and beating Of drums, &c, to brighten
the monster away. From every part Of
the huge crowd loud noises were going
up to frighten the monster and make
him let the moon loose again or to their
gods to defend them.
There was not much frivolity in the
camp that night. AS the moon gradually
emerged from the shadow the roar from
the Mela subsidized and by midnight all
was quiet
We had great deal of fun going
around during the eclipse and getting
explanations OF the phenomenon. The
theories were many but the one given
above was the prevailing one. Some
groups were so intent ON prayers that
they gave no answer.
At nine Saturday morning we broke
camp and started for Shahjahpur well
satisfied with our three days work, for
thousands had heard the gospel, MANY
for the first time. What the results might
be eternity only can reveal. But we had
cast our seeds upon the waters leaving
God to take care of it. He who said my
words shall not return unto me void will
take care that some at least shall fall on
good ground and bring forth its own
harvest be it 80 fold 60 or 100. We also
distributed several thousand tracts
which may result in shedding light
and truth in the dark places OF heather.
ism. Our return was interesting. A
living stream flowed along with us, the
road which was not very we'll defined
being 100 feet or so wide across the
fields was covered with travellers going
home. 1t was 20 miles before we could
get ahead of the returning pilgrims. We
reached Mr.. Rockey's home at I P. M,
where we found dinner awaiting us such
as hungry men know how to appreciate
At IL p. M. | left for Moradabad tired
but glad. Your brother,
L. A. Con-.