The morning call., 1893-10-09
HERE FROM INDIA.
Rev. Dharmapala Given
a Welcome.
AN ADDRESS ON BUDDHISM.
How and When 1t Originated and
the Progress of Christian
Science i'm India.

The Second Unitarian Church was crowd
ed to its utmost capacity yesterday after
noon when Rev. III. Dhamapala ofIndia, the
Buddhist delegate to.the Parliament of Re-
ligions at Chicago, delivered his address,
Buddhism and Other Eastern Religions"
The little church was profusely- decorated
with cut flowers and ported plants, pre-
senting thoughts more Of Christmas time
than OF a reception to foreign mission
airy. Surrounding the pulpit and on the
platform were pots of fresh cut flowers
standing in earthen and iron stands. Be-
hind were streamers of evergreen inter-
woven with roses and forget-me-nots. On
the railing and surrounding the Enclosure
of the choir stood vases and pots filled with
roses, geraniums. violets and other sweet
scented flowers, while down the sides hung
draperies of evergreen moss. The big
chandeliers on each side of the pulpit were
covered with ivy vines and grape leaves,
while from all the gas jets hung sprig of
evergreen, the whole presenting very
pretty picture.
Shortly after o'clock Rev. Leslie W.
Sprague. pastor of the church, accom-
when, in brief speech by the pastor, the
foreign preacher and missionary was in
troduced. Rev. Dharmapala spoke of his
visit as an unexpected one. Ii was his
original intention, he said, to RETURN home
at once when the Chicago conven ton ad-
joUrned, but upon the urgent invitation Of
Rev. Mr.. SprRgue ne had changed his
plans. Speaking of his reception in
America, he said he had Travelled 21.000
miles to attend the parliament and to find
a people with warm hearts, sympathetic,
quick to respond and ready at all times to
receive everything that is good. The SUBJ
1ect of his discourse, had been a deep
study of eminent men, both in Europe and
America, for many years. The close of
the nineteenth century would mark a great
progress in Christian science among East
ern religions
This was due, he said-during the
past-to the bringing together of men of
Christian ideas from all countries on
common platform to give to the world
what they believed to be true. This sit
ting under one roof, he said, accounts in a
great measure for the progress made.
Philosophy as religion has prevailed in
Asia, Africa. China, Japan and many
other Eastern countries for the past
twenty centuries. The great drawback
that had been encountered in the East
in establishing religion. be explained, was
due in a great measure TO a misrepresen-
tation of its tenets through a misunder-
standing OF its truths by its opponents.
At the present time in the East there are
62 living religions. The reason why there
are so many, he explained. was first no
ticed many centuries ago. At that tine in
India philosophy was taught in the schools
and colleges. The outcome o. it was that
leaders spEang up who for a time controlled
the masses by prayer. After a while this
died away aud the people began 10 see that
their tutors were not practicing what they
preached. They were living within them
selves ri0tOus life and the demand was
for something better. They found priests
full of formula. which satisfied them until
1t was discovered that they also were lead
ing an immoral life. They we're not COM
passionate, kind or unselish, so after a
time they, too, were done away with and
what was known as a lip service eStab-
lished.
This matter of form went on for several
centuries until about twenty centuries ago
the son of the then King resolved to estab-
lish what has since been known as Bud
dhism. He abandoned the luXuries of his
fathers palace, Tenounced his father.
mother, wife, children and throne, and
started out in search OF the truth. He
studied all the different systems of religion
and thought, and from the best of each be
promulgated that religion which has since
been recognized in India.
From this point on the reverend gentle
mans remarks took the form of a sermon.
urging his hearers to get on the platform
of free thought, which would eventually
lead them into the true religion.
The Rev. Dharmapala is a native of
India. His color is very dark His hair
of raven black lies in curls upon his head.
He wears mustache and side whiskers,
which show no sign of gray. He was born
in India thirty-elght years ago, and in his
native country received his education.
He speaks four languages, his native. Ger
man, French and English. His English
is very good, and when not speaking
rapidly can be distinctly understood.