Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-14
PRIESTS FROM INDIA.
Buddhists in a Chicago Presby-
terian Church.
Celebrated Tabernacle Choir Takes
Part in Eisteddford Contest.


FOR ten days we have had Q continuou
series OF festivals, state days and specis
displays, all increasing the average al
tendance, and the same are to continu
five days more with. it is to be hoped,
iimilar but increased result. First wa
the arrival of whole palace car full o
orientals TO see the fair and then take par
in the great religious discussion which be
,;an on the lith and is to continue seven
'een days. Bright looking gentlemen
Iaey are, too, but their names are known
rlready, presume. TO the general public
cannot spell them anyway, and II Icouls
the reader could not pronounce them; $,
for the present we will do rs Bill Arp die
when ha came to French or Latin phras,
in u book-''jast call it hgnum vitae ant
60 ahead"
On their first Sunday here all the Budd
hists, whether priests, monks or scholars
attended the First Presbyterian church il
a body, clad in their best official robes, a.
mark of special respect to DIR. Johr
Henry Barrows, principal organizer Of the
congress. Among those whose names
can spell the most noted were Banriu
Yatsubuchi, Zitsuzen Ashitsu, Yozo No
mura and Ryo Watanabe, all of Japan
On the platform with DR.. Barrows sat his
grace the Right Reverend Dionysios
Latas. archbishop of Zante, Greece, and
his deacon, and all about the church sat
men whose names are great in many
branches Of theology. Regret Is expressed
of . hs l,xfy Il
India, descendant Of that Ali who was the
companion of Mahomet. and the only
noted man Of that blood who has EN-.
braced Buddhism. l take It for granted
that with him II b sort Of scientific
theory rather than q vital faith. Asto &C
cepting the great doctrines of absorption,
separate soul humiliation and passive con
templation-well. my guess is that Arabs
are not built that way.
This is the first time Buddhist priests
ever appeared on the streets or in a mixed
assemblage in an American city in their
sacerdotal dress, and Chicago records with
pride that there was not a rude word or an
audible laugh. The fact is, we are so
satiated with wonders that il Queen Vic
toria should step into McGonnigle's 8 and
call for two beers" the folks would not
look at her more than twice At night the
archbishop made an address in which he
stated that Zante had within few years
suffered $500 earthquakes which demol-
ished 1A churches and out Of 5000 houses
left but fifty uninjured, and this, he added,
gave them Il realizing sense of the insta-
bility Of earthly things. Well, / should
think it would. The same night arrived
from Salt Lake city a magnificent train of
palace cars containing AIS persons, among
them the presidency of the Mormon
church, the great Tabernacle choir of go
persons and some pioneers who had never
seen the Missouri river since they left it
in fs47
Old Red Stick and Yellow Sun and other
chiefs who befriended them have long
since gone to the happy hunting grounds
and on their corner of the reservation has
sprung up the enterprising city Of Omaha;
but some of these old fellows look almost
as fresh and gay as when last saw them
in 1875. President Wilford Woodruff is
u years old, but almost as spry as when
first heard him preach in 1868. George q.
Cannon, his first councillor, a native of
: he Isle of Man and the best scholar in the
priesthood since the death Of Orson Pratt,
looks just as he did when a delegate in
congress. Joseph +. Smith, second coun-
eilor, is comparatively young and a son
Of that Hyrum Smith, brother Of the
Prophet who WAS killed with him at Car
thage. Ills, June q, 1874. These three
constitute the first presidency, the head OF
all authority. have embraced every OPP
portunity Of getting good look at the old
Mormons without their getting look at
me. and my main thought is, How these
old fellows do last! Polygamy evidently
agreed with them. The choir took part in
in the city, assisted at the
of Utah Day. and all then de-
parted for their mountain homes.
Labor Day came next and was cello
hrated, of course, with extra enthusiasm,
]0000 men marching in the city procession.
On the fair ground it was New York Day.
The size Of it may be judged from the fact
that one train brought ] 400 people chiefly
from places on the New York Central.
chauncey Depew was the orator Of course,
though others spoke, and at night there
was grand reception. 1t was relief all
around, for II must be confessed that the
aumber of New Workers in the park has
been remarkably small hitherto. Wiscon-
hin Day, which came next, was not notable
Tor it's crowd; but on Pennsylvania Day
there was a grand turnout. The music
was special feature, 600 voices being the
chief attraction. OF course this does not
include the speeches by Governor Pattison
and others, which were also good in their
way. The fireworks at night were espe-
cial!y brilliant. On the sth came the
great choral contest in the Eisteddfod,
with exhibition drill by the United States
Life Saving corps, and at night grand
procession of historical floats on the canals
and lagoOns.
On the 9Th there were too many events
for any one nerson to see half Of them.
California paI ticularly distinguished her
self by distributing presents of fruits and
flowers in honor OF the forty-third ami
versary Of her admission as a state. Utah
commemorated the same anniversary OF
her establishment "a territory. Five
great organizations also celebrated, and at
night the plaisance outdid itself with fire
works. fun and racket. On Labor Day
the plaisance was uncomfortabiy crowded
for the first time and the brown people
lere wild with delight at the liberal pa
tronage The sbouters for the tbeaters
did not have to shout, all the fat wigglers
we're on their best hoofs and gave the
danse du veutre despite the prohibition.
while the ticket-takers smiled all over,
even TO the wrinkles in their voluminous
trousers. It WAS q harvest for the non
Aryans.
Al T. A1,r lat
ance lat least / have just discovered it) isa
little building In which the home life OF
the Arabs is shown. On one side are par
lors furnished - in Damascus. to show
the life of the city Arabs, and ON tbs othss
under rude tents are exhibited various
phases Of desert life. was particularly
interested IN the bread making a. It u II
most exactly like that have seen among
the Navajo Indians. The grain IA ground
between two stones, the dough IL mixed In
coarse linen cloth and then the old
woman In charge spreads IL on fat rock
or convex slab OF iron under which slow
fire is maintained. In the desert . rock
will serve, but here they use disk Of iron
and as an oven heat cannot be secured the
dough Ia spread az thin as our pie crust
The Navajoes make 1t thinner still, while
the Moqui PHeblos sake It into batteI
~ thin almost ~ milk and dash It On tht
hot rock, where it is instantly converted
into cooked sheet no thicker than print
ing paper. Coffee Is made on the ground
in the desert way and the professions
musician Of the tribe does his prettiest On
> sort Of one-stringed fiddle.
In the Samoan village was amused 4
observe a newly painted notice to thil
sffect: Visitors will greatly oblige tn
management II they Will kindly refrair
from asking these people any question:
about cannibalism, as it annoys them ver1
much" Some Of them look capable o
eannibalism, but they speak pretty fai
English, are remarkably courteous anf