Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1893-10-05
FROM CHICAGO.

The Congress of Religions Personal Dc
scriptions OF the Wise Nen From the
East-The Receptions rendered Them
The Condition of Women in Their Land.
Especial Correspondence of the Free Press.l
| To the Editor of the Free Press:
We have not vet seen the lion aud the
lamb living down together. but the worlds
congress of religions furnishes a sight rs I'M
pressive in the spectacle of the fraternal
gathering of the priests of the 10 great re
| ligions of the world; nor do these friendly re
lations seem in the least strained These
| representative men vie with each other in
friendliness, seeming animated by the no
blest of motives and by spirit of perfect
tolerance. While each one thinks his own
creed the wisest and best, he has an honest
appreciation of what is good in others, land
we are all fast learning how much that good
Isl, and expresses his admiration with most
| captivating franliness. OF course these are
all picked men unusually fine specimens,
many of them probably much better than
their creeds Surely, if all the other men
of these foreign nations were as good as the
| individuals here with us, the millennium
would have come already. But unfortu-
nately that is not the case among foreien
nations. any more than we Christian people
are all as good as our picked men who rep
resent Christianity in the congress. The per
sonalitv of some of these foreign visitors is
wonderfully interesting, and il must be con
fcsspd that this interest is much enhanced by
their picturesque attire.
Mr.. Dharmapala of Ceylon is quite black,
.l,n n,,l
long. curly black hair. He dresses entirely
in flowing white robes, even wearing white
kid shoes. He is extremely slender with del
cate features and is very refined looking
Young man of great cultivation
| Protab Chunder MaZoomdar of Calcutta
| i, better known to the civilized world, as he
has travelled in Europe years ago. He is
dusl1y but not black having gray hair and
beard He wears European costume, except
that instead of coat he wears a long blue
garment. much like a mans dressing gown.
He speaks English with great fuency and
has sympathetic manner that makes him "A
favorite with his audiences. He represents
the reformed sect of Buddhism, called
Brahmo Somai which has done much good
i'm the provncpof Bombay, i'll breaking down
the barriers of caste, and doing away with
Child-widowhood and the burning OF wild
ows. Apropos of this an observing woman
who has lived much I'M foreign lands. said the
other day. that horse ears in India had done
, more towards the breaking down of caste
distinctions than all the missionaries that
, had ever gone there. Mr.. Mazoomdar is
Genial and even jolly and humorous and inn
presses every one a, a sanity man.
Bishop Arnett is q very witty colored man
who has much ambition for the races of
,it,fr
dav he said it was true that the nations of
Europe had parcelled ont the whole of Al
rica among themselves but so they once did
America and as America had her Jefferson,
ST. might Afrcu have one who should give
them declaration of Independence.
\ touching sight to be seen every day on
the platform in the great hall of Columbus
is little black gray headed, bent and
Shiunken parsonage. who requires tender
care to help him up the steps and who Is
treated by all the other representatives with
gentle consideration. He is the oldest bishop
in the Methodist church. and was for many
} years missionary to his benighted brethren
l in Africa.
: The Hindu monk. Swami Dvivikananda
g is one OF the most engaging figures we have
I He is a very handsome man, i'll the prime OF
k manhood, and has bronze complexion anc
= beardless face His large, glowing, blacl
o eyes with sweet. sympathetic chid-lik
smile, reminds many people of Phillip
It Brooks beloved of the American people
q Dvivikananda wears yellow pantaloons al
T. orange robe like dressing gown, but Will
G a cord round his waist and an orange tur
Il ban with the ends hanging down. He is
v wonderful scholar, and is said to speak al
ii other languages as well as he does English
: He belongs to a sort of missionary see