The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1893-06-15
WEAK KNEED CLASS.

fourth annual picnic came to close.
WEAK KNEED CLASS.
Rev. B. Mitchell So Characterizes
Some Church Members.
Rev. B. Mitchell, a returned mission
airy from India, but who will return to
that country in August next, to re-
main until the Judgment Day, spoke
at the Christian church upon worship
in India, last Sunday, both morning
and evening. He stated that the deg
radiation in that country was due to
religious practice. He had a map of
India, and said that in that country,
one-half the size of the United States,
there were 2S8,OOO,OOO people, nearly
five times as many as in the Union.
Only four pei cent of them read and
wrote their own language. He could
find only two words of their language
that represented the English language
One was dude. which in India meant
milk, and in America almost the same.
Laughter followed this witticism. The
different religions in India were the
Fire Worshippers, Mohammedan and
Hindooism. The first believe in god
of light and god of darkness, and
that the war will go on between these
J two gods until the former is forever
victorious.
"The people of India believe that
woman is the lowest of creation. There
is not heather woman there who has
any more hope of eternity than this
stand has, although they have the
same tender nature that any of us
have.
"The fire-worshippers have fire
burning on their altar constantly. The
priest, in adding fuel to it, must cover
his mouth and nostrils for fear of
breathing an impurity into the flames
or the smoke. If any other person at
tempts to approach the altar he stalk
en- outside and put to death. They
worship the sun, moon and stars also,
and are terribly in earnest, giving at
least three hours per day to this voca-
ton. If Christians had half their zeal
the world would be won in five years,
but most Christians are Of the weak
kneed, wishy-washy, hunchback class
who are afraid to act"
Mr.. Mitchell described the burial
grounds of the fire worshippers dra-
matically. No women are ever seen
at funerals. The remains of the de-
ceased are carried on to the burial
ground; white dog brought out and
if he looks in the face of the remains,
the soul of the person has passed into
the care of the god of light; if not, it
is doomed. The remains are then
placed over CRATE on tower, where
the vultures devour it until the bones
fall through the CRATES, and this is
done in Is minutes some time.
Mr.. Mitchell then turned to AIoham-
medism, and graphically described the
peculiar traits of their religion-their
praying at exact and regular intervals
five times day, their day fasts for %
successive days when the thermometer
is 164 to l66 above, with the Simeon
winds blowing fearfully.
For poverty the heather exceeds all
and the natives of India, only average
seven cents per day, hardly enough to
keep body and soul together.
Another large crowd listened to Mr..
Mitchell in the evening, his subject
being the Brahma religion, 207,OOO,-
600 Of these people worshipping idols.
| They have three gods, Brahma, the
god of creation, Vischim, the god Of
preservation, and silva. the gods of de-
struction. The people have over 3OO,-
100000 idols. Mr.. Mitchell exhibited
Malta, the god Of small pox, Kushie
god of fun and frolic, and Karlie, god
of cruelty, and told how they were
worshipped. He said that heather
who has any respect for himself never
danced, and he had more respect for
them than dancing church member.
, He declared an atheist to be living
, lie. In appeasing Karlie, he had seen
heather with spikes stuck in their
back, and a pronged collar around
their neck. This god wears neck
lace of human skulls,has a long tongue
stricking out from its mouth, dipped
in human blood, and skull in one
hand. He had seen a native, with
eyes fastened on this god, run sharp
) spike through his tongue, and slowly
pull that organ from its roots, or tear
q hole in it SO that speech was impos-
, sible. "When I asked him whether
he had ever heard of Jesus Christ he
|, , shook his head No When Chris
tianity is to refuse aid in bringing
these people out of the darkness I'm a
! hoofhon fO-nipht