Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1894-12-21

stone steps, reaching from the water S
edge to the buildings high up on the
banks, mark a place for the ascent and
descent of the sublimities. The eye is
lost in the bewilderment OF tombs,
shrines, minarets, palaces and temples.
1t is the glorihcation of steps, the trf-
umph Of stairways. But looked at close
by the temples, though large and ex-
pensiye, are anything but attractive.
The seeming gold in many cases turns
out to be brass. The precious stones in
the wall turn out to be paint. The mar
BILE is stucco. The slippery and disgust
ing steps lead you to images Of horrible
visage. and the flowers put upon the
altar have their fragrance submerged
by that which is the opposite Of aromat-
les.
After you have seen the CHATS the
two great things in Benares that you
must see are the Golden and Monkey
temples. About the vast Golden temple
there is not as much gold as would
make an English sovereign. The air It.
self is aspbyxiated. Here we see men
making gods out of mud and then put
ting their hands together in worship OF
that which themselves have made Sa-
cred COWS walk up and down the tenn
pie. Here stood a fskir with G 1.s..s
arm uplifted and for so long a time
that he could not take 1t down, and the
nails Of the hand had grown until they
looked like serpents winding in and
around the palm.
The god Of the Golden temple is 81
va, or the poison god. Devils wait upon
him. He is the god Of war, Of famine,
Of pestilence. He Is the destroyer. He
has around his neck string Of skulls.
Before him bow men whose hair never
knew q comb. They eat carrion and
that which is worse. Bells and drums
here set up q racket Pilgrims come
FROM hundreds Of miles away, spending
their last piece Of money and exhaust
ing their last item Of strength in order
to reach this Golden temple, glad to die
in or near il and have the ashes of their
bodies thrown into the Ganges.
The Monkey Temple.
We took a carriage and went still far
ther On to see the Monkey temple, so
called because in and around the build
ing monkeys abound and are kept as sa-
cred. All evolutionists should visit this
temple devoted to the family from which
their ancestors came. These monkeys
chatter and wink and climb and look
wise and look silly and have full pos
session of the place. We were asked at
the entrance Of the Monkey temple to
take off our shoes because Of the sacred
ness Of the place, but a small contribu-
ton placed in the hands of an attend
ant resulted in a permission to enter
with our shoes on. As the Golden tenn
ple is dedicated to silva, the poison god,
this Monkey temple is dedicated to 81
vas wife, a deitess that must be propi,
tiated. or she will disease and blast and
destroy. For centuries this spittire has
been worshiped. She is the goddess OF
scold and slap and termagancy. She Is
supposed to be a supernatural Xantippei
hence to her are brought flowers and
rice. and here and there the flowers are
shattered with the blood of goats slain
In sacrifice.
AS we walk today through this Mon
kew temple we must not hit or tease OF
hurt one Of them. Two Englishmer
wears ago lost their lives by the NAL
treatment of q monkey. Passing along
one of these Indian streets, MONKEY
did not soon enough get out Of the way
and one of these Englishmen struck i
with his cane. Immediately the people
and the priests gathered around these
strangers, and the public wrath increas
ed until the two Englishmen were
pounded to death for having struck
monkey. No land in oil the world 81
reyeres the monkey as India, as no 9th
er land has temple called after 1t.
One Of the rajahs Of India spent 100,
900 rupees in the marriage Of two mon
KEYS. A nupial procession was formed
in which moved camels, elephants. Il
gers, cattle and palsnquins OF riohi,
dressed people. Bands Of music sounded
the wedding march. Dancing parties
kept the night sleepless. 1t Was ~ day
before the monkey and monkeyess wer'
! free from their round Of gay attentions
In no place but India could such car
nival have occurred But. after all
while we cannot approve Of the Monke,
temple. the monkey is sacred to hilari
ty. defy any one to watch monke!
one minute without laughter. Why wa
this creature made? For the world I
amusement. The mission Of some AMI
. mails is left doubtful, and we cannot se'
, the use Of this or that quadruped or thi
or that insect, but the mission OF the ap'
is certain-all around the world 1t en-
tertains. Whether seated at the top o
this temple in India or cutting up 1t
antics ON the top of a hand organ, l
stirs the sense of the ludicrous, tickle
7 the diaphragm into cachinnation, top
ples gravity into play and accomplishe
/, that for which it was created. The ca
ole. and the lion, and the gazelle, AM
the robin no more certainly have thei
mission than has the monkey. But l
! implies a low form Of Hindooism whel
this embodied mimiory Of the humal
race is lifted into worship.
An Obliging FaldT.
In one Of the cities for the first tim
In my life bad an opportunity OF talk
: ing with a fakir or Hindoo who na
renounced the world and lives on aims
He sat under a rough covering on
platform Of brick. BE was covered wit
|, the ashes Of the dead and was at tn
time rubbing more OF those ashes upo
his arms and legs He understood an
: spoke English. l said to him, HOY
. long have you been seated here" ID
replied. Fifteen years. ''Have thos
idols which 1 see power to help or dc
8 stroyT' BE said, mo; they only repre-
: sent God. There Is but one God. "
y Question. When people die. wher
: do they go to5
I Answer. THAT depends upon wha
+ they have been doing. If they have bee
9 doing soo3, to heaven; II they hav
g been doing evil, to hell.
n O-But do you not believe In th