The Yale expositor., 1894-12-21


As we walk to-day through this Mon
key temple we must not hit, or tease,
or hurt one of them. Two Englishmen
years ago lost their lives by the NAL
treatment of a monkey. Passing along
one of these Indian streets, n monkey
did not soon enough get out OF the
way and one of these Englishmen
struck it with his cane. Immediately
the people and the priests gathered
around these strangers, and the public
wrath increased until the two English
men were pounded to death for having
struck a monkey. No land in all the
world so reveres the monkey as India,
as no other land has n temple called
after it, One of the rajahs of India
spent 100, 900 rupees in the marriage of
two monkeys. A nuptial procession
was formed in which moved camels,
elephants, tigers, cattle and palanquins
of richly dressed people. Bands of music
sounded the wedding march. Dancing
parties kept the night slecpless. 1t was
twelve days before the monkey and
monkeyess were free from their round
of gay attentions. In no place but In
dia could such a carnival have oc-
Cured. But, after all, while we can
not approve of the monkey temple, the
monkey is sacred to hilarity. i defy
any one to watch n Monkey one min
ute without laughter. Why was this
creature made? For the worlds
amusement. The mission of some ami
mails is left doubtful and we can not
see the use of this or that quadruped,
or this or that insect, but the mission
OF the ape is certain; all around the
world it entertains Whether seated
Mt the top of this temple in India, or
cutting up its antics on the top of
hand organ, it stirs the sense of the
ludicrous; ticliles the diaphragm into
| exclamation; topples gravity in 70 play,
and accomplishes that for which it was
created. The eagle, and the lion, and
the gazelle. and the robin no more GER
tainly have their mission than mas the
monkey. But it implies a low form of
Hindooism when this embodied MINI
icry of the human race is lifted into
worship. In one of the cities for the
first time in my life l had an. oppor-
tunity of talking with a Fakir, or
Hindoo who has renowned the world
and lives on aims. He sat under a
rough covering on platform of brick.
He was covered with the ashes of the
dead, and was at the time rubbing
more of those ashes upon his arms
and legs. He understood and spoke
English. i said to him, "How long
have you been seated here?" He re-
piled, Fifteen years" "IIavc those
idols which l see power TO help or de-
stroy?" He said, mo: they only
represent God. There is but one God
Question-When people dio where do
they go to?
Answer-That depends upon what
they have been doing. If they have
been doing good, to heaven; If they
have been doing evil, to hell
Question-But do you not believe in
the transmigration of souls, and that
after death we go into birds or animals
of some sort.
Answer-Yes; the last creature
man is thinking of while dying is the
one into which he will go. If he is
thinking of bird he will go into u
bird; and If he is thinking of cow he
will go into COW.
Question: thought you said that at
death the soul goes to heaven or hell?
Answer-Ile goes there by gradual
process. 1t may take him years and
years.
Question Con orv ooa 1,ooo,,a IN Hin,
doc? Could become Hindoo?
Answer-Yes, you could.
Question How could 1 become
Hindoo?
Answer--By doing as the Hindoos
do.
But as looked upon the poor, filthy
wretch, bedaubing himself with the
ashes of the dead, thought the last
thing on earth l would want to be-
come would be a Hindoo. ! expressed
to a missionary who overheard the
conversation between the Fakir and
myself my amazement at some of the
| doctrines the Fakir announced. The
missionary said: THE Fakirs are very
accommodating, and supposing you 10
be a friend of Christianity, he an
nounced the theory of one God, and
that of rewards and punishments.
And now as to the Industrious
malignment of missionaries: 1t has
been said by some travellers after their
return to America or England that the
missionaries are living a life full of in
dolence and luxury. That is false
hood that l would say is as high as
heaven if it did not go down in the OPP
posite direction. When strangers
come into these tropical climates, the
missionaries do their best to entertain
them, making sacrifices for that pur-
pose In the city of Benares mis-
sionary told me that gentleman COM
ing from England into one of the mis-
sion stations of India, the missionaries
banded together to entertain him.
Among other things, they had ham
boiled, prepared and beautifully deco
rated, and the same ham was passed
around from house to house as this
stranger appeared, and in other re-
spects a conspiracy of kindness was
effected. The visitor went back to