Fisherman & farmer. [volume] (Edenton, N.C.) 1887-19??, 1895-01-25


at the door of the huts. The occupants
! came out and made obeisance and presented
| small contributions In return therefor the
| priest sprinkled ashes upon the children
| who came forward, this evidently form of
| benediction. Then the procession, led on
by the priest, started again. More noise,
more ashes, moro genufection. However
keen ones sense of the Iudicrous, he could
| find nothing to excite even smile in the
| movements OF such procession. Meaning
| less, oppressive, soualid, filthy, sad.
| Returning to our carriage, we rode on for
| few moments, and we came on another
procession, kindly lady leading groups of
| nutfve children, all clean, bright, happy,
| laughing. They were n Christian school out
| for exercise. There seemed as much ntell-
| gence. refinement and happiness in that reg
| iment of young CingaIese as you would find
| in the ranks of any young ladies' seminary
| being 3haperoned on their afternoon walk
| through Central Park, New York, or Hyde
| Park, London. The Hindoo procession il-
| lustrated on small scale something of what
| Hindooism can do for the world. The Chris
| tian procession illustrates on a small scale
| something Of what Christianity do for
| the world. But those two professions were
| only fragments oftwo great professions ever
marching across our world. the procession
/ blasted Of superstition and the procession
| blessed of gospel light. l saw them in one
| afternoon in Ceylon. They are to be seen in
| all nations.
| the Christian achievements in this island.
| The Episcopal church was here the national
| church, but disestablishment has taken place,
| and since Mr.. Gladstone's accomplishment
| Of that fact in 1880 all denominations are on
| equal platform, and all are doing mighty
| work. America Is second to no other nation
in what has been done for Ceylon. Since
| 1915 she has had her religious agents in the
Jaffna peninsula OF Ceylon. The Spauld-
ings, the Howlands, the D-s. Poor, the
| Saunders, and others just as good and strong
| have been fighting back monsters OF super
| stition and cruelty greater than any that
| ever swung the tusf- orroared In the jungles.
The American missionaries in Ceylon
| have given special attention to medical in.
| struction and are doing wonders IN driving
| back the horrors of heather surgery. Gases
| of suffering were formerly given over to the
| devil worshipers and such tortures inflicted
as may not be described. The patient was
| trampIed by the feet of the medical atten-
| dants. It is only of Gods mercy that there
| Is a living mother in Ceylon. oh, how
| much Ceylon needs doctors, and the medi-
| cal classes of native students under the care
of those who follow the EXAMPLE of the late
Samuel Fish Green are providing them, so
| that all the aleviations and kindly minis
| tries and scientific acumen that can be found
| in American and English hospitals will soon
| bless all Ceylon.
| In that island are thirty-two American
| school, 210 Church Of England schools, 234
| Wesleyan schools, 234 Roman Catholic
| schools. All, the schools decide most every
| thing How suggestive the incident that
| came to me in Ceylon. In a school under
| the care Of the Episcopal church two boys
were converted to Christ and were to be
| baptized. An intelligent Buddhist boy said
| in the school, Let all the boys on Buddha's
side come to this part of the room and all
the boys on Christ's side go to the other
part of the ROOM
All the boys except two went on Buddha's
side, and when the two boys who were to be
baptized we're scoffed at and derided one OF
them yielded and retired to Buddha's side.
But afterward that boy was sorry that he
had yielded to the persecution, and when
the day of baptism came stood up beside the
boy who remained firm. Some one said to
the boy who had vacillated in his choice be-
tween Buddha and Christ, "You are
coward and not fit for either side," but he
replied, 81 was overcome of temptation, but
I repent and believe" Then both boys were
baptized, and from that time the ANGLICAN
mission moved on more and more vigorously.
I will not say which of all the denomina-
tons of Christians Is doing the most for the
evangelization of that island, but know this
-Ceylon will be taken for Christ Sing
Bishop Heber's hymn:
What though the spicy breezes
Blow soft over Ceylon's isle!
Among the first places visited was a
Buddhist college, about 100 men studying to
Stepping into the building where the high
priest was instructing the class, we were
apolegetic and told him we were Americans
and would like TO see his mode of teaching
il he had no objections, whereupon he be-
gan, doubled up as he was on a lounge, with
his right hand playing with his foot. In his
left hand he held package of bamboo
leaves, on which were written the words of
the lesson, each student holding a similar
package of bamboo leaves. The high priest
first read, and then one of his students read.
group Of as finely formed young men as I
ever saw surrounded the instructor The
last word of each sentence was intoned.
There was in the whole scene an earnestness
which impressed me. Not able to under
stand a word of what was said, there is
book of language and intonation that is the
same among all races. That the Buddh1sts
have full faith in their religion no one can
doubt. That is, in their opinion, the way to
heaven. What Mohammed Is to the Mo-
hammedan, and what Christ is to the Chris
tIan, Buddha is to the Buddhist. We wait
ed for pause in the recitation, and then
expressing our thanks retired.
Nearby is Buddhist temple, on tho altar
of which before the image of Buddha are OF.
ferings of flowers. AS night was coming on
we came up to Hindoo temple. First we
were prohibited going farther than the out
side steps, bat we gradually advanced until
we could see all that was going on inside.
The worshipers were making obeisance. The
1amtams were wildly beaten. and shrill pipes
were blown. and several other instruments
were in full bang and blare, and there was
an indescribable hubbub and the most labor.
ious style of worship l had ever seen
heard. The dim lights. and the jargon, and
the glooms and the fitting figures mingled
for eye and ear a horror which 1t is difficult
to shake off. All this was only suggestive OF
what would there transpire after the toilers
of the day had ceased work and had time to
appear at the temple. That such things
should be supposed to please the Lord or
have any power to console or help the wor-
shippers is only another mystery in this world
of mysteries. But we came away saddened
with the spectacle, a sadness which did not
leave us until we arrived at place where
Christian missionary was preaching in the
street to group of natives.
l had that morning expressed a wish to
witness such scene, and here it was. Stand
ing on an elevation, the good man was ad-
dressing the crowd. Ali was attention and
silence and reverence. religion of relief
and Joy was being commended, and the dusky
faces were illumined with the sentiments OF
pacification and reinforcement. 1t was the
rose of Sharon after walking among nettles.
1t was the morning light after thick dark
ness. 1t was the gospel after Hindooism.
But passing up and down the streets OF
Ceyion you find all styles of people within
five mirutes-Afghans, kaff1rs. Portu yuese
Moormen, Dutch, English, Scotch, Irish,
American-all classes, all dialects, all man
ners and customs. all styles of salaam. The
most interesting thing on eartn Is the hu-
man race, and specimens of all branches OF
It confront you in Ceylon. The island ofthe
present is quiet and inconspicuous affair
compared with what it once was. The dead
cities of Ceylon were larger and more i'm
posing than are the living cities. On this
island are dead New Yorks and dead Pek-
lngs and dead Edinburghs and dead Lon
dons. Ever and anon at the stroke OF the
sreheoglist's hammer the tomb of some
great municipality flies open, and there are
the explorers pickax.
The Pompeii and Herculaneum under
na.tb Jtalv ara small comDared with the