Highland recorder. (Monterey, Highland County, Va.) 1877-1972, 1895-01-25
..-,,-,ont, .. at one time can be induced to

priest sprinkled asneS upun IL. forro az
who came forward, TINS evluent.I Ied an
benediction. Then the proceSSHaTI ora noise
bv the nriest. started again. More nolse,
more ashes. more genuaection. however
keen ones sense Of the ludicrous, ne cQu,u
find nothing to excite even snl 1To - o,
movements of such procession nleaninS
less. oppressive. squalId, filthy, sad.
Returning to our carriage, we rode on Ior
A few moments, and we came on announcer
procession. a kindly lady leading groups OF
native children, all clean, bright, happy,
laughing. They were Christian schooi out
for exercise. There seemed as much 1ntell-
gence. refinement and happiness In tnat reg
luent of Young OIngaleso as you would hnd
| In the ranks of any young ladies' seminary
| being abaperoned on their afternoon walk
| through Central Park, New York, or Hyde
| Park. London. The Hindoo procession IL.
lustrated on a small scale something OF wnat
Hindoosm can do for the world. The Chris-
| tan procession illustrates on small scale
something of what Christianity can do Tor
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 saw them In one
afternoon in Ceylon. They are to be seen IN
all nations.
Nothing is OF more thrilling interest than
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
| 1916 she has had her religious agents in the
Jaffna peninsula OF Ceylon. The Spauld-
| lngs. the Howands, the Drs. 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 tusk 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. Cases
| of suffering were formerly given over to the
devil worsbipers and suca fortunes inflicted
as NAV not be described. The patient was
trampled by the feet of the medical atten-
dants. 1t is only of Gods mercy that there
Is a living mother In Ceylon. Oh. how
much Ceylon needs doctors, AMI 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 alterations 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, 23i
Wesleyan schools, 234 Roman Catholic
schools. Alb, the schools decide most every
thing! How suggestive the incident that
| came TO me in Ceylon. In 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 Buddhas
side come to this part Of the room AMI all
the boys on Christ's side 60 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 were sco!Yed at and derded one oil
| them Yielded and retired to Buddhas side,
But aiterward that boy was sorry that he
had Welded 10 the persecution, and when
the day of baptism came stood up beside the
bow who remained firm. Some one said to
| the bow 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
repent and believe" Then both boys were
baptized, and from that time the ANGLICAN
mission moved on more and more vigorously.
will not say which Of all the denomina-
lions of Christians is doing the most for the
evangelzation 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 1 visited was a
Buddhist college, about 100 men studying to
become priests gathered around the teachers.
Stepping into the building where the high
priest was instructing the class, we were
4 AL hf1a AnnQ ~ m q
| and would like to see his mode OF teaching
II he had no objections, whereupon he be-
gan, doubled up as he was on 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 similar
package of bamboo leaves. The high priest
first read, and then one OF his students read.
A group of as finely formed young men as
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 Buddhlsts
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
tlan, Buddha is to the Buddhist. We wait
ed Tor a pause In the recitation, and then
expressing our thanks retired.
Nearby Is a Buddhist temple, on the altar
OF which before the image OF Buddha are o.
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, but we gradually advanced until
we could see all that was going on inside.
The worshipers were making obeisance. The
tamtams 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 had ever seen or
heard. The dim lights. and the jargon, and
the glooms, and the fitting figures mingled
for eye and ear horror which 1t Is difficult
to shake of. 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 a
Christian missionary was preaching in the
street TO group OF natives.
had that morning expressed wish to
witness such a scene, and here it Was. Stand
ing on an elevation, the good man was ad-
dressing the crowd. All was attention and
silence and reverence. religion of relief
and Joy was being commended, and the dusky
faces were ilumined with the sentiments OF
paciflcation and reinforcement. II was the
rose OF Sharon after walking among nettles.
1t was the morning light after thick dark
ness. 1t was the gospel after Hlndooism.
But passing up and down the streets OF
Oo,,iov1 x.or, end oll ctx,loc Of raOnla within