Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-01-19

could sec all that was going on inside
The worshipers were making obeisance
The tantams were wildly beaten. and
shrill pipes were blown, and several
Other instruments were in full bang and
blaze. and there was m Undesirable
huLbub and the most laborious style of
worship! badever seenor heard Tho dim
lights. and the jargon. and the glooms.
and the fitting figures mingled for eye
and ear q horror winch it is difficult TO
sha..o Off All this was only suggestive
Of what would there transpire after the
toil,.rs of the day had ceased work and
had time 20 appear at the temple. That
such things should be supposed to please
the Lord or have any power to console
or lelp the worshipers is only another
mys terry in this world Of mysteries. But
we came away saddened with the spec
tacla :, a sadness which did not leave Us
unit ! we arrived at a place where Il
Chr stian missionary was preaching in
the street 10 a group Of natives
Underneath Ceylon.
| had that morning expressed wish
to " illness such scene. and here il was.
Standing ON an elevation. the good man
was addressing the crowd. All was at
ten,ion and silence and reverence 4 re
ligion Of relief and JOY was being com
mel ded. and the duslly faces Were il.
lumined with the sentiments Of paciii
cati IN and reinforcement Il was the
rose Of Sharon after walking among net
ties 1t was the morning light after "a
thick darkness IL was the gospel after
irdooism
Ent passing up and down the streets
of Ceylon you find all styles of people
WITHIN five ADMINISTRATIONS, kaffirs.
Por uguese, Moormen. Dutch, English,
SEQ ch. Irish. American-all classes. all
dialects, all manners and customs, all
styles of salaam. The most interesting
thifg z on earth is the human race. and
spec linens Of all branches Of il confront
You in Ceylon The island Of the pres
ent is quiet and inconspicuous affair
compared with what il once was. The
dead cities Of Ceylon were larger and
moIe imposing than are the living cities.
On this island are dead New Works and
dead Pekings and dead Edinburghs and
deal Londons. Ever and anon at the
strose Of tho archpologist's hammer the
tomb Of some great municipality flies
open. and there are other buried cities
that will yet respond 10 tho explorer :
piclax
The Pompeii and Hcrculaneum un
terleath Italy are small compared with
he Pompelis and Herculaneums under
meath Ceylon. Wonder Is an exhumed
city which was founded 500 years be-
fore Christ. standing in pomp and splen-
dor for !, zoo years Stairways up which
so lien might pass side by side. Carved
pillars. some of them fallen, some of
them aslant, some OF them erect Phid-
Eases and Christopher Wrens never heard
of here performed the Inarvels of sculp-
ture and architecture. Aisles through
which royal professions marched Arch
es under which kings were carried. City
with reservoir 90 miles III circumfer-
enco. Extemporized lakes that did their
cooling and refreshing for l2 centuries.
Ruins more suggestive than Melrose and
Kerilworth. Ceylonian Karnaks and
Luxors
Ruins retaining much of grandeur.
though wars bombarded them, and time
put his chisel on every block, and, more
than all. vegetation put its anchors and
prizes and wrenches in all tho crevices.
Dagohas. or places where relics of saints
or dieties are kept-dagobas 400 feet
high and their fallen material burying
precious things. for the sight of which
modern curiosity has digged and blasted
in vain Procession of elephants in i'm
itation, wrought into lustrous marble
Troops of horses in full run Shrines,
chapels, cathedrals wrecked on the noun
tain side. Stairs of moonstone. Ex-
quisite scrolls rolling up more mysteries
than will ever be unrolled Over l6
square miles the ruins of one city strewn.
Thronerooms on which at different
times sat lG5 kings, reigning i'll author
ity they inherited Walls that witness
ed coronations. assassinations. subjuga-
tons, triumphs. Affairs at which mil
lions bowed ages before the orchestras
ccle stial woke the shepherds with mid
night overture.