The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1895-04-25
HERO WORSHIP IN JAPAN.
How the Glow of Patriotism Is Famed
Into Magnificent Enthusiasm.

| 6EHO WORSHIP IN JAPAN
| HOW the slow of Patriotism Is Famed
Into Magnificent Enthusiasm.
The Japanese have curious cere
mony once every year which surely
must tend to fan the glow of patriot
ism and may partially account for
the magnificent enthusiasm with
which they have fought for their
emperor against China At Tokyo,
for instance, on the 9th of every No
vember. they hold service in the
temple of Kendan. The masses of
troops and spectators form a dense
crowd through the gardens and
broad avenues of the temple and the
neighboring streets and squares.
Little by little the officers fill the
stairway of the temple, all in full
dress, with the long coat held in by
a silver belt, like the German SOL
diers, and stiff little cap with a
great white aigret, like the French.
All the while the throb of funeral
music beats its sad rhythm in our
very pulses.
On a central platform, raised one
step above the other, is the great
mirror in its frame of black wood,
which is the emblem of Shintoism. or
ancestor worship, which is the true
religion of Japan. At one side are
great bags of rice and barrel of
cake or rice brandy for the repast
OF the dead. Large benches are run
lengthwise up to the altar, which is
inclosed by curtain of silver cloth.
The priests clad entirely in white,
with caps of woven black horsehair,
pass slowly to and fro. Only after
three days of fasting and purifca-
ton are they allowed to perform the
service, and even then they must
wear triangular piece Of cloth over
their mouths, lest their unholy
breath should profane the viands
sent by the emperor and reserved
for the dead alone.
A priest goes reverently to 500
little stools of white wood, on ~
lie the offerings of the empa7
gives the platters, with q
obeisance, to another
priest, who raises them re-
the height of his forehead
covering them is then ta
one sees, arranged vi -
which the Japanese
well, fish lying on beds Of
fruits and vegetables of
surrounded by leaves and
bamboo. Then third priesS
them to the inner platform,
fourth arranges them on the ba
before the altar The able Of
dead is spread. Then the generals Z
descend to meet chamberlain, who
brings the homage which the emper-
or pays to those who died in his de-
tense.
The high priest, clad in long red
.os,a, draws the roll reverently from
i's Se. AS it appears all heads are
~ hes 1re--~g mikado is a
high priest advances to the sacroe
mirror, claps his hands three times
to attract the attention of the souls
of the dead, first standing, then
kneeling. Three times he bows his
head to the ground, then, unrolling
the message, he reads it in q sing
song voice, which runs through the |
entire gamut, and half the sounds
are swallowed in his throat. fAgain
he claps his hands and lays & sa-
cred parchment on a tripod before |
the silver curtain. The music, which |
has been playing continuously, here
sounds like q mufhed groan. Then,
taking branch of leaves, tied with |
the national colors, the high priest |
sets it up before the mystic mirror.
The secretaries of war and maine |
each do the same, and the three
branches symbolic the national
grief. The music grows more mark |
ed, the. bugles sound, and all the
troops resent arms to thaus6uls q
their cd rades, dead
-Chica Inter Ocea
sture and Tol 3
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