The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1896-02-19
MASTER OF HEAVEN.
A SINGULAR INSTANCE OF cReDu-
LlTY HOLDING SWAY 1900 YEARS.

from Father to Son H~s the Possession oil
This Mysterious once Descended Since |
Early In the Christian Era-The Seal |
which Brings In Goodly Revenue.
The history Of popular delusions, more |
specially those relating to religious or
luasi religious beliefs, has been dealt with
~ many able pens. Most educated people
lave some r,puain,ance with the super
natural prctrt ions of people like Joanna
Southcotc on Joe smith. 1t may, however,
De safely allrg,d that scarcely one Euro
oean in million has ever heard of most
singular instance of popular credulity,
which, dating back to the first century,
has held sway even to the present day
Probably the earliest notice of the sc
called Master of Heaven" which appeared
in any European work is to be found in the
" Annales de la Foi'' or missionary "Col
of the Jesuit priests, forwarded
in the shape of letters from various por
tions of the heather world Writing in
1856, Father Demicourt described the then
living master" in no favorable terms. 1t
was, however, reserved for the well known
authority on Chinese matters, Mr. Chal-
mers. to first introduce the title and its
haarer To tbp notice of the English speak.
inc world A few months later MIR. II.
Konscb ,,a,.e n more detailed and extremely
intaresting account of the whole subject.
AZ these naners are quite inaccessible to
tho general nublic-one public library only
in ENGLAND possessinp a copy-the follow.
ir, detnils will doubtless be of interest;
About "a years after the birth of Christ
cbild was according to the legend
extraordinarily born of a virgin mother in
tba nrovince of Kianpsi. As with thu
fornder of Buddhism. his childhood was
1istirr,,,i.bad nv extraordinary precocity
o,d tho mower Of performing supernatural
toto Nv the time ne had reached 20 years
of noe he had attained the modest stature
90 a loot . inches His nersonal appearance
otherwise was not less unusual. Triangu.
ior ovss with green pupils. and a crimson
scaIn arms reaching below his knees, and
with an occipital bone of striking projec.
tion he must have been at least note.
worthy in the eyes of his neighbors.
II may nv the way. be noted that how.
ever unyeracious these details of his looks
Chang Tao-linr actually existed. His careei
is sketched in the annals of the province il
ouite the same vein as are his physica
cbaractaristics A scholar of profound cru
dition and able to foretell coming events
he sent in so mastery a paper on the trou
hlas then hesettina the empire CA. u. 60
that the emperor appointed him governor
- Kiong-Choo After holding this an
roi,tnnont for a few wears he resigned. ant
hon commenced the career which secured
Cor hin, the celebrity which has lasted til
! the present day.
leaving the scene of his government, h.
hooo,na a hermit in the Pei Manp noun
tains and devoted his time to the study O
,,,i,obcraft and the discovery of the elixi
20 Iifo He was next heard of on tn
| nrae,on and Tiger mountain. Here he CON
,,ornded the nvstic mill of immortality an
| liia.,.,-orad tho means of rulinp the demon
of tba air and commanding the services G
Sa,,;Is and hoe,vs Among the supernatural
feats With which he was credited was tn
slaughter of a million devils with on
stroke of vermilion pencil, These at IN
humble intercession OF their SIX kings, h
restored to life upon condition that the
betook themselves to western countrl'
and left China alone.
1t was at Mount Ho-Nlng That Chang PR
fessed to receive in person divine con
mission as the Master of Heaven" Anon
the insignia of his new Office was mag
seal which would impress 100 sheets OF pap'
at once, although only touching one. III
seal, of course, Is claimed to be over is
years old.
The masters son Heng succeeded h
father, who is alleged TO have been take
up into heaven after having attained IL
age of 1913 years. A son has In turn su
ceeded until the present day. During u
Ming dynasty, which terminated In lo4
the then master was guardian OF u
heir apparent 10 the throne, AS an iiiu
tration of the duties devolving upon II
: occupants OF the masters post, the anna
record that in lIOI the then master
heaven" was directed to oner sacrlhces
the five great mountains OF emma 10 char
/ away the ghost of the white sheep
4 Hwangchow and to nc the lal-hu lake
{ the crimson monkey which haunted
nnA4athHd terror of the boat people, as
NJ contained the kew to the winds. was al
commanded to be got rid of by the subj
arts of this magician"
The Tapping rebellion naturally induce
the sunerstitious ruling powers to consu
the then representative of the long defun
Chang Tao-ling. 1t need scarcely be sa
that his charms and exorcisms failed to pI
. dnce the slightest effect. and he ignomil
ously fled. The vicious lives led by the Ii
: or masters had already led to their bel
regarded with contempt by their immedia
neiphbors but superstition dies hard
: China The present abode of the wizard
situated about "a miles south of Kiver
n a town in Kianpsi, in the Dragon and Tig
mountain, already mentioned. The t,
n animals are represented by two high peal
and between these lies the Palace of s
\ preme Purity" as the masters temple
n named