The Butler weekly times., 1897-06-17
FROM HEATHEN LAND.
A Butler Boy Writes Of HIS Missionary


DEAR fBIENDs-Our mails have been greatly
delayed on account Of the Chinese New Year.
The Chinese New Year is OF the greatest
festivals which the Chinese have. Their calen-
dar differs from ours in that they reckon from
the moon, while We reckon from the sun. They
have II little over 354 days in one year. with an
intercalatc month at certain periods, bringing
up average of $50 days in a year. Neither
do their years date from the birth of Christ,
but from the ascension 10 the throne of the
reignng sovereign. This year We date the Zith
year Of Emperor Keevan's reign.
This year their New Year 5 day came on the |
"a day Of February. This is in fact the only |
real holiday that the Chinese have. They work |
up till the hour before midnight and then ali
business ceases, tthe only time during the year,
and everything becomes like Sabbath and |
business is not resumed for almost a month. |
During this time ii is almost impossible tn get
any work done and you cannot buy even articles
! of food. The Chinese, as people, live on
debts. If they can pay their debts just before
the New ear then they can make new ones and
| live on debt another year. As a rule the only
| time the people buy new clothing is just be-
| fore the New Year and they will wear
| these all the year. On the morning of the New
Year day everything is deathy still, except
| IN every ulTecliou YOU can near HTt-CEdthtT>
popping away which tells that the debts Of that
| family are paid; then visiting commences,
which continues for some time; everybody is
dressed in their best clothes. Many of our Chi
nese friends called on us to give Us New Years
greetings, etc. In few days the worship Of
their ancestors will begin in each home, in
which everybody takes part. Then after
week or two thcaters in public view from a
| ,,ta ami nj ha The thpatprS of
China are all held in public view. No admis
sion fee is paid, everybody attends New Year
also is time when many people commit suicide.
This is done by taking opium. During the past
few weeks I have been called upon to help in
, | cases where opium was taken and succeeded
| in making them vomt it up, thus saving their
lives This is considered almost miracle by
, the Chinese. In their medicines they have moth
| ing which they use to make people yomt.
On the twelfth of the first month the "Feast
of Lanterns begins and continues for three
days each day increasing in interest and in the
number of spectators. During all this time in
: Vulnerable Chinese lanterns of all sizes and
:. forms line all the streets of the cities. Paper
dragons and paper fish of immense size are
0 carried around the streets by men and boys tt
q show. Local theatrical companies march con
tinually around the city and will stop at you
door and perform for a small amount Every
l body goes out on the streets; and the last da
u5th) they all gather in some large temple
y ground and have big time; display of thea
Il ters, etc.
At this time millions of pilgrims are on thei
way to this city and thousands are arrivin
g daily. Taian-fu is in fact clerical city anu !
4 said to be filed with spirits. We are located
the foot of Mount Tai, which is considered b
!. the Chinese as the highest peak in the kingdom
n but the barometer gives the leadership
:, others Its hight from the plain is near 4,N
u feet, but above the level of the sea it Is muc
ii greater. 1t is in the Shantung province
north China, and near the home, school an
10 grave of Confucius. Mount T. al is an anciel
If sacred mountain for one hundred and twen
successive generations of men have, year !
- year, ascended this ''holy hill' Emper'
N Shun came here in the first year of his reigl
b. C. 2255, presented offerings to Heaven al
| sacrificed to the hills and rivers. 1t Is certa
III that for over 900 years Chinese emperors ha
~. been accustomed to come here to sacrifice
heaven, and to worship the mountain al
III during all these centuries it has been an obje
of yeneration and worship to millions of pc
pie Perhaps no mountain on the face OF t
or earth has had an equally remarkable histor
its presiding deity and thither many pilgrii
o. resort but to ascend the mountain itself is t
N. object of many long journey in wheelbarro
:, over roads frightfully rough. Chinese boo
III saw '.Mount L al is the chief of the five sacr
IL mountains Its merit is equal to Heaven a
so it is appointed and called the equal of Heay
the Benevolent and Holy Ruler. 1t is lord
q" this world and determines births and deati
|, . misfortune and happiness, honor and dishon'
things high and great, low and crooked.
mt The mountain has three submits, the cent
If one being the largest and highest. The roao
ascent for the first mile is graded, SO that
Is rise is gradual, but thence when the eye IS
lifted it seems like a stairway to the skies,
there are 6 900 steps of hewn white stone, Ct
III fifteen feet in length leading upward, While
its both sides of the road, far and near, every p
and projecting rock, every cave ana raw
1u' every stream and spring has its name ana te
pies without number line the ascent anu ero
A.: the summit. During the cold month OF
'Ao' ruary the pilgrims are from 5000 to 10 ooo Ga
ted and the march is continued with an a'eras
"A ZOO during the next two months; olu
leaning on their stats, with aged matrons'
Ons norted nv their grandsons and followed by Il
bor little children, all conditions and, ranks cf
this precipitous highway TO burn incense
1le this mountain.
the Recently have been having quite nun
of visitors at my home. They have been
all classes-from the beggar to the higher ci
eve Among some of the interesting callers W
son of the highest Official in this section OF c.
ucy try. An Official in China is big man ant
ich family ranks first in society This young
was attended by his slaves and men OF state
Oe1' I found him refined and interesting His
the ners were courtly. He spent about two
Ill with me and he seemed to become interesIt
the Christian doctrine and let him take
lth Christian books home with him to read.
ox Another one of my callers turned out 10
very interesting person indeed-a Mohan
llrly dan minister. This gentleman, besides Del
con- Chinese graduate, could also write anu
Arabic and Persian. He seemed very muci
lighted when showed him John s:le in Ar
on We talked some of our doctrines and he tol
that they had Adam, Moses, Abraham III