Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1899-03-15
RENAREs ORDEAL BY FIRE.
Hindus Walk Unharmed Over Bed OF
Live Goals Before Mrs. Besant.

A controversy having arisen in some
of the papers about the recent per-
formance of the Fire Ceremony at
Benares, India, an account of what
actually took place, by an English on
locker, may be of interest. 1t was
during the recent convention Of the
Theosophical society that, a good
many of us who are interested in the
life of India below the surface being
present, some Hindu friends arranged
with certain sect of Shivaite Hindus,
who claim the power of rendering fire
harmless, to give an exhibition of
their powers. Accordingly trench
was dug in the grounds of the Tagore
Villa about Is feet long by 4, and this
was filled with logs of wood, which
were left to blaze all day. In the
evening the trench was filled by
thick layer of glowing Goals giving off
a tremendous heat. At 7 p. m. we
repaired 10 the scene of action. Our
party consisted of Mrs. Besant, Conn
tess Wachtmsister, DR.. Richardson,
late professor of chemistry at Univer-
sity college, Bristol; DR.. Pascal. a
French doctor of med: cine; Mr.. Bert
ram Keightley, barrister-at-law; Miss
Lillian Edger, M. A; Col. Olcott, and
others. Chairs were arranged for us
on kind of dais formed of the earth
thrown out of the trench and about
eight feet from it. This was the near
est point to the big fire at which one
could bear the scorching heat. At our
back, and surrounding the trench, was
dense but orderly crowd of hundreds
of Hiudus. All waited with eager ex-
pectation. At last hubbub approach
ing from the gates of the villa an
nounced the arrival of the procession.
It consisted of chief priest, who
presided, carrying sword, two others
who were going to pass through the
flames, and an image in gass canopy
borne along by others. The leader
intimated that his two colleagues
would pass through the fiery furnace,
aud afterward anybody who liked of
the male persuasion might follow them
through uuharmed, but no women
were permitted to go through. Then
ensuel most extraordinary and, in
some respects, painful spectacle. 1t is
doctrine of Hinduism that all the
functions of nature, fire, rain, ETC., are
presided over by nature spirits. This
particular sect Of Hindus claims to
have preserved the secret OF being
able to control the fire spirits 50 that
for the time they are unable to burn.
Whatever may be the exploration,
these are the facts.
Certain mystic ceremonies having
been performed, and cocoanuts having
been tossed into the flames, the two
junior priests apparently became pos
sessed. With frantic shrieks and
cries, they passed twice round the
blazing trench, preceded by the chief
priest with his sword and followed by
the brilliantly illuminated canopy.
Then, still in frenzy painful to be-
hold, they plunged up to their ankles
in the scorching furnace and passed
backward aud forward several times,
the red.h Goals and sparks scatter
ing about their feet. The crowd fol-
lowed in their wake, first one OF two
individuals, until the others, gaining
confidence and caught by enthusiasm,
rushed through in hundreds, even lit
tie children of 4 and years old run
ming up and down the trench over the
burning Goals exactly as II it had been
a soft carpet All were unhurt. Among
those who ventured was brother of
one of our party. This gentleman,
whose name I am prepared to give
privately, walked through the trench
twice very slowly, and described the
sensation afterward as having been
like walking over hot sand.
A skeptic among us having pro-
ponnded the theory that the feet of
natives were covered by an integument
sc dense that it was proof even against
live Goals, DR.. Pascal carefully ex-
amined the feet of this witness imme.
diately after his performance, and
found the skin of the soles was OF the.
normal thickness of European feet
and that they were untouched by the
fire. I saw one man deliberately
pause in the middle of the trench to
pick up a handful of the flaming em-
bers, which he then carried through
to the side. A linen turban which
fell from some ones head lay on the
Goals without igniting, as did the CO.
coanuts. The priests remained on the
scene for about twenty minutes, dur
ing which time the two apparently
possessed men were held by others.
After they left the crowd was advised
to cease experimenting with the fire,
and no more passed over. At this
stage Dr.. Richardson and myself left
our seats and attempted to approach
to the brink Of the fiery gulf, but the
heat was so great that we had to turn
back.