The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1899-02-26
SPOILS Of A NATIVE
JAPANESE TEMPLE
Sacred Relics Owned by a
Brooklyn Citizen.
Rare CuriOs Not Seen in the Worlds
Great Museums.
Picture of the Death of Buddha, and
Three Bronze Gods Representing
Peace, Wind and Water.
From the BROOKLYN Eagle.l

| One of the most interesting countries in
| the world today is Japan. Passing. as she
| is, from the darkness of the Middle Ages
| to the light of the civilized present, and
making the change, as she is, before our
very eyes, interest centres about the land
and its people, and anything japanese is
sure of attracting the attention OF the ar
| fist or layman. 1t is in bronze and lac
| quered ware that the Japanese have proba-
| bly, reached their highest standard. The
skill and patience exercised in the making
of the simplest OF the articles which they
produce is beyond the comprehension of
the ordinary mortal, for never do they
mold an article as we would but slowly
and patiently hammer il out of a solid bit
of metal.
Dr. Charles Z. West, who lives in this
borough, has one of the most wonderful
collections of japanese bronzes, eurios, and
paintings that can be found outside of
Japan, for neither the collection of the
| Smithsonian Institution nor that of the
British Museum can compare. in some de-
partments, with that which is quietly re-
posing in DR.. Vests Pierrepont Street
house.
! Before a description of the articles is
given, short account of how they came
to be in his possession is OF interest The
| story is a strange one and TO properly IN
derstand it q short account of the history
| of Japan is necessary.
| IN the year 1903 Iyeyasu was appointed
| shotgun by the Mikado, and from that year
| till 1867. the power of the Mikado waned
| till in the later year ne reyolted and threw
| off the power of the Tokugawa dynasty,
| which had held power for so many years,
| Iyeyasu proved a tyrant and prosecuted
| the Christians. In 1914 Christianity was
| prescribed and twenty-three years later
| 80 900 Christian converts rebelle6 and for
| tilted the town of Shimabara. Iyemitso,
who had succeeded Iyeyasu as shotgun.
| fell upon the rebels and after short
siege. massacred every man, woman, and
| child. This uprising and its consequences
| gave the shotgun great power, which only
| increased with time.
| In 1866 the Emperor. tired OF being the
ruler in name only, determined 10 throw
off the yoke of Yoshinobu. the shotgun. At
that time Mr.. Frank Sanderson was en-
gagged in business in Yokohama, and he
was employed by the Emperor secretly to
procure arms and ammunition to fight the
shotgun. Sanderson, under the power vest
ed in him by the Emperor, visited the
United States, England, Germany, and
| France in 1867 and secured all the NUM-
| lions af war he could find in the work
| shops. So successful was he that, with
| the arms he secured, the Mikado de-
| feated the shotgun after short war, which
| effectually set back the power OF the sho-
gun. Yoshinobu in consequence of his de-
| feat resigned and retired to the town of
| Shidzuoka, in the Province OF Suruga,
| where he still lives, with but the title
| of a noble of the empire.
| Out of gratitude for the able way in
| which Mr.. Sanderson had performed his
work the Mikado is alleged TO have issued
an order that anything in the empire which
| Sanderson wanted must be given to him.
| One day Mr.. Sanderson was speaking with
the high priest of the great temple OF
Nishi- Hong Wange, and the latter told
him that the order covered anything in the
! land, and did he but express his wish, the
entire temple was his with its contents.
| Sanderson said that while he would like
| to have many of the articles, he would
pay for whatever he took. The priest then
took him through the temple and a price
was fixed for each article, which Sander
son paid.
| The collection was brought to America
| some years ago by its owner, who in
| tended to build home near Boston, fitting
| il up In Japanese style. Circumstances
compelled him to change his plan. however,
and he offered all his collection FOR sale,
Dr. West buying It.
Such is briefly the story of the collection.
| Many OF the lUulNluudl pieces
could tell grim tales of war and love could
| they but speak for many are centuries old.
| On entering DR.. Vests parlor one is
| struck at once with the Oriental air of the
| furnishings. Japanese embroideries in
| blue and gold cover the walls while scat
tered about the room are countless bronzes
of exquisite workmanship. After few
| Introductory words DR.. West proceeded to
show his treasures to the writer who visit
| ed him
The most important is painting from
the temple. representing the death of
| Buddha. This, when in the temple was
the holy of holes, and is impressive II
is made on heavy silk. which is fastened
| to a roller similar to a shade roller 1t is
| about four feet long by three feet wide
| This painting was hung on the wall OF
| the temple and was once year unrolled
and worshiped by the high priest. The two
most conspicuous figures noticed are
| Buddha and the sun. The former, having
entered Nirvana, lies on his left side on
a couch under the trees. In the distance
can be seen the heavenly hierarchy, de-