The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-10-14
GIESI|ALS' IDEA OF HEIL
THE RECORDS OF THE MOyco11AN
VIVIDLY DESCRIBE THE
PLACE OF TORMENT
ACCEPT PRECIOUS RECORDS
Best Way to Escape Their Variou.
1nfernos Is to Turn VeEe-
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
to Virtue.

Inc papers Of the Royal Asiatio So
clety contain interesting Illustrations of
the chinese conception of a future state,
says the Londan Telegraph. Some wears
ago the society published Rev. George
Clarks translation of 1.-THE Yu-L or
PRECIOUS Records" work that came into
existence at some indefinite date about
the tenth century, and was supposed to
supplement the teachings of Confucius
who had left the transactions of another
world In some uncertainty There is no
uncertainty in the Precious Records. .,
Tor they give in full detail everything fhe
celestial sinner may expect to happen
10 MIN when his soul arrives in hades
IN q sedan chair and is formally re-
celved there by the ''god of .fate.a Ifadesa
IN conducted like a state department, and
Is divided into SO many halls of judg-
nlent each with its president, staff of
ollclals and specified number of bells.
Inc DEGREES Of every president and the
peHaItles IN every hell are so infinitely
set down that there is small possibility
OF a mistaken address for any soul. al
tnough 1t Is recorded that one virtuous
man was cut off in the prime of sanctftv
ana MS soul conducted to the hall of
judgment by the blunder of a demon who
was severely reprimanded There ia M
Teo tape In this administration and re-
"aluS ana pun1shments are allotted with
scrupulous care. It sometimes hannang
tnat the merits Of an accused soul ex
actly balance his offenses, and he Is then
allowed another chance and begins life
again With excellent opportunities Of well
uoins' II his account does not stand
10 MS credit he may be born again to de-
1orm1ty or fncurabIe disease Peon1a tins
anlcted In China are believed to have
IN misconaucted themselves in a previous
ne. Ihere are inducements to virtue
a. 1.S wen as pun1shments for vice. If a
s+o tran snould please the gods in one
sage Oh existence she may be- born a
man IN the next. According to Chinese
pnllosophy the principle Of good is maIs
yang ana the principle of evils female
Vhl. Ihe lady who has the DriviIage
oL changing her sex in a new life muet
therefore, feel highly fattered bv tba "a
vor Of the immortaIs.
- mere is no litigation in the halls of
'uos'hene' Tor no soul dreams of die
p0'ins the precious records" The led@.
ers Oh hades are kept most punctiIo,sI,,
CO. ae as the sacred text remarks, there is
~ ueo4ptIon. BY the way, however. of
Gov, frs any cantankerously Htigous
soul from raising difficulties and 49,.
the PRESIDENTS time, there is . s iTo-,1s
put eHectual ceremony at the door WE,
feeoIVeo by the god Of fate" the souI ts
oiAeieo a cup of tea, which induces tsfo,.
get1ulness." DR.. Clark saws that -,
the missionaries offer tea to the Crbinaro
VISITORS 1t is usually declined. tba Chio
nese believing that I'VE put sometime
IN the tea which will cause them to in.
voluntarily join the church" The halls of
judgment are very severe on suicides
unless the suicide has been committed
for some very virtuous reason. A 6nh+o~
sonnet times t1l kos hi
Fortunate creditor, who has to defray the
funeral expenses and compensate the
FAMILY Of the deceased. The hall op
Judgment will decide whether the s,1icide
was due to oppression or to a mean spirit
Oh revenge. Unflial conduct is about tba
worst offense with which a soul can he
laden, but the most dutiful son cannot es-
cape If he has defrauded the govern
ment or neglected to pay taxes. Fraud
on the government seems to be limited to
very small sum, and therefore the ex-
act moral position Of highly placed
mandarin in a hall of Judgment is not
clear. Quacks are sternly treated but
the worst fate Of all befalls the scoffers-
people who openly mock the precious
records" There is a terrible story of
what befe1 certain priests who ordered
copies Of the ''Yu-Li' to be burned. Liars
have very disagreeable portion of this
world as we'll as others. There is a GER
tain temple where an idol devotes itself to
the function Of striking liars dead. DR..
Clark asked young priest whether he
had ever seen any liars struck dead :
Yes, two" said the priest. MY young
friend, take care that you are not the
third" said Dr. Clark.
70 escape the various bells, which are
like. the circles of Dantes "Inferno,"'
without the poetry, it seems to be a good
place to turn vegetarfans. "It is be-
Heved that animals, birds, fishes and in
sects are possessed by someone's spirit.
If their death is prevented the spirits
obtain same mitigation of the pains of
hell; therefore, much merit is obtained
by setting at liberty living creatures"
The greatest merit of all is not to eat
a flesh diet. Mr.. Pao killed Mr.. Wan
San, whose soul thirsted for revenge
Wan San met Pao. who was willing to
submit to the forfeiture of his life, but
because he was a vegetarian Wan San
had pity on him and only cut off his pig
tail.