The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1900-11-27
DELEGATION
CEREMONY
Rare Scene at Temple
To Buddha.
MANY JAPANESE ATTEND
Beautifully Dressed Children and
Diguifed Priests in the
Procession,
(From Mondays Daily)

Japanese Buddhists took part yester-
day in the ceremony of the dedication
in their temple on Fort Lane. Rain
and mud spoiled what would otherwise
have been one of the most interesting
Oriental religious fetes ever seen in
Honolulu The roads over which 1t
was proposed to have the priests of
Buddha, little children dressed I'm fan
tastic garb and multitudes of devotees.
walk to the temple were in such a
condition that much of the program
had to be abandoned, albeit many of
the disciples waded through the mud
and received their drenching with
smiles. The temple had been hand
somely decorated in honor of the great
occasion. Ire Buddhists came in hun
dreds, filling the place to overilowing
long before the appointed hour yes
terday forenoon.
When the procession reached the
grounds from Palama, the starting
place, time was permitted for the
priests and those who were to take
part in the services to prepare for the
event
The building is of prepossessing de-
sign of Japanese architectural charac-
teristics two stories in height. The
second story is reached by broad
flight of steps, and here the shrine and
altar have been installed. The room
will hold several hundred persons.
Redwood abounds in its finishings. AT
the rear of the room is picturesque
shrine, fanked on either side by door
ways leading to a rear room. The
shrine is elevated from the floor nearly
two feet. Four wooden pillars stained
the color of redwood, supported gilt
work facade with winged dragons and
flowers in relief.
The altar erected within the shrine
rests against the rear wall and repre-
sents the finest class of japanese
workmanship in scroll designing and
gliding. 1t is in fact, a Buddhist tenn
pie in miniature with projecting caves.
The whole affair is nearly twelve feet
in height and about eight feet wide.
Gilded vase-like ornaments of wood
front the altar, which is a. mass Of gilt
with vermilion relief painting. A
costly cloth heavily embroidered with
gold thread was draped over the lower
part of the altar.
In the center of the shrine stood a
long narrow table covered with a
beautiful cloth of god upon which in
embossed embroidery were pleasing fig
ures in red and purple. This fell in
heavy folds to the floor. A wooden
slab presenting an ancient scroll with
upturned ends rested on the cloth, ana
upon this were several bronze urns
each symbolizing Buddha. One urn
contained incense from which smoke
drfted lazily upward to the ceiling,
permeating the interior of the emple
with a sweet odor, typifying the
boundlcss mercy of Buddha. Two tai
bronze candlesticks with candles burn
ing throughout the day were conspicu-
GUS A pair of lamps designed in much
the same style as Aladdin's famous
lamp werc suspended from the ceiling
and cast soft glow upon the altar
below them.
The entrance CT the high priest, Y.
Imamura, accompanied by the lesser
priests, r. Uchida, H. Matsumoto, *.
Avail and u. HirOkane. was the signal
that the dedication ceremonies We're
about to be per 'Ormed The high priest
was rCbed in the rich vestments of his
office. An undergOWn of purple was
Worn, eX,erding from the shoulders to
his sandalled feet. A green upper
garment with flowing sleeves was worn
over this, while over all was a beauti-
full cloth-CfgOld vestment, embroidered
in heavy gold thread. The lesser
priests wore robed in black cowls of
colored silk hanging from their Shout
ders over their backs.
Forty-twO Japanese child en- of ten
der years We're ushered into the tenn
pie wearing festival garb. Upon their
heads restec tinselled taras held in
place by green cords passed under their
chinS, Tiny tin ornaments dangled
and tangled by means of strings of
coral which greatly amused the
wearers. Each child wore a purple
undergown covered with gauzy over
dresses of white and pink silk. Each
carried an imitation lotus flower Their
faces wele whitened with powder, their
lips rouged. The priest took his ap-
pointed seat before the altar, the lesser
priests seating themselves on the sides.
written prayer carried by each
priest, was opened and led by the
high priest, Il monotonous yet melo-
dious chant began, punctuated
by strokes upon a bronze bell of Gu
riOus design, before which n priest
knelt. The chant was unbroken dur
ing its long recitation. The voices of
the priests were pitched to different
keys, and We're not varied. The con-
gregation bowed their heads in devo-
ton with their hands clasped together
in prayer. Each devotee carried a
circlet of coral or black beads which
We're wound around the two hands dur
ing the entire service.
The little ones We're then arranged
in order of procession two by two and
headed by the priests the journey about
the shrine was commenced. During the
progress of the procession the priests
continued their chant. Around and
around they moved, the little children
seemingly taking much interest in the
ceremony. The chant was given in an
even, measured tone, and toward tho
end became slower until with Yaria-
ton such as is intoned by Catholic
priests, this portion Of the service was
brought 10 an end
The priests delivered addresses to the
people In their own language appro-
PIRATE for the day, while Miss Barber.
a teacher In the night school, made an
address In English She said there IN
one simple idea which has been the
wntchword ~ all religious teachers and
this was the brotherhood Of man, This
II the central thought of the doctrine
taught by Christ, ana before Him,
lluddha gave the same ideas 90 Asia
when he taught love Ia all living be-
ings ana the oneness ~ the absolute