The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1902-08-15
IN THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS.
Interesting Letter from 1t. c. B.
Smith.
Mania. PSI lilly Ij19O2.

The Filipino is funny Individual.
Give him plenty of tbes tinsell life
Ind he is happy. The Spanish
priests realized thp in the religion
which they gave these fneople. rTbe
church fiesta or festisA Sith its gilt
ind glitter and lights appeals to The
FGpinos ss nothing sse.
y sBs$Fs% %skpg lsfs 1 was never
accue etpnned tost6hkhg of the Fill.
pihos as religious people, Bat they
ara religious in the extreme. You
would not thinksit, bhtin fswplaces
in the q. 8. are there ,as -many
churches as There are through
ont shesesisiandssSN Not ono aNd two
magnificent edifces, bu, hundreds of
c thsm Agray 6na massive Stone struc-
lures hundreds of yesrsxolds, The
buildings are immense and there is
hardly church in these islands that
isn't larger thsf sn ofths c6hrches
Of the town SfUnien sopbln9a.
: The Roman Catk6fic feifeion as
observed over here is very pictu-
:. rescue, Each church is equipped
with it's complement of life sized
images of the Saints and of the .Vir-
gin Mary" One ofsthe most gorge
oas spectacles to be seen in Manila
is on Easter Sunday On that 'day
the church of the Franciscans has a
religious r parade IT. takes place
just at twilight and is composed of
scores Of priests OF, that order, and
Hfe size Images Of the saints borne on
Aoats carried on the shoulders of the
natives. dEach Saint is dressed in
gorgeous robes and is surrounded by
hundreds of brightly burning candles.
Allegarical scenes from the Bible
are also represented, such as Jesus
bearing the CrossS JeAsSaa tt e;Aands,
of the Roman soldiers, and so on.
The Virgin Mary is the most gor-
geous fgurapf all. n On allathe fin
gees ef ~ ands s<% pricelsss dias
paDRa rigs . @iahshd tisss islof
hefShead and the robe in which she
is clothed il. dark red embroidered in
gold bullion. This robe is so heavy
fopthhssAo tAreeas ip snidA it is
embroidered thm it requires pulley
worked BY several men to putsit on
orstske it Of I ,S SE
It is said that some years ago the
NsoDle we're taxed 81 900. 900 to nav
Hr The dsssdnds shat tbis 'fs1drs Of
sastYhginaeadorned With. .'SAll Of
shis vat xe,ss...sh nis kept ID nseoret
saults,R in the, thick vail snf the
church, known only to certain of the
priests.rT .xniGJUtD ,s4En ~
When this figure sof tho Virgin
passes between the thousands of peo-
pie that line resoh side ofthe streets
through which tke< PROCESSION is to
pass, they all drop to their knees,
boz theif heads aid cross themselves.
Th0usands1of Others foliSw ON either
side Of The Aoats u carrying lighted
candles, il Boys, in sSacristan robes
60 before each figure, swinging yeen-
sers with burning ineepse;, bands of
stringed Instruments play sacred
masio, and How rising, now falling
afe' amaay' ivoicss : chanting tho Te
Deum. oe ,HaJa~ uwj 1u'F1S }
Imagine such q scene at daylight
With thousands Of candles burning,
carEie6ly, - many RpeoplA eIteis
aFWR ring, ana th{ ahe eek
Of Rome wss Ill p0xerfdl.. lis. !
living picture Of midaeyd Zines,
~ SfNH flsa EA 1aNS 1sri )
ehnre6 chat through superstition and
reverence has nniteS, and -oentials
today millions Of people, sYe4tsg,
Aside from the pagantry, the
ehnsphr atpesls, 10 Che. people through
ths Rsk6sr " feast days that are
observed. The -Filipinos are not
fond Of work, and the, church with its
no 6f 100 FEAST daysAI have for
gotten thsexaot nnmber--giyes them
abandAntNk6pses for idleness. Think
whss woaM hsppsn if almost, every
other day in the States was observed
% Christpss day, and You will ~,
sqDS Mss Vof ttis aunSs s1of ffiestas
these people have. "
~THS insdlar sport Of the people is
ssck aghtisgs'S Abodt sES billy time
the Rilipiho 'throws off his stohd, sui.
leu ndifsersncSi 10 ,ist'i D cock 6ght
yAerys heawiii wager Bis Tdst csntaEt
40 IN hiIds ~ his cho;ce No otha,