The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-09-02

known that peculiar and SOL
L----I emn rites were practiced in
that country, but foreigners have not
been permitted to witness these, and they
have not been allowed access to the sac
red writings which it has been generally
supposed We're remarkable for their high
morality, and the simple eloquence and
the grandeur of their composition.
a few years ago Henry S. Lander, an
Englshman, penetrated into Thibet dis
guised as a Chinese, in order to learn
more of these mysteries and to secure, If
possible copies of these writings. He
was discovered; red hot irons were placed
before his eyes, and he was threatened
with torture but managed to escape from
the country after undergoing great hard
ships. The mystery of this religion be-
comes all the greater when 1t Is known
that these people are not idolaters, Mo-
hammedans or Christians, or Brahms or
Buddhists, in the sense usually known In
India. Their religion Is much like that
of ancient essenism. which is supposed to
have been the parent Of freemansonry.
1t so happens that there Is a little book
In Indianapolis, which The Sentinel has
had the privilege Of perusing, which
throws much light on the religion of this
strange people. 1t is owned by Fred L.
trial Guide, of 1013-14 Law building, In
dianapolis. Mr. Loftin was formerly con-
nected with The Sentinel. This little book
bears date of IT'S and the Introduction
shows that 1t was written in 1749. The
title Is the Economy of Human Life"
OF course it was printed in the old style
with the 'fs" looking like SIS" and 1T
bears every evidence on its yellow leaves
of the genuinenesS of it's antiquity. Mr..
Loftin bought the book for a trif1e In
secondhand book store at Grecncastle,
Ind in 1888, while q student at Asbury
(now DePauw) university. The book
claims to be divine revelation, in other
words, a Bible, and the English traveller
who wrote the introduction states that
with the original manuscript when dis
covered was a drawing. This is repro
duced on the inside cover of the book and
is also reproduced on a larger scale here
in The Sentinel Tie title page of the
book is a trife misleading, as will be no
ticed in the account of the traveller who
discovered 1T, In It's reference to the man
uscript as an Indian one written by an
ancient Brahim. The introduction shows
that it came from Thibet, not India. The
title page runs: 1.-THE Economy of Human
Life, translated from an Indian manu-
script, written by an ancient Bramin; to
which Is preflXed an account of the man
ner in which said manuscript was dis
covered, in a letter to an English gentle
man now residing in China, to the earl of
London. Printed for J. Dodsley in Pail
Mall"
1t should be mentioned here that Mr..
Loftin has repeatedly shown the book to
persons acquainted with all the important
religious writings and has never found
anyone who had ever seen the book or
had ever heard of any part of 1t being
extant In any other form. While secre-
tary to Senator Turpie in Washington he
= undertook to learn something about it
there. 1t is not in the Congressional IL
brary, and by correspondence he had
learned it is not in the British museum
or British national library; and If there
Is another copy In existence he has never
been able to learn Of the same. He has
kept the book at home and until recently
had forgotten all about 1t. until he ran
across it again a few days ago among
other books. This Is the first publica-
ton that has been made of 1t. Possibly
someone may be able to give additional
information bearing on 1t.
The earl's introduction reads:
1.-THE spirit of virtue and morality which
breathes in this ancient piece of eastern
instruction, its force and conciseness, and
the hopes that 1t may do good, have pre-
vailed with the person to whom 1t was
sent to communicate to the public what
was translated only for his particular
amusement. There are some reasons
which make 1t proper to conceal not only
his name, but the home OF his correspond
ent, who has now resided in China for
several years and has been engaged in
business very different from that of col
ecting literary curiosities. These reasons
J. will not subsist long and, as he seems to
Intimate a resire on his return to England
of publishing an entire translation of
Cao-tfous whole journey, the public will