The Spokane press. [volume] (Spokane, Wash.) 1902-1939, 1904-11-17


tween the images of Buddha the like
ness of the missionary himself.
Story NO. a-Ths Bandit.
During the first years of the Ming
dynasty in China there lived among
the wild tribes of what is now Man
churia a very wicked man. He be-
came the scourge Of the mountains
and the mention of his name was
enough to bring the blanch of fear
to the cheek of the strongest man.
No one dared to approach the noun
tain where he lived with a band of
chosen followers. each as bad as him
self. In this mountain he lived, only
going forth when the craving came
on him and when he did leave the
mountain pillage and murder were his
objects. He was a fiend in human
form and his deeds made people
shudder were they but mentioned. He
and his followers pillaged and burn
ed villages and even cities, murdered
thousands, not even sparing the wom-
en- and the little children. At last the
whole country was terrorized; people
were afraid to carry on their usual
vocations and ruin stared the whole
country in the face. 1t was then that
a young Buddhist priest determined
to visit the monster in his lair and
see If something could not be done
with him. He carried out his plan
and went to the mountain. The ban
dit admired the courage OF the young
priest and listened to him. The gentle
priest and his gentle religion appealed
to the bandit. He became interested,
then eager. then converted. He gave
up his old life and decided to devote
himself to religion. He came to Lao
Yang and on the spot where the
young priests little temple stood he
determined to raise a mighty tower
to the glory of Buddha. This tower
he built, putting into 1t one brick
for every life he had taken, and this
is the tower that stands today.
Story No. 3-Ths Mighty rising.
About 800 years ago there lived a
Manchu noble named Using. He was
a mighty man and a mighty soldier
He lived in the city Of Feng Tien
now called Mukden. Re rapidly rose
in power until he became the great
est man In his country and was plac.
ed upon the throne. But the quiet
life was not for him and he deter
mined to conquer the wild tribes to
the south of him. So with a great
army he started out and rapidly con-
quered all the tribes north of line
running from Feng Wang Chens
through An Ping to Lao Yang. In
these three places he erected great
pagodas bearing the images of Budd-
ha and the images of the saints
which have war and territorial
rights under their special care, the
largest and most magnificent of these
pagodas being the one at Lao Yang
A few years later rising crossed the
great wall into China and In short
time had the whole of China at his
feet and was created emperor. being
the first of the present dynasty.
More than 10 centuries ago. on q
little knoll outside the walls of the
city Of Lao Yang, there was a spring
In this spring there lived great and
very wicked dragon. The dragon OBJ
jected to the building of the city SO
II. IL.
while when he was not feeling very
well he would issue from his spring
and infiict all sorts of damage on the
city and its inhabitants, When he
came out of the spring the water
would overflow and inundate the city
and the dragon himself would swim
In and make a square meal on the
Inhabitants. But he had one grievous
fault. He always ate too much and
1t was this intemperance that finally
worked his ruin. He would eat until
he could hardly get back to his spring
and when he did get back he went to
sleep and slept for months, which Is
habit dragons have when they have
eaten too much. So the citizens of
Lao Yang planned a terrible revenge
The next time the dragon retired to
take his customry nap after a meal
on citizens. they crept up to the knoll
and when The dragon next awoke he
found n S00-foot pagoda dedicated to
the gods built on top of him. And II
you don't believe this story you can
so to the foot of the pagoda this very
day and see the water of the spring
trickling out from under the founda-
ton stones.
Thus runs the four stories. Take
your choice.
(Continued.)
II. NJ. COSBY. Grand Rapids-wifc