Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-29

events they have Witnessed Everybody
who has read Kiplings stories win be IN
terested in Umballa, although 1t Is nothing
but an important military post and ran y
Kim. and several of his army stories
are laid there.
Sirhind, thirty-five miles beyond, was
formerly one of the most f1ourishing cities
in the Mogul empire, and for q radius or
several miles around it the earth Is COW
cred with ruins. 1t was the scene Of sue
cessive struggles between the Hindus ana
the Sikhs for several centuries, and even
to this day every Sikh who passes through
Sirhind picks up and carries away a brick,
which he throws into the first river he
comes to. I'm hope that In time the detested
city will utterly disappear from the face OF
the earth. Sirhind Is the headquarters or
American Presbyterian missionary work in
the Punjab, as this part of India is called,
and the headquarters of the largest frriga-
ton system in the world. which supplies
water to more than 100000 acres of land.
Capital of the Sikhs.
Just before reaching Lahore we passed
through Amritsar, a city which is famous
for many things, and the capital of the
Sikhs. religious sect bound together by
the ties of faith and race and military disci-
p1ine. They represent Hindu heresy led
by reformer named Nanak Shah, who was
born at Lahore in 1869 and preached ref
ormation against idolatry, caste. demon
worship and other doctrines of the Brah-
minis. His theories and sermons are en-
braced In volume known as the "Granth, =
the Sikh Bible, which teaches the highest
standard of mortality, purity and courage,
and appeals especially to the nobler north
ern races of India.
His followers who were known as Sikhs.
were compelled to fight for their faith. and
for that reason were organized upon mill
itary basis. Their leaders were warlike
ov16
decay they struggled with the Afghans for
supremacy in northern India They have
ever since been renowned for their fighting
qualities; have always been loyal to British
bodyguards for the viceroy of India, the
governors of Bombay, Bengal and other
provinces. and so puch confidence is placed
in their courage. honesty and tact that they
are employed as policemen in all the British
colonies of the east. You find them every
where from Tientsien to the Red sea. They
are men of unusual stature. with fine heads
and faces full boards, serious disposition
and military airs. They are the only pro-
fessional fighters IN the world You seldom
find them in any other business. and their
admirers declare that no Sikh was ever con-
victed of cowardice or disloyalty.
The Sikhs' Mode Of Worship.
Amritsar is their headquarters, their re-
ligious center and their sacred city. Their
than those of other oriental faiths. They
have no idols or affairs, but meet once
week for prayer and praise. Their preacher
reads passages from the "Gfanths'' and
prays to their God, who may be reached
through the intercessiOn of Nanak Shah,
his prophet and their redeemer. They sing
hymns similar to those used in Protestant
worship and celebrate communion by par
taking of waters of unleavened bread. Their
do not object to the presence
of strangers, but usually invite them to
participate in the worship.
The great attraction of Amritsar is 1.-THE
Golden Temple of the Sikhs, which stands
in the middle of lake known as THE Pool
of Immortality" 1t is not a large build
ing, being only f1fty-three feet square, but
is very beautiful and the entire exterior
is covered with plates of gold. In the treas
ury is the original copy of the 'Grantlr
and a large number of valuable jewels
which have been collected for several CEN
turtles. Among them Is one of the most
strings of pearls ever in existence.