Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-02

into one, making room for upward Of a
hundred persons seated, while many more
could stand outside sit in the house
across the alley. so nigh is neighbor to
neighbor in the old Japanese villages.
Word came from the police that should
this meeting place be too small for the for
egners' purpose the police themselves
would provide a larger room. But some
200 men, women and children crowded
around when the service began, and list
ened to the new teachings with an atten-
ton that could not be surpassed in a 9Th
avenue church. The same speakers took
part, although with different addresses. A
considerable circle of young men. mostly
students. gathered about Mr.. Hail after the
meeting. for further conversation. At this
service a native Christian woman, who had
moved into the village from another town,
took delighted part. One of the American
Bible Society's colporteurs was also present;
and, in general. Shibu seemed somewhat
more familiar with Christianity than did
Kusatu, although there are no Christian
services held there.
The next morning the Americans, who
were quite accustomed to creating a stir
by their appearance in native villages, went
to NaganO. where is one of the most cele-
brated Buddhist temples in Japan dating
back to $40 A. D., although the Oldest por-
ton of the present structure is only six
centuries old The high prestess of this
temple is an aunt of the emperor. The
temple area is crowded with statues and
buildings of absorbing interest. I noticed
baby, and some devotee had put a mod
ern bonnet of cheap calico, on the latter's
head! On several occasions l have seen
images thus anonymously adorned.
X X
Thousands of devout pilgrims visit this
temple, and the emperor himself has a
sumptuous suite of apartments therein, al
though the Shintoists claim him as one of
their number. In fact, he has rather i'm
partially patronzed both faiths; and thou
sands of his subjects do likewise. Ordinary
pilgrims to the temple are kept outside the
wire screen before the altar, but the mis-
sionaries, by the application of the silver
key which unlocks doors the world over,
were admitted to closer view and com
plete inspection. They were even taken
down through the absolutely dark under
ground passage where the keys of para
disc may be found attached to a huge
paddock. And assuredly those young Amer
leans found them, and ratified them loudly
enough for all the celestial doorkeepers
to hear: This trip in the dark is supposed
to purge the soul of sin, though para
guide warned us that if we had any evil
In our hearts when we entered we wou,d
come out changed into dogs; which is the
common belief. OF. course, this party
emerged barking and growing like ours
with tin cans to their tails.
1t must not be inferred that the mission
aries were disrespectful to the temple or its
worshIpers. They moved about uncover
ed and unshod,- and were genuinely inter-
ested in the bewildering explanations of
who's who in this sect Of Buddhism Among
the more than 10000 ancestral tablets
placed In one apartment, noticed one that
was surrounded by the Harvard H.
X X
AS souvenirs of this trip have a written
token from the high priest that I have per-
formed an early morning devotion at a GER
tain shrine and have received absolution