The Ely miner., 1907-11-01
BABA BkNRAV

tion and oppression by foreign hands
and that a new Monroe doctrine will
be called into being and the Orient
will be for the Orientals alone.
The western coast just now is
aroused over the Hindu PERIL" as it
is called. Hundreds, even thousands,
of Hindus are coming across the Pa
cific, and the western states and west
ern Canada fear a very deluge. So
great has been the feeling in some
places that the white laborers have
driven the dusky invaders out, as the
Chinese were sent forth from certain
western cities in early days. But
Baba Bharati declares there is no such
thing as the Hindu Peril" 1t is
rather the Japanese Peril on this
side of the Pacific, or the white
Peril on the other side of the ocean.
'The Hindus that come to the
American shore are really not Hindus
in the common acceptance of the
term; rather they are half Hindus,
sikhs from Upper India, with differ
ent religion and different IDEAS" said
Baba Bharati in an interview I had
with him at the Hotel Stander just be-
fore the Minnesota sailed. He contin-
ued: There is no cause to fear an
invasion, for only a few Of the sikhs
will come. And they are not an ag-
gressive people. If they find they are
not wanted they will not cross the Pa
cific. There is no cause to fear"
The Hindu philosopher and sage
talked for an hour or more on this
western world we know, his eastern
world, religion, literature, modern
conditions, his own life and expert
ences, his hopes, ambitions, and made
predictions of such amazing nature
regarding the future readjustment of
relations across the Pacific as to
startle any person who thinks on the
shadows that portend coming events.
In this interview he summed up a mes
sage he wished to convey In farewell
to the America he is leaving.
Spirituality Not for Sale.
"The New York Herald gave me and
my mission most helpful publicity, and
then followed my first success since
leaving my own shores. 1 was to
lecture. Thirty persons came to hear
me, and when had finished speaking
they placed upon the table $50 in
money. I almost wept. Then l eX-
planned that Hindu cannot take coin
for sustenance he gives either to the
body or the soul. One can travel all
through my country without being
able to buy cooked food, and spiritual
ity is not for barter and sale, either.
This was merely the mistake of
commercialized America. These New
Workers thought, in their simple way,
that money could pay for anything
Yet l found them warm hearted and
altogether lovable, just as all other
Americans are. When they can be
halted for a few moments in their
mad pursuit of gold they have admir-
able natures, I find.
"The trouble with America is that it
is building on material plane 1t
is making tremendous progress in all
things material, but we of the Orient
understand the spiritual. We live not
for to-day, but for all time, and when
you forget the soul, as you do, you are
making sad mistake. Your modern
'Churchianity' is spelling your Chris
tianity. Your ministers of the gospel
want more spirituality. They do not
elevate themselves above the level of
the visible, material world. Your
much vaunted progress counts for
naught.
"You look at life on the surface;
we of the Orient look at it in its depth,
in the cool and quiet places, where
there is no turbulence and no mad