The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-18

cylinder of gilded cardboard, was plac-
ed with four cords fastening it firmly
10 the head by joining under the ears
and tying under the chin, the little
pink cushions admitting of firm tying
without hurting the head. From the
periphery Of the crown five metal
strips arose faring out, and from each
curious spangle was suspended.
From the center OF the crown a disk
arose, representing the sun.
The boys wore blue kimonos with
yellow sleeves lined with white, and
over these white kimono of ancient
style. on their heads they wore a
cap not unlike a liberty cap except
that it was of somewhat stiff black
gauze with a white band around the
head crisscrossed with black thread.
Both boys and girls each carried a
long-stemmed lotus wrought in paper.
bearing a pink-tipped bud and sur
mounted by the white flower. The
children were dressed in these cere-
moniaI garments in the dressing room
Of the japanese theater at Aala and
Beretania avenue. 1t was more than
half an hour after the first of them
thus dressed made their appearance
on AaIa Park before all were ready,
and they attracted great throngs of
onlookers. Finally they were all mar
shaded with anxious mammas into
hacks. and the procession started Wal
kilxi on Beretania avenue on its way
To the temple on South street. Long
before the procession arrived at the
temple. crowds of Japanese gathered
there. At the head of the stairs was
a chest with Stats across the top and
a hopper-shaped lid. into which those
who came threw their offering of coin
as they entered the temple. Oriental
custom in regard to entering a temple
only in unshod feet was absolutely and
wholly relegated to the past. Abso-
lutely no one took off their shoes on
entering, and even attendants in
badges indicating their connection with
the edifice and its purpose, crossed
the dais on which stood the altar,
with American shoes on their feet. The
only Oriental thing attempted was the
separation of the sexes, the men on
the right and the women on the left,
but even this effort was abandoned
early in the services.
People came in as though it might
have been a theater. A few of the
men smoked unrebuked. Throughout
the services, even in it's most solemn
portions. during the prayers and into
nations, there was the hum and babel
of conversation. People chatted and
laughed with each other. Introduce
tions were made and the ceremonious
three bows necessary in such circum-
stances We're made, utterly oblivious
to what was going on before the altar.
Mothers nursed their babes. Children
played or fretted, for the crowd in the
building soon made it close. To the
Western mind, which unconsciously
sought analogies between this SER
vice and place and a church and
church service, everything was incon-
gruous. There were talking and laugh
ter. There was plenty of bowling, but
it was of one person to another, and
never of any person, except the off,
ciating priests, either to the altar or
to Amida, or to the prayers or in
donations. There was neither dim re-
ligious light nor religious silence or
reverence. Even during the time the
priests were making their profound
est bows as the curtain was drawn,
the cabinet opened, and Amida dis
closed, those charged with the finances
of the temple were pasting UP the
placards announcing the names of do
rors and amounts of donations to the
funds.
The temple was only comfortably fill
ed when the somewhat strident notes
of the Portuguese band announced the
arrival of the procession. While the
band played marches and mazourkas
the officiating priests, all dressed in
European clothing, frock coats and
patent leather shoes, came up the
steps and entered the temple, bowling
before the altar and placing the tenn
pie flag in its rack in front of the |
altar. Each of them wore a gorgeous |
sash of narrow gold threaded mate |
rial over his left shoulder. They took I
seats on either side Of the dais in |
chairs provided for them. The SER
vices then commenced. /
E. Ito. who is in charge of this tenn
pie, made a brief address setting out
the hopes of those who had contrib
uIeO 10 the DuIl0lnS, ana Inen l0IFo-l
1uced Consul General Saito, who made
a brief address. He said that in ded-
cating this temple they must bear in
mind that it was dedicated to the
moral uplift of the Japanese people.
It was not meeting place for any
other purpose than moral advance
nent, and as such he hoped it would
be the center of much good and inf1u-
ance. Brief addresses were also made
by S. Shimizu, who is the superintend-
emit of the missions of this sect in
the Hawaiian Islands; Y. Kimura,
priest in charge at Kohala; T. Ikeda,
priest in charge at Honokaa; S. Ha-
media. priest in charge at Olaa, and K.
Amaki, priest in charge at Laupahoe-
hoe. ~-,' 1888 . -
Following these addresses, one of the
priests, still wearing his European
garb, carefully took from their wrap
pings of silk some engrossed texts
from Ruddha and these he irtODed