The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1907-03-21
THE ordeal BY FIRE.
A Hindoo Ceremony That Puzzles
the Uninitiated.
WALK OVER eLowlne GOALS.

1870 - SF1A -Sst
The Participants 10 the Mystifyins
Spectacle Play With the Fiery Em-
bsrs as Children Play With Sand
and Emerge Unframed.
I once Witnessed most remarkable
ordeal by Gre at Benares, India. 1t
was held on the grounds OF a villa on
the outskirts Of the city, and among
us were some OF the most prominent
men aud women or official and social
life In British India. Army and navy
officers touched elbows with French
an invitation that might at least offer
opportunity either 10 catch some cIew
toward solving the mystery OF the In
dian Gre ordeal or else catch the priest
iy performers in n nice trap at consum-
mate and age long deception, success
fully worked among a superstitious
and oyercredulous people like the Hin
docs.
Seats bad been arranged fcr our par
zy out on the spacious lawn, where
trench had been dug sixteen feet long,
six feet wide and -FOUR feet deep. The
dire In tie trench was lighted before
noon. but the ordeal itself was not to
come on until after sunset. Tie trench
was filled with klndling wood and logs
and was set afire by the attendants,
who kept upsa blaze us hot as blast
furnace all day long, until the trench
by sunset was filed three feet deep
with a compact glowing bed OF red
hot Goals.
We were escorted to our seats at
about $50. and we were not inclined
TO question the reality of that fire from
the moment we sat down within twelve
feet OF i. Whatever else might be
fraud or hypnotism In this Indian fire
ordeal. we could not for moment
doubt the realism OF that scorchlng
heat that made our eyes smart and
grow bloodshot We, who had come to
seof and doubt, were soon realizing
that the managers of the Benares FIRE
ordeal had already gained 20 points out
OF 100 In favor or their honesty and OF
their power over the mighty element
OF Ore. that figures SO largely in orien.
tal philosophy as one of the three or
four primal elements of the physical
universe.
A great commotion and babel of
voices soon proclaimed the coming Of
the procession OF priests, headed by
the arch priest Brahmapoots, carrying
huge Indian sword. followed by the
two minor priests who were destined
to walk unharmed through that yard
thick fiery bed, scintilIating in the in
creasing darkness and lighting up the
dark faces OF the hundreds OF gaping
Hindoos standing behind us While
we Europeans and Americans, always
hypercritcal and given to scientific re-
search. were awaiting the coming OF
the moment when our 20 per cent OF
credulIty was either to be shattered or
rounded out TO the fullness OF com
pleted and abiding faith in Hindoo
control and mastery of the devouring
element OF fire. our Hindoo fellow on
lockers. on the other hand, were antici.
pating the ordeal with all the simple
lily Of credulous children. Ours was an
almost terrify ing heart tension. and we
slmost wished that we were not occi-
dental skeptics. always bent on doubt
ing things of an extraordinary nature.
The priests marched about the trench
chanting and performing mystic mean
airy. or shrine, In which was seen the
image of the god silva. who. in the
Hindoo religious system, is one OF the
trinity and Is worshlped as the de-
stroyer, Brahma being the creator and
vishnu the preserver OF the universe.
We do not know TO this day what those
priests said as they perambulated
about that fiery trench. but we do
know what soon followed, for, ut the
end OF the incantation, the two eandi-
dates for the ordeal plunged into the
redhot Goals and walked ankle deep
the whole length OF the trench, back
ward and forward, time and time
again. They played with that scintil.
iating glowing fire as children play
with the sands OF Coronado beach.
kicking Il with their feet and STOPPING
down 10 pick up handouts of the glow
ing Goals, tossing them In the air. TO
be blown by the rising evening breeze
all over our heads and our easily In
finmmable clothing We were really
afraid No doubt about those sparks
and live. failing Goals!
When the two priests had walked up
and down alone through that fiery
trench unscathed and unscorched.
then the whole Hindoo throng seemed
to suddenly catch the spirit OF their
priests. and. sure of their conquest over
the power OF fire, they began plunging
Into the trench. Old men and young
children walked through that fiery fur.
mace. forward and backward. and
when they had tired OF this playing
with fire. they came ont as they had
entered. not a hair or garment
seorched. not even the soles Of their
feet biistered.
Only males are allowed to go through
the IRE ordeal!