The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1907-03-29
THE ORDEAL BY FIRE
A Hindoo Ceremony That Puzzles
the Unlnltiated.
,IAlK OVER GLOWING GOALS
The Participants In the MystifyinS
Spectacle Play With the Fiery Em'
esrs a. Children Play With Sane
and Emerge unharmed.

ordeal by hre at Benares, India. Ii
was held on the grounds OF villa on
the outskirts OF the city, aud among
men and women OF Official and social
life in British India. Army ami navy
officers touched elbows with French
savsnts, all more than glad TO accept
sn invitation that might at least ofer
opportunity either TO catch some clew
toward solving ths mystery OF the In
dian tirs ordeal OF else catch the priest
ly performers in Il nice trap at cOnsum-
mate and age long deception, success
fully worked among supelSttious
and o-srcredulous people like the Hin
doOs
Seats had beeu arranged for our par
" out on the spacious lawn, where
trench had been dug sixteen feet long.
six feet wide and four feet deep. The
fire in the trench was lighted before
noon. hut the ordeal itself was not 10
come of until after sunset. The trench
WAS filed with kindlng wood and logs
and was set atire 10y the attendants,
who kept up blaze rs hot as blast
furnace all day long, until the trench
by sunset was filled three feet deep
with y compact glowing bed OF red
hot Goals
We were escorted to our seats at
about $50. and we were not inclined
10 question the reality of that fire from
the moment We sat down within twelve
Of IL al igh hp
fraud or hypnotism In this Indian fire
ordeal we could not for moment
doubt the realism of that scorching
heat that made our eyes smart AMI
grow bloodShot. We, who had come to
scOft and doubt. were soon realizing
that tie managers Of the Beuares fire
ordeal had already gained - points out
OF loO i'm favor of their honesty and Of
their power over the mighty element
OF IRE that figures SO largely in orien-
tai philosophy as one OF the three or
four primal elements of the physical
universe
A great cOmmotion AMI 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
10 walk mharmed through that yard
thick nery bed, scntillating 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
hypcrcritiCal and given 10 scientific re
search. were awaiting the coming OF
the moment when our ~ per cent o.
Credulity was either 10 bc shattered o.
rounded out TO the fulneSs of a com
plctrd and abiding faith In TIndoo
control and mastery Of the devouring
element of FIRE. our IIindoo fellow on
look prs ON tho other hand, were antiCi
patiuG tho ordeal with all the simple
ity ~ crcdulOus children. Ours was an
almost terrifying heart tension, and W"
almost wished that We were not ocCi
dental Skeptjcs. always bent on doubt
Ing things OF an extraordinary nature
Tie priests marched about the trench
chanting and performing mystic mean
tations. carrying along glass rcliqu
Rry. or shrine. in which was soen the
| ins 20 OF the god silva, who, in the
Hin loo religious system, is one or In"
| trinity and is wOrshiped rs the dc
stroFer Brnhma being the creator and
| Nisluu the preserver OF the universe
We 10 not know 10 this day what thOS"
pricst said ~ they peramhulstcd
| about that fiery trench but we do
| know what soon followed. for AT The
end OF the incarnation. the two candi-
dates FOR the ordeal plunged into the
! rednot Goals and walked ankle deeI'
| the whole length OF the trench, back
| ward and forward, time and time
| again. They played with that scintl
| la,ng. glowing fire az children play
! with the sands OF Coronado beach
! kicking IL with their feet and stopping
down to pick up haDdfuls ~ the glow
| ing Goals. tossing them In the air, n
bc blown by the rising evening breeze
all over our heads and our easily in
| fammsble clothing We were really
afraid No doubt about those spark
and live, falling Goals.
! w Den tDe TWO Dli'NtS udb Nhih'p VIZ
and down alone through that fiery
trench unscathed and unscOrchcd.
then the whole Hindoo throng seemed
70 suddenly catch the spirit Of their
priests. and, sure ~ their conquest ove'
the power OF fre, they began plunsing
into The trench Old men and young
children walked through that fiery fuG
mace. forward and backward, and
when they had tired Of this playing
with hre" they came out as they had
entered. not a hair or garment
scOrched. not even the soles o. their
feet blistcred
Only males are allowed 10 20 through
the Gre ordeal
Never vet hss snv scientific theory
explained th. power ~ the silva wOr
slippers over fro We ourselves we're
absolutely convinced that trlckery was
no, 10 he considered as an explanation