The Birmingham age-herald., 1910-12-18


 the doctrine that the earth was made for their especial benefit, and that everything else in it ought to be subordlnated to tneir pleasure But what is to be done about it? At any one of the temples there Is also perfect host of pigeons-doves, they are often called though they are nc such thing. These too are fed by strang- CTS tiny sacks of grain being sold on the spot for that purpose. The whirr of their wings as they sweep down to gather up the scattered wheat reminded me much of the similar display at St. Marks in Ven
 lce- Protected by distorted piety, they multiply, flourish, grow fat. and die, hay ing filled no useful part In the economy or lire Let me say here that I had no personal temptation to kill any of them
 Ever since I was fed for six weeks on broied squab in Johns Hopkins hosnita, have my doubts whether they ought to De eaten-these doubts not in the interest or me squab, but of human creatures
 ot the temples themselves, I am not competent to speak with any authority
 Some things, however, may be ss felv said
 First, they are not grand. Built lightly and of wood, they are not for a momenr 10 De compared with those miracles in stone, the medieval Christian cathedrals lhen general style of architecture is not uist'nctly Japanese. Even the Shinto temples show signs of foreign influence
 and those of the Buddhist sects follow almost wholly Chinese and Indian models
 secondly, none of them are ancient. Ii IS necessary to replace them every 5o years Indeed those at Ise are torn down anu Ieoullt every 20 years. As each new one however, takes the exact place, anc is pullt on the exact lines of it's prede- cessor, they have an air of antiquity about them. In isolated instances some may be found that are themselves 2CO years old. doubt whether there Is an oiocr one in all the islands. The interior work which is always preserved and passed on shows the highest artistIc skiil. In wood carving and painting. the Japanese are easily the equals of the fore most artists in the world and may chal lenge comparison with all corners How many temples and shrines are prouned together on this particular spot I do not know; put there are many of them, each wi,h US own particular staff of priests ana its own alliances. Ordinarily only few persons come to worship. But on the great festival days the thronrs ire immense. It must be said that they turn these occasions into holidays, and i'll tneln With fun and frolic. But do we not oo likewise with our holy Christmas sea sonY Let us not throw too many stones at the heather till our own skirts are clear. Usage requires that those who frequent the altars should bring some of- ierlng with them. Such offerings arc nearly always small coppers of the smallest denominations being generally useo' large box or chest stands con Nenient 10 receive them. When the cro"d IS great they are pitched at this chest in streams. Many of them miss the mark and roll upon the floor R,t priest or servitor is there with his little pro"m to sweep them up and put them wrere presumably-fromt the priestly poini or VleW-they will do the most good
 III me immediate vicinity of the temnles IS the famous big bell. It Is nearly 12y years old, having been cast in 74e A n
 It's weight is 40 tons Like other east. ern bells t Is withontga a. cIapper,s.and aie Iung py means of beam of wood abou, ~ rect long. which is su3pended on Dull | eys so that it can be pulled hac, a i turned loose. For one cent anvbo61 tba chooses to do so may go through the ner- romance. Twenty years ago sbouId poss'oiy nave done 1t on my own &C., couht' Rut at 50 I have no great stool, oI surplus energy to be expended in that way. So allowed MT. Moseley to do tbs ringing while I listened No sweater or sacoer tone ever f1oated on the air. F,ven the melody seemed to be charged with pess'mistic suggestions. There was n, noee Of victory, no jubilant appeaI I'd 'ase ana nope, such as we often hear rom european and American chimes. EVen the music of Buddhism proolajms
 as It were. the necessity of submtssio,, of inevitable fate. There are four other or lnesc notably big bells in Japan, besides many that though really large. do moi neiong in the same Class: two in Kvoto weisnlng respectively 63 and "A tons. and one at Osaka, weighing 136 tons This las kwhich far surpasses all the rest in size was cast as late as 1905. Though not qul'e certain of the facts, I suppose ina IL has no companion in size in all tbe world -} "'i 'ne l Ines Maya Daibutsu is also the oIdest one Tn Japan, though not considered so ne work or art as the one at Kama
 Aura. Except the head which is a 17th century restoration, the image dates from the. middle of the sth century. Ii is sa,l rect high, the face alone being Is feef | iong and s3a feet wide. Occupying a sit ting posture, with. legs crossed and th,, nsht hand uplifted, 1t presents a most strjKing picture, though I shall not rave about "the eternal calm of the counte- nance The building by which if is sbaI- tered is 29o feet long, ITO deep and 15s bieh
 u IS now being virtually rebuilt m i. scale or real magnifcence. large mart or the money for this restoration has hser provided by the government, the rest oelnk gwen by private persons. On steel p'aeuce prominently displayed are ths ,iaaNes .ta oi Hunureos of such donors. Among these names l saw many of Euronaa nS ana Americans, men and won,en Ono was offered to me for the us,,oI oov.,s' Hne atioh' put declined the honor. In many other temples, the names of benefa ctors are simply written on boards. and tbose are stood or hung in rows about the nor ticoes For as small & sum as one ven '. 5o cents. 1t is possible to purchase tha rrSD carious immortality Of such publicity T wonder whether plan like this might not oe an 1nducement to generosity in some oI our so-called Christian churches. An pesAns as it does to human vanity. tt woulo no doubt open some close and will try,i ''o'ouy
 Along side, of the Daibutsu,s abode .nsIe IS ? museum dating from the Sth cFptury. and containing all the articles
 apou. oooV in number, in use in the Elm peIor t'a : court of that day. The descrip- .ion oi mem given by Captain Brinkley III DIS Japan and China" stir in . strong desire to see them: but thev arc not except upon rare occasions. open to the punlic Just outside the park there anotner museum of antiquities unto wnicn wn admission Is granted for small rec ana Tn which I spent several delight Iui hours, It IS particularly rich in spe- temples in the province havinr contrih,,t- ed to it the best of their stocks. many of the statues in wood and bronze heinz 1000 or 1900 years old. Besides these ara