The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1910-06-24

are exposed az the street corners are
the nngRms, such representations OF
parts OF the human body M would
bring the police OF any American or
European city about tho ears OF
priests and vendors alike. Tho No
paullse temple. though containing
some fine carvings. IL 80 covered with
obscene figures that European ladies
are no longer allowed 70 entor. and
European men. unless coarse and vul.
gar. would blush TO be seen by any OF
their kind there
When one comes 10 the banks OF the
Gauges. he sees Hinduism in It's most
characteristic guise. for here 70 It's
holy waters come tens OF thousands
Of pilgrims every year to wash away
their sins They battle In II. they
throw il over their heads in ecstasy.
they dip beneath its waves In holy
glee. they drink It's horrible mixture OF
water and dirt at the mouth OF the
city sewers. and then they shiyeringly
stand upon the steps Of the bathing
CHAT and put on their strips OF dry
cloth
Many or the pilgrims are old men
and women. who have iourneyed hun
dreds OF miles. and whose lettering
steps will hardly support them TO the
bank OF the sacred stream and out
again But no matter. their sins have
been washed away in its dirty water,
and near by is the burning CHAT where.
In a few days or weeks at most. their
poor old bodies will be laid on pile
Of blazing sticks while curious tour
lists look with morbid eyes and hear
'the old thing sizzle." as | heard one
man express IT, No reverence. no
solemnity. no respect for the dead Is
incucated by such a disposition OF
the bodies in the most sacred spot In
all Hinduism Cremation is very we'll.
but such cremation,
Tie Monkey temple is another show
place for all visitors. where grinning
sinians that vault and caper over the
walls. and hang by their tails from the
trees within the enclosure. are con
sidered sacred and worshipped as
gods While the monkeys and cows
are petted. the rest OF the animal Gre
alton is hardly treated indeed. The
little racks Of bones. called horses.
that drag around the Benares vehicles.
are starved and beaten till they fall
In their tracks. and then they are
left to die in agony. for II Is a sin
in Hindu eyes TO kill and put them out
OF misery.
Human animals are scarcely better
treated. They live in squalid quarters.
in filth and wretchedness. in compar-
ison with which the worst purlieus in
our most ill-governed cities would be
comfort and dccency They live on
eight cents a day. and their wages
will average one-hundredth part OF the
worst paid laborers in America.
Yet these are the results OF the
philosophy and religion that are laud-
ed in some quarters in Boston and
other American cities: a religion that
be petted and adored by some foolish
men and Anticipated women
Compare such a city as | have de
scribed with any city In America. how
ever much ashamed we may be OF
some Of our municipalities Compare
Boston with Benares. and we have
cleanliness instead OF filth. stately
churches instead Of obscene temples.
beautiful cemeteries instead OF horri-
BE public burn ing CHATS. universal ed
ucation in place Of almost universal
illiteracy. fair days wages for fair
days work instead OF starvation for
man and beast 20 say the least. the
contrast Is not favorable 10 Benares
Copyright. 1910 by Joseph 2 BowiesJ