Putnam patriot., 1913-10-24
Another Interesting Letter From China
A Day at Kushan Monastery

Thou shalt have no other gods before me,
 For I, the Lord thy God, am jeal- ous God
 Thousands of years ago "thus spake the Lordn to his people, Today well may kipling exclaim, "Thy mercy on thy people, Lord,' for thousands con tinue to bow before graven images. 1 am now writing, not of our Western idols of self and Mammon, but of liter al images, most hideous and repulsive statues, and of their worshippers, men made in the image of God, created to glorify and worship Him only. Upon whom rests the guilt-upon these soul blind devotees of Buddha or upon 'us who have never told them of the liv- ing God?
 Some ten miles from Foochow nest ling at the foot of Kushan Drum Mt.) Peak is an old Buddhist monastery. the home of over four hundred Chinese priests, said to have been founded in S99 A. D. This is training school for
  they scatter all over the province. If you will sit down and listen l will tell YOU a never-to- be- forgotten day that spent recently within and about these heathen temples. Oh, that l could make you see and feel the awfulness of idol worship as l saw and felt 1t that day. Our party consisted of twenty three missionaries, of five different de- nominations. Our object was a picnic, a sightseeing trip, in much the same split as we would visit museum at home, but God grant that we took away lesson and that our spirits do not get too accustomed and hardened to the dense darkness with which we so often come in contact.
 First imagine one of earth's loneliest spots of natural beauty, small valley surrounded by immense peaks, filled with grand old trees, huge ferns and feathery bamboo. It is a secluded spot, no sound being heard save bell, worked by waterwheel, which strikes regularly every ten seconds The quiet and beauty give one de- licious feeling of rest and freedom from the worlds rush and cares. Even the monastery is picturesque with its quaint village-like appearance, Its con tipuous roofs covering some score of buildings that surround three higher gorgeous structures. the temples, each succeeding one being higher than the other. The first one contains the de- mons to protect the Buddhas in the inner shrine. 1 have seen idols and idols but never mole ferocious, hideous ones than the five gigantic, brazen figures brandishing weapons in protec- tion of the gods. They were all secure ly encased in glass, but their LOOKS were savage enough to frighten oil in- vaders.
 Passing through the first hall one en- ters a large, open court with an artl' dicial reservoir and stone bridge. Up several stone steps is the real worship room where ''the heather in his blind- ness bows down to wood and stone v The dimensions of this building must be fully 100x150 feet. It is beautifully enriched with red and gilt lacvuor and profusely adorned with flowers and images. Beautiful inscriptions, deco rated lamps and huge Chinese lanterns, altars adorned with urns and fine old china attract the eye in every direc- ton with their rich colors. At the front of this Grand Court are thiee mammoth Buddhas between thirty and forty feet high resting on gilded lotus flowers. They represent the Buddhist Trinity. Facing them the whole floor is filled with low wooden platforms regularly arranged, each bearing a round, well-worn grass mat upon which the worshippefs kneel. At either side of the hall are nine huge figures, representing the eighteen priests who brought Buddhism to China. The incense is burning before them. As we stand looking priest brings a bowl of smoking food and pIsces il reverently before one of the idols. In all the buildings are images everywhere, hundreds ot them, oi all sizes. One medium-sized one had twelve pairs of hands, very large one had more than twice as many. but enough about idols; they were almost innumerable and indeseHbable.
 The worshippers were more interest ing, young men and old, with shaven heads and long gray robes. We saw them at dinner, heard them chant grace, and then watched the long rows of men silently eat the rice and Nege- tables from the three bowls allotted to each one. The kitchen was equally as interesting where the food for several hundred was cooked by the wholesale. Among the numerous halls, reception rooms and shrines were the recitation hall. regeneration pavilion, noisy water dell. drum tower, the Chinese officials reception hall, dragon head spring and huena vista. The pond Of dife, con- structed to avert plague that in lloo A. b. was destroying the priests Is made attractive by the swarm oi hsh which the visitor may feed with Chinese biscuit, bought near by al the price of two for cent.
 Several years ago missionary on trip similar to ours spoke to one oi the