Evening star., 1914-07-19

<<f TIWATARI," or the miracle OF
III IRE ~slalas." l,,s:, is s,ss one o3 Of the the
Shnto sect, which they claim is lnolee
nous to .Iapan. Buddhism was imported
from India via China and Korea. Inc
nation is not divided into two distinct
sections. however, as the teachings are
so thoroughly interfused that the num-
ber belonging exclusively to either IS
comparatively small Every japanese
child at birth is placed by its parents
under the protection of Shinto deity.
The Shinto religion is a compound ot
ancestor worship and nature worship.
and does not give any ethical teachings
beyond ''obeyins the decree OF the en-
peror' and following the natural i'm
pulse Of right"
'Shinto" is Chinese word meaning
the way of the gcds." There are gods
and goddesses innumerable: Goddess Of
the sun, and god Of the moon. goo OF
the wind. fire and food. Of the ocean
mountains. rivers, trees and temples
antedate the human family, the gods
having observed it in their progress to-
ward perfect purity. which IS the lui-
f1llment of life. 1T is observed twice an
on a recent visit TO Japan at the Temple
Of Ontak, kudan.
On two sides of the temple court
platform was raised overlooking the court
and seats reserved for the embassies and
visitors TO witness this most ancient and
interesting ceremony. In the court.
which is "hoy ground" the pyre was
built on strictly prescribed lines and Of
purest material. First a layer of straw
nd ho
seashore carefully screened to insure
purity then logs or sticks of pine. and
this was covered with charcoal about
twenty inches Deep
The bed was about seven feet wide
ard eighteen feet long. This was lighted
in the early morning anu was tanned
continually with lons-handled fans and
whipped with thin boards until it was
glowing mass of live coal. The cere-
mony begins at dusk and is a prolonged
affair. The temple priests dressed In
white march around and around tanning
The ash always to the center % and &C casting
ing from a large bowl placed conve-
niently near.
At each end of the pyre canvas mat is
spread covered thickly with salt. on which
the priests rub their bare feet. They
breathe incantations with peculiar
washing sound so foreign to our ears,
and stop at frequent Intervals to gesticu-
late, tWlSt their nnSerS ana spread lHelt
hands out over the fire. urging the evil
spirits to depart. 1t was weird scene,
and one which claimed our closest at
tention.
Finally the chief priest entered, dressed
in a long loose robe with flowing
sleeves and fastened at the waist with
a girdle. He walked devoutly to the end
of the pyre and. bowling his head low
over his unclasped hands. dedicated the
pyre to the god and prayed him to de-
scend on the he'd. 4 prolonged pause en-
sued: then a priest struck spark from
flint on steel, and 1t was supposed the
invitation was accepted.
The chief priest walked with calm dig
nifty across the bed. followed by the 9TH
er priests, apparently oblivious of the tre-
mendous heat which seemed unbearable
to the spectators thirty feet away. The
crowd pressed forward and participated
old and young. children being carried
or led by their parents and the very
aged carried on the shoulders of young
men. 1t was certainly a most impressive
ceremony. as they all seemed possessed
with a certain religious fervor that made
them unconscious Of burns
AS they walked SO calmly, occasion
ally one would pick up his foot and hop