Metropolis weekly gazette. (Metropolis, Ill.) 1???-19??, 1914-09-04
OLD | SH|NTO RITE
Fire Walking Practiced by An
oient Religious Sect
Believed In Japan Ceremony Antedates
Human Family, the Code Having
Observed II In Their Progress
Toward perfect Purity"

rites OF the Shinto sect. which they
claim is indigenous to Japan. Buddhism
was imported from India via China
and Korea The nation Is not divided
into two distinct sections, however, as
the teachings are 30 thoroughly inter-
fused that the number belonging ex-
clusively to either Is comparatively
small. Every Japanese child at birth
is placed by its parents under the pro
lection of a Shinto deity. The Shinto
religion Is a compound OF ancestor
worship and nature-worship, and does
not give any ethical teachings beyond
@obeying the decree OF the emperor"
and following the natural impulse of
right"
"Shinto" Ia Chinese word mean.
ing the way of the gods" There are
gods and goddesses innumerable:
Goddess of the sun. and god OF the
moon. god OF the wind, fire and food.
OF the ocean, mountains, rivers. trees
and temples. The rite of IRE walking
Is believed to antedate the human fam
lily, the gods having observed II In
their progress toward perfect purity
which Ia the fulfillment Of life. II 10
observed twice annually, and was wit
messed BY the writer on recent visit
TO Japan al the Temple Of onsak.
Kudan.
On two sides Of the temple court >
platform was raised overlooking the
court and seats reserved for the en-
bassies and visitors TO witness this
most ancient and interesting ceremony.
In the court, which In holy ground"
the pyre was built on strictly pre-
scribed lines and OF purest material
First layer OF straw which was COW
cred with sand from the seashore care
fully 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 vide
and eighteen feet long. This was light
ed In the early morning and Was
famed continually with long-handled
fans and whipped with thin boards un-
III It was glowing mass OF live coal
The ceremony begins At dusk and Ii =
prolonged affair The temple priests
dressed IN white march around and
around tanning the ash always 20 the
center. and casting handfuis Of salt.
which they take IN passing from a
large bowl placed conveniently near.
AT each end OF the pyre a canvas
mat Is spread covered thickiy with
salt. on which the priests rub their
bare feet They breathe nominations
with a peculiar swishing sound 80 for
elgn TO our ears. and stop al frequent
intervals 10 ges,iculate. twist their I'm
gers and spread their hands out over
the fire. urging the evil spirits 10 de-
part. II was a weird scene, and one
which claimed our closest attention.
Finally the chief priest entered.
dressed In long loose robe with flow
Ing sleeves and fastened At the wrist
with a girdle. He walked deyouty to
the end OF the pyre and. bowling his
head low over his unclasped hands.
dedicated the pyre to the god and
prayed him 10 descend on the bed. A
prolonged pause ensued: then . priest
struck . spark from flint on steel. and
II was supposed the invitation was Ac-
cepted
The chief priest walked with calm
dignity across the bed, followed by the
other priests apparently obliyious Of
the tremendous heat which seemed I'M
bearable to the spectators 80 feet
away. The crowd pressed forward
and participated. old and young. chill
dren being carried or led by their par
snts and the very aged carried on the
shoulders OF young men. II Was GER
tainly a most impressive ceremony. an
they all seemed possessed with GER
tain religious fervor that made them
unconscious O. burns.
As they walked so calmly. occasion
ally one would pick up his foot and
hop along; then he would seem 10 re-
member II was an acknowledgment OF
impurity and he would place his foot
firmly down and walk on. II they are
pure In spirit, they are immune and
can traverse the bed with perfect safe
ty; and this rite IL the test of perfect
purity.
While the procession was In progress
the travelling companion OF the writer,
an American girl. slipped away I'M
noticed and appeared In the arena
Gathering her clothes closely about
her, she walked on the bed Of ccais
fearlessly and absolutely without burn
ing. When the audience realized II
was foreigner making the test they
gave her tremendous ovation. On
inquiry II she found II hot. she replied
that she did not linger long enough to
test the degree of heat.
The Japanese theory is that the
spirit Of water descends from the moon
and drives the spirit OF FIRE from the
Goals, and the lesson taught by the
rite is that evil may be driven from
the heart OF man and only good sur
yive. The only explanation OF their
being able TO walk without burning 70
the normal mind Is that the salt cools
the surface OF the ted After the cere-