The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1915-09-04
.BONFIRES HUGE AS : VOLCANOES USED IN
 ROYAL CEREMONY
Accession of Emperor Yoshi- hito Heralded By Gigan-
 tic Burst of Flames.

Tokio, Aug. 4-FireS bursting high from the peak of sacred Mount Fuji last night were not volcanic, some people who had not read the newspa- pers supposed. but were mere bon fires as a signal to the world of Japan that the great accession ceremonies of Emperor Yoshihito were approaching. The glare of the flames frightened the heavens for 8 hundred miles and as they scared upward with their message thousand-Inillions of the faithful were bowed in. prayer before their Shinto shrines beseeching happiness for their ruler-content, perfection and greatness for their country.
 The rite on F'uji's summit was ar ranged by Shinto priests and was at tended by a large company. It was a religious function which had no real connection with the official coronation program but was held to inspire the people with the significance and gran deur of the coming ceremony
 After the prayers for the glory of the reign of the Emperor the sacred sake wine was passed from lip to lip shrine.
 About 1,7oo persons, it is an- nounced, will attend the chief access sion ceremonies at Kyoto in Novem- Der. These will include the represen- tatives of the monarchs and presi-
 
 and princesses of the blood, officials of the Shinnin rank, the presidents, vice presidents and members of the Diet, princes, representatives of vari- ouS peers, as we'll as a representative oe the Shinto and Buddhist reli gions.. { The fact that no representative of Christianity has been invited to the ceremonies has caused a. controversy. Dr. 1Ichiki, Minister of Education, ex- plained that no Christions in Japan are accorded court rank, while the Buddhists and Shintoists are accorded the rank known as Chokunin. Not in the sense of attaching more import ance to the other religions, fsug ggests pr. Ichiki, but simply because Chris tianity in Japan has no representa- tive with an official rank, the imperial household commi ssion probably found 1t impossible to include a Christian delegate in the list of those who will attend the forthcoming coronation.
 Japanese Christians say they are not satisfied with this explanation They think that the Buddhist and the Shin to representatives have been invited not primarily because they hold the rank of Chokunin, but because they represent the Buddhist and Shinto reIi- gfous organizations. The Christians do not claim that they ought to have a representation in the ceremony, but they argue that when Christianity has
  Japan it will appear strange to for eign nations if they are not given an equal privilege with other reli gi ous bodies.
 A Japanese pastor of one of the leading Christian churches conferred with Count Olurna about the question, and the ,Premier promised to make an investigation.
 Preparations for the accession are occupying an army of workers All over the country devout men and wo- men are solemn1y and reIigtouslv do- tng their share in the task of getting ready for the great ceremony.
 At uTnogabatamura, near Kyoto, woodInen cut the trees that will fur nish the, timbers for one of the halls of the coronation rites This is the hall in which the ceremony of the imperial ancestors spirits will be held. The trees were cut down ac- 5cording to the ancient Shinto rites which makes this task of Telling tin- bers something of ceremony in itself First the woodmen were purified by Chinto priests. The first tree was then fe11edi with all due so1ennity. It was a. crytomeria- The branches were topped off and these together with the stump were burned as an offering to the god of the wood.
 Fifteen carts, attended by leading villagers oreSSed m .Ihe o1d 1aShoned costume of the Woodman and carry ing fans of the rising sun, will be used to bring the tirnbers to the site for the hall The villagers will draw and push these carts themselves, ac- companying their labors by the sing ing of the ancient iyari song. One hundred timbers will be brought to. Kyoto in this manner.
 Some. of the rice offered to the spirits of the imperial ancestors must come from the Yuki rice field, near Nagoya. And while this offering is made, it will be part of the cere- monies to have sung some of the rus tic idyls of the people of the village where the Yuki rice field is located.
 To prepare for this feature of the ceremony @ court musician is now spending his time in the Villages col lecting and arranging the rustic mel odies of farm life.