Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1917-04-19
News From The Orient.
Marking, Feb'y 8, 1917.

Last Saturday took an inter-
esting trip which l thought you might
like to hear about. Several of US. ac-
companied by Chinese teacher, went to
Bell Temple, He'll Temple, and up to the
old Drum Tower. The view from the
Tower top is very wonderful, and the
soldiers there were very nice to US. 1t
is so extremely cold up there, that one
wonders how they keep from freezing,
with only their little brass, charcoal foot
stoves, even though they do wear heavily
padded clothing. | have told you about
the Drum Tower in one of my earlier
letters SO will tell you about the Temples
In the Bell Temple there is large iron
bell, sixteen feet high and weighing
46, 900 pounds. The structure of the Tenn
pie is iron, necessary of course to sup
port the bell. The story of the bell runs
thus. The maker was told that in order
to give the bell beautiful tone he must
sacrifice some thing. SO his three dauph-
ters. in filial devotion and to please the
gods, plunged into the molten metal
Now in the Temple are three images of
these girls dressed in the loveliest of red
silk, their hair adorned with flowers and
ornaments and looking really beautiful.
Every year people bring them new clothes
as by so doing they lay up grace for
themselves in the future life. They also
pay to have the bell rung, for thus they
obtain favor with the gods.
In He'll Temple are enough sights to
last life time. AS you enter, the pleas
ant sight of dozens of collins piled up
high, greets your eye Most of them are
unoccupied, but there were number of
occupied ones. Next came a gilt deity,
he was of the upper world, and beside
his throne stood angels and the gods of
thunder and lightning, while at his feet
lay sacred dog. In this part of the
Temple were the smallpox gods, their
faces spotted in hideous manner. To
these the people make sacrifices to get
rid of smallpox or to be kept from it.
w ME We were lIlCIS a llluiI III, Nv
row of candles, burned incense, and
bowed reverently before the gods. Then
he got down on his knees and bowed his
head to the ground several times. can
not tell you all, but must hurry on and
tell you some of the dreadful sights we
saw in this place One of the most ter
ribe looking creatures is big fellow
who summons mortals from earth to this
dreadful place He knows where every
person lives and takes the devils to get
them. Another, a huge black image
with glarng eyes and long skinny arms,
so real looking | expected to see them
move, is the one who comes after people
who die in the night. Unflial sons and
daughters are being punished by being
beaten and cut up into all sorts of fan
tastic shapes. A priest was there trying
to get his mother out of her awful pri on.
There was a mountain of knives with
people stuck on them; people were being
turned into various kinds of animals;
there was most horrible looking snake
with woman's head. The punishment
for suicide was depicted by creature
with bleeding eyes, ears, nose and mouth.
There were angels who, from time to
time, overlook all the inmates and add
vance them according to the way in which
they are working out their punshments.
There are ten kings or deities IN Hell
Temple and each one has charge of GER
tain definite punishment. There certain
ly are many things in this place which
make you do great deal of thinking
and the one which impressed me so much
was the Look Home Tower. On the top
of tower stood a man with a look of
great longing on his face. The Chinese
believe that when a man dies his soul is
Ioath to leave home, friends, and rela-
tives, and so he is allowed to stay for
three days on this tower, then he must
depart into the lower region. Some time
am going back to this temple with
Chinese that can speak good English and
take notes on all the images and also
take some pictures.
February 10.
So sorry did not get my letter finish
ed February 8. On my way home from
school stopped at post office, and got two
packages from the United States. The
contents were fine and muchappreciated.
From the post Office went to see sick
girl, came home, and taught my English
class, and ty that time night had come,
and there was no time to write. Yester-
day three more Xmas packages reached
me. | might almost say birthday pres
ents, for in two days that eventful day
arrives.
think | have sent you pictures and
told you about the beautiful hill not far
from US. There is such picturesque
pagoda and temple on the top, and from
here the cannons boom each day at noon.
The temple is known as the North Pole
S tar Temple, and is Taoist Temple. In
Chinese the name sounds like Bud Gee
Go. This hill also serves as burial
ground. Near the foot we discovered a
tablet, sacred with the Chinese, with
this inscription in English: 1.-The Boundry
Of Chin Mon, Graves of Died Patriots.
Though so near the hill, we made the
ascent yesterday for the first time, and
Oh! what magnificent view of the city !