The Lutheran Pioneer St. Louis — 1932, Page 173

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‘THE LUTHERAN PIONEER

173

of these totem-poles are erected, but a plain shaft
of marble is set up instead, with the likeness of
the deceased carved out of the square block of white
marble. The eyes, nose, and lips thus carved are
painted an intense black or red to bring out the
prominence of the features. This is the Indians’
idea of a death-mask and as such is interesting, even
in its ugliness; for it shows that the influence of
the missionaries has been instrumental in removing
heathenish ideas and superstitions, while it also
plainly indicates that the red man’s ideas of life
and death, as far as the immortality of the soul is
concerned, still endure, though now purified by the
teachings of the Christian religion, the Gospel of
Jesus Christ.

Thus the blessed Gospel cleanses and enlightens
wherever it is brought. Never has it been brought
in contact with people without also bringing its
blessings; and even where people reject its spir-
itual blessings, they are enjoying the material bless-
ings which follow the preaching of Christ.

F. J. L.

A Banquet for the Bonze’s Clothes.

A wealthy man of Kyoto, Japan, lost his father
by death and decided to invite the famous Buddhist
priest Ikkyu to grace the funeral with his presence.
A messenger was sent to Ikkyu to ask him to con-
duct the funeral. The bonze accepted the invita-
tion. After his acceptance, Ikkyu took soot and
blackened himself, put on ragged clothes, a ragged
straw cape over his shoulders, and thus arrayed,
betook himself to the house of mourning.

At the entrance of the house he stopped and

begged for alms. Of course, nobody recognized the
famous Buddhist bonze Ikkyu in the dirty dress of
the beggar. When the owner of the house heard
the beggar’s whine, he in anger arose and ordered
his servants to drive him away. ‘The servants seized
sticks, severely belabored Ikkyu, and threw him out
on the street. The bonze returned to the temple
and thought over the incident.

The result of his thinking Ikkyu thus expressed :
“They are quite ordinary people. Though the body
of their dead relative lies in the house, they are so
coarse that they order a poor beggar flogged. It is
plain: to me that they only want me at the funeral
to satisfy their vanity. The whole funeral display
is to be virtually a sign-board with their own names
on it. But-mercy me!” And with that he passed

his hand over his aching bones.

The funeral was to be the next day. Ikkyu
bathed, put on his rich priests vestments, together
with the gold-braided i:esa, or stole, and proceeded
to the rich man’s house.

All thronged to the doorway to greet him upon
his arrival. THe was invited to take the place of
honor on a cushion before the coffin; but Ikkyu did
not stir from his position at the entrance of the
room. Even the explanation of the family that he
was occupying the place set aside for the servants
could not induce him to change his position.

At Japanese burials the best dishes of the
funeral banquet are put before the honored guests,
especially before the officiating bonze. Ikkyu re-
mained standing in the doorway while they put
a richly decorated table before his cushion.

At length the time came when the coffin was to
be carried out, and there was nothing left for Ikkyu
to do but to go ahead of the procession. He now
took off his ‘esa and his rich robes, laid them on
the floor and — spilled the entire meal on the kesa
and vestments.

All present stood speechless. Then Ikkyu
turned to the head of the house: “Yesterday you
set your servants on me, when I came to your
door in the garb of a beggar; to-day you are in-
viting me to this funeral banquet. I cannot under-
stand it at all. The Ikkyu that came here yester-
day was none other than the bonze Ikkyu of to-
day. Yesterday, of course, my dress was somewhat
different; so the food there could not have been
intended for Ikkyu, but for Ikkyu’s dress. If I were
to eat of that food, I should be sinning against my
dress, for I should be taking for my use what is
intended for it. Far be it from me to do such a
grievous wrong!” ; i

The head of the house and all the family, were
struck with consternation, and Ikkyu left them: be-
fore they recovered. later the head of the family
apologized to the bonze, and Ikkyu pardoned him
and his coarse treatment. But the funeral cere-
monies were not honored with the presence of the
famous bonze Ikkyu. F. J. L.

A South-India Outcaste Village.

A hundred yards or more from nearly every
main village is a little hamlet of fifty or sixty
miserable mud-and-thatch sheds of the simplest
character. As you approach, a half-starved dog
comes yelping towards you; then a man covered

_ with a coarse blanket of goat’s hair comes forward.