OCR Text |
Show A letter in a St. Louis paper gives an account of a Chinese Joss house in New York, in which all tho pagan ceremonies connected with tho religion relig-ion of Confucius are practiced. It is situated iu the Five Points, but is confined con-fined only to a room not more than 15x20 feet square in the second story of ft tumble-down tenement. The latter describes the pagan paraphernalia parapher-nalia proper as follows: Over the alter, which was a common com-mon deal table, hanging against the wall was the God Joss, painted upon up-on thick canvas, and measuring about two feet in length. Behind old Joss and looking over hia left shoulder is the God of Evil, while, on the right, and looking over the right shoulder ia the God of Righteousness. Old Joss has a very kindly countenance, and wears a huge mustache some ten inches in length. The Gud of Evil is tis black as ink, and glares ferociously fero-ciously over JiW shoulder. The God cf Righteousness is beard lees, and, without a mustache, looks like a woman. On either aide of Joss two pillais of wood, about two inches in diameter, run up to within six inches of Joss head, and they are surmounted surmount-ed by lamps filled with holy oil, from which tapers protrude halt an inch.l In front of thy idol is a China basin, a foot in diameter, filled with Chinese earth. In this earth aro stuck Joss sticks of different lengths. These sticks are composed of a center piece of wood as thick as a darning needlo, surrounded by u substance that burns like punk, and gives a pcrlume not unlike frankincense when lighted. When Ah Sin, tho old man who presides in the temple, or any of the tribe go forward to pray, they light the Joss stick, whoso lengih repre sents the particular prayer they are to ofler to old Joss, as well as the tapers on the summit of the pillars. 'I he idol-worshiper then kneels before the idol and prays until tho tapor burns out, when he has made his peace with the Joss, and turns away to the tablo at the opposite end ol the room, where he gambles at a game similar to dominoes, after, which opium smoking seems to be en r.yl And this in the Christian city of New York whero $20,000,000 is invested in church edifices. |