| Show KNELT th IN ASHES OF THEIR TEMPLE Chinese Paid Homage to Their Joss and Pro Propitiated Propitiated ro the Evil One 5 San Francisco April 25 With unwavering unwavering un wavering faith in the image of heaven twenty wenty t Chinese gathered in one deso desolate desolate late ate l spot of the ruins of Chinatown this morning and worshiped In lii full com corn compliance with the rites of their reli religion religion gion glon In the ashes of ot their temple they knelt and silently offered their pray prayers prayers prayers ers Prostrate In the smoldering wreck wreckage wreckage wreckage age before them was the charred trunk of or the graven image that once held the altar In the temple of Shaie Shale Tai Tal The fumes of fresh incense and sacred punks curled skyward all the dain dainties dam ties obtainable under the circum circumstances circumstances circumstances stances were spread In propitiatory of offering offerIng fering to the devil that no offense to that deity might bring a recurrence of the he t disaster No detail de tan was overlooked by the faithful Chinese who pleaded for mercy in behalf of the of their countrymen made homeless by the holocaust Touching Service This unique and touching service j took place in Waverly place where once stood the richest t Joss house of or ofSan orSan ofSan San Chinese quarter Last night the tire worshipers came across the bay from Oakland bringing two priests of the temple with Ith them At dusk they tried to find the ruins of their Joss Jose I house but were driven back by the military guards thrown in a wide cir clr circle circle cle cIe around the wrecked mansions of 01 Nob hill bill Early this morning they again made their way to Chinatown A special I policeman escorted them and after some parley got permission from the th r sentries for the performance of the ceremony in which the Orientals place their hope of future safety and salva salvation tion Uncovered Their Joss The ruins of the Joss house were soon found and a little digging uncovered the partly burned joss At first sight of ot the blackened wooden image the th Chinese Chi ese dropped to their knees They remained silent for a moment and then ther thenarose thenarose L Larose arose the priests chanting to the fall fail fallen fallen failen en Joss while the others spread out the offerings of food that had been beer I brought along For an hour the Chinese remained in ii 1 worship and then when they had com corn completed completed their appeal to the spirit of the th burned Joss they cautiously backed I from the sacred wreckage of the tem tern temple temple and after one final prayer mut muttered muttered muttered in unison returned to the thou thousands thousands thousands sands of destitute Chinese In the cities citler r across the bay The feast for the devil devi 1 was left beside the joss |
