Salt Lake Telegram | 1930-10-26 | Page 5 | A Colorful Jewel

h A C I ful J. J I i In a drab b setting th this hi 0 or ewe joss JOIl temple waS was dis discovered by federal narcotic officers officer in a raid on Salt Lakes Lake's Chinatown China China- town lown Wednesday The shrine brine highly ornamented offered striking contrast to the squalid surroundings Ung Figures in inthe inthe inthe the background represent deities and the whole e ensemble of sacred symbols is wora worshipped to o pro propitiate m many gods god i a aI I r s 5 S I 1 S JS i Y 3 g 5 I 1 L I Furnishings of Raided Joss House Show Depth of pf Reverence Inspired by J. J Ch Chinese n se Worship S A colorful and brilliant j Jewel was found bund in a 3 drab and tarnished setting setting set- set ting Ing Wednesday when federal nar nar- agents battered their t ay through Salt Lik Lakes Lake's s Chinatown In Plum alley in one oie of ot a a. series of at r raids that netted sixteen alleged drug rug dealers and a a. quantity of drugs i i S But this has pot not to do with drugs except In Juxtaposition They P oy are hideous and und vicious The Jewel jowel is It Is a Chinese th tho photograph photograph pho- pho of was obtained by a n Telegram photographer photograph r accompanyIng accompany- accompany Ing ng the tho o half halt score of ot agents under the he direction of at W W. Vosco Call United States marshal and Charles W. W Robbins Bobbins federal narcotic agent In n charge of ot the Salt Lake gation RARE PHOTOGRAPH Incidentally it is one of ot the few t photographs ever secured Of Ot a a. Joss jose house louse But a a. camera Jens ns is incapable ot grasping tho the beauty of ot color or the richness and delicacy of ot texture After Aler forcing through three doors Of f t the Chinese h house uso th the agents came upon the on the third floor A 4 ARECE RECE RECEPTACLES TAC E ON Q ALTAR On an altar about eight feet long lonS' and several feet feat wide of ot highly polIshed pol- pol shed wood was wisa a collection of ot gold and nd silver receptacles of ot hand metal metalwork metalwork metalwork work centered around a a. larger piece topped witha dragon These were slender graceful vases e ot of f Intricate design and lower bowls ot of f glass brass and wood Joss Jom sticks ticks which are burned in rever- rever enco of ot wha whatever ever gods are being supplicated aro are held in another con con- tamer Undera Under wood and fl flower trellis trems was a a. painting painting- of ot two figures On each side of tho the altar was a large colorful like flower-like cluster of ot superb superb su su- su erb metal work studded with stones and bearing a profusion of ot small like doll lIke Images The clusters were ot of f hammered metal They were on st taffs placed in a n. set of ot the slender vases and reached to the top of ot the canopy The room Itself was wa lavishly fur furnished furnished and In keeping with the rich richness riche ness nels of tho the altar But probably the most startling revelation to the Occidental mind was the fact tact that the entire place pla was illuminated by a s system stem of electric lighting controlled from a master mastor switch Each light bulb wacon wa wat con covered red with a a. shade of at hammered met metal LI to represent an opening flower bud Each small smaIl portion of ot the al almost at- at most countless symbols has a 3 particular particular particular par par- significance e t to tho the tho Chinese but Just what It is remained and probably will remain with the In Inscrutable In- In Orientals who watched th tho photographing g procedures procedures' with die dis approval The The- national religion of r China Is Confucianism which is Js cla classed sed more as a code of ot ethics by theologians theologians theologians theo theo- rather than as a a. J. J form of ot worship OTHER THER RELIGIONS ONS Two other religions Taoism and Buddhism aro are also practiced while back of ot the entire religious scheme Is an ancestor worship It Itis is the common common cornmon com corn mon b belief lIet that th spirits of at the dead dea hover around und tho the home or tomb an j can pork ork work go good od d or evil In proportion to the honor or neglect they receive Lines between the different creeds are not so cle clearly dr drawn us ns In Christianity Christianity Christianity Chris Chris- and It matters little which h hare are worshiped at any 31 altar tar Al that is necessary is that Joss jose paper I Ia I a and d Joss joes sticks be bo burned before the gods sods to be propitiated BURNED FOR IDOLS Joss Jose paper is gold and silver paper paper paper pa pa- per burned at worship or at funerals tuner funer als ala and Joss sticks sUcks are re reeds s covered with a a. paste puta made mode of ot the tho dust duet of ot odoriferous woods or a a. cylinder made entirely of or paste The wor word Joss loss means idol or god of at which there thero are many Regardless of ot tho the Chinese beliefs there can be no doubt of ot the beauty of ot their places of ot worship and it Is doubtful If it eyen een the most h hard rd- rd boiled agent taking p part rt In tho the drug raid Wednesday was not af affected affected at- at by the beauty of or tho the Joss Joss- house and surprised at finding it in its surroundings