Pagan Temples Falling Into Decay

Review and Herald Publishing Association · Takoma Park Station, Washington, D. C. · Apr 27, 1911

Pagan Temples Falling Into Decay

A MISSIONARY of the American Board writes home: “While traveling from our station at Pang-Chuang to Lintsing this spring, we passed a temple near one of the villages, of which I took a picture because I felt very strongly that it is typical of the attitude of the Chinese in that densely populated district toward the religion which these temples represent. Every village has its two or more temples; but with the exception of a very, very few, all are in the condition represented by this picture. To me there is a great pathos in this; for I can not but feel that the human heart strove for peace with God, but found that the means employed, as represented by this temple sinking into decay, did not bring peace. The back wall of the temple has fallen outward, while the front wall has entirely disappeared. The figures inside the central image with the eighteen disciples around it, are all made of mud. No one ever comes near; for there is no life to be found there. The greater pathos is that nothing fills the void left by the casting off of these mud images.”