Democratic Sentinel, Volume 17, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1893 — Indian Prayer Machines. [ARTICLE]

Indian Prayer Machines.

In the hill country of India and Thibet tho inhabitants pray by means of machines. A strip of papor or parchment, containing a prayer many times repeated, is wound round a cylinder about tho size of a boy’s top. A string is fastened to this and attached to the other end is a stick by whioh the cylinder is whirled. Every turn is supposed to indicate thoir petition of the’ prayer as many times as it is written on the paper. In some of the temples the prayer cylinders aro of enormous size, and a fee is paid for being permitted to turn them. In various places water and wind are used as the propelling power, and the suppliant goes In and pays for so many revolutions, receiving credit in an acoount book and being notified tvhon his prayers have been offerod. Real philosophy seeks rather to solve than to deny.—Bulwor.