HOME FROM CEYLON

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 395, 2 July 1928, Page 13

HOME FROM CEYLON

SALVATION ARMY WORKERS INTERESTING EXPERIENCES When Ceylon became a British possession the British Government promised the natives that their religion would never be interfered with. That promise has been kept, and year the natives hold a religious festival known as the “perehere” to celebrate the keeping of the promise. For 10 days the natives have the monopoly of the place and are allowed to do anything they wish. A procession is held and the man who rides on the first elephant in that procession carries a scroll on which the original promise was written. These interesting facts were related this morning'on the Niagara by Captain Forsyth, of the Salvation Army, who. with Adjutant Radcliffe, has returned to Auckland after spending seven years in Ceylon. These two zealous women workers of the Salvation Army have been doing good work among the prisons and prisoners in Ceylon, and are now enjoying six months’ leave of absence. Rescue, prison gate and vagrant work has also been part of their daily life for the past seven years, and they are going back again at the end of their furlough. Ceylon is a wonderful island, said Captain Forsyth, and very beautiful. The British are highly respected and are looked upon as great people. Our prestige is still as great as it ever was and the British can go anywhere among the natives. One of the best works of these two officers was performed when they lifted the coolie children from their drab existence on the streets. They put the children in homes and gave them a little education, as it is essential nowadays that they learn English. “The greatest fault of the Cingalese is that they are very conceited,” said Captain Forsyth, “and it would not do at the present time to give them too much education.” She went on to say that many of the wealthy natives send their children to the English universities, after which they return to Ceylon and take up professions, many of them becoming lawyers. The natives, as a rule, are law-abid-ing, but during the “perehera” festival they sometimes become truculent. On one occasion, when Captain'Forsyth was addressing a meeting, a native rode an elephant through the assembled group of Salvationists, scattering them in all directions.