rise to any higher civilization until the introduction of modern ideas, and the supplanting of old customs and superstitions by the advance, education and religion of the more civilized nations.

STATE RELIGION OF CHINA.

In the "Journal of the American Oriental Society" (Vol. XX., 1st half), there is a most interesting article on the "Worship of Heaven and Earth by the Emperor of China," by Henry Blodget, D. D. He says the state worship of the earlier kings of Egypt, Greece, Rome, Phoenicia, Assyria, Babylonia, and India, no longer exists in real life; but we have the ancient worship of China preserved in the living form to the present time. The Altar to Heaven" is located in the southern suburb of Pekin, three miles from the Palace; the Altar to Earth," in the northern suburb, two miles from the Palace. This is in accord with the dual principles, Yin and Yang, the latter meaning light and heat, the former cold and darkness; the first at the south, the last at the north. The "Altar to the Sun" is on the east side; the "Altar to the Moon," on the west. Each of these four altars is situated in a large park. In the southern part of the enclosure is an altar for prayer, crowned by a dome-shaped pavilion, with three successive roofs, covered with azure tiles; the two lower roofs extend out in widening circles around the dome, the upper roof covers the dome and is surmounted by a gilt ball; the whole is designed to represent the vault of heaven.

The Altar to Heaven is built of white marble and stands under the open sky. The structure is in three circular terraces, rising one above another, surrounded by a marble balustrade. The upper terrace is paved with white marble slabs, arranged so as to form nine concentric circles, with a circular stone in the centre, upon which the Emperor kneels for worship. The innermost circle has nine slabs, and each receding circle has a multiple of nine, the outermost having the square of nine. The altar is round and represents the circle of heaven. The ascent to the altar is by three separate flights of steps, on each side that is north, east, south, and west,-each flight having nine steps.

Answering to the Altar to Heaven is one to Earth. This altar is square and is made of dark-colored marble, to represent the dark principle-Yin. The top of the altar is paved with slabs laid in squares, around a central square; each of the squares consists of successive multiples of eight, instead of

The altar is encompassed by a trench filled with water. There are four bridges across the trench, connecting with four flights of steps at the cardinal points. The altar is separated from the street by four walls, which are covered with yellow tiles, to represent the color of the earth.

The worship of heaven comes at the winter solstice; of earth, at the summer solstice. The day previous to the sum

mer solstice, the Emperor comes forth in magnificent state, prostrates himself before the tablets to earth and to his ancestors, and burns incense; he remains while the tablets are removed with great ceremony from the sacred building, and placed upon the square altar. He then ascends the altar in his robes of yellow satin, the color of the earth, and amid profound silence, interrupted only by the swelling strains of music, with his numerous cortège about him, worships the earth and his ancestors. After this, the square jade stone, the symbol of the earth, and the tablets to the ancestors are all returned to their places for safe keeping.

This solstitial worship is the most ancient and the most sacred among the Chinese; no one but the Emperor is allowed to perform it. The religious feelings are deeply moved in performing these sacred rites. There is a certain elevation of mind, and grandeur, and awe, which attaches to the worship of the vast heaven and broad earth, symbols of the dual system; and as performed by the monarch of so many millions of human beings it is imposing. This worship of heaven and earth. stands at the head of the Chinese Pantheon. It includes the powers of nature, deceased emperors, sages, heroes, warriors, statesmen, inventors of useful arts, and the under world. It is attended with the belief that when the dual principles-Yang and Yin-unite, they produce water, fire, wood, metal, and earth; and when these five forces operate in harmony, the four seasons come to pass; the five elements combine, the heaven becomes male, the earth female, and all things are produced and reproduced without end. This is in strong contrast to the religion of the Boxers, which is a mere superstition with reference to geomancy.

THE ART MUSEUM AT BUFFALO.

The city of Buffalo is soon to have a Public Art Gallery, the cost of which is $350,000. The building, which is to be one of the most beautiful in the interior, is the gift of J. J. Albright, who is a citizen of Buffalo and a liberal patron of art. The building will be used as the Art Palace of the PanAmerican Exposition. It is just within the limits of Delaware Park, and overlooks the beautiful park lake. It will be 250 feet long, 150 feet wide, and will stand upon a broad terrace 35 feet above the level of the lake. The style of architecture chosen is the classic Ionic Greek, both the eastern and western façades showing rows of rich, graceful columns. A semicircular colonnade forms the centre, and it has broad wings at the north and south, terminated by porches, which will be reproductions of famous architectural works of ancient Greece. The portico of the Erectheum, one of the most interesting of the ruins of the Acropolis, which dates back to the Persian invasion, 400 B. C., will be reproduced.

Entering the building, one comes first to the hall of statuary, which is 100 by 70 feet. Directly west of this is the hemicycle, an audience room furnished with seats and a rostrum, capable of holding several hundred people. North of Statuary Hall will be a gallery 35 by 58 feet. On either side of the corridor are the library and board rooms; beyond will be seven studio rooms. In the western part of the building are two ante-rooms and four large galleries.

THE STREET OF NATIONS.

The most interesting feature of the Paris Exposition is the Street of Nations. This is supposed to represent the architecture which prevails among the nations, and yet so many of the buildings have been finished up in a very tawdry manner

that it is difficult to trace the styles which are distinctive. We have, however, given in the frontispiece several cuts, which are familiar, but which at the same time are suggestive. The Chinese Pavilion, the Belgian and Norwegian Buildings, the Austrian and Swiss Buildings represent the architecture of those countries very well. The Italian seems a mixture of Mohammedan and Gothic; the Mexican and American are both failures as regards representing characteristic styles-neither are impressive. The question is whether anything is more distinctly American than the old Colonial style. The cuts which represent these buildings, as well as those which give us a view of Pekin, its walls and buildings, have been kindly loaned us by Mr. Carter, Editor of The Locomotive Fireman's Magazine.