THE MOTHERWELL TIMES

Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland

2 October 1908

(page 7)

BUDDHIST MONK A. MACGREGOR

MISSION TO SPREAD IDEAS.

Bhikkhu Ananda Metteyya, the Buddhist monk who a few months ago arrived in London, has been conducting a month’s mission in the Metropolis, and left for Liverpool on Wednesday. After delivering a final lecture in that city he returns to Burma.

The yellow-clad bronzed monk is a Scotsman by birth, one Allan Bennett MacGregor, but he has lived several years in Burma.

The monk told a press representative on Monday of the result of his mission. Attired in a huge yellow robe, and puffing eternally at a cigarette, monk Ananda is a picturesque looking man.

“The results of this little experimental mission have been very satisfactory,” he said, “the outcome is that we are entirely convinced that given support adequate to the propagation of so great a mission, there are thousands of British people who would call themselves Buddhists.

“We are so satisfied with the reception we have received that if we can obtain sufficient financial support we shall return to Britain in two and a half years’ time, and celebrate the 2500th anniversary of the attainment of Buddhahood by building a monastery, and placing in permanent residence there five Buddhist monks.

“Our mission here was not as much for the object of gaining converts as of spreading the ideals and ideas that Buddhism inculcates,” continued the monk.

“Although we were not here with the object of gaining converts, between 20 and 30 people have entered the Buddhist Church. Nearly all of these converts have been agnostics.”

“I am quite convinced,” said the monk “that in two or three centuries as far as form in religion goes, Buddhism will be the only surviving religion in all the Western countries, the reason being that it does not depend on theories and opinion.”