Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1854-07-17
STAUNTON. VIRGINIA. MONDAY, JULY II. 1854.
Christian Burial in Japan.
BAY OF JEppo, JAPAN. }
Th ursday March 9th. 1854. {

BAY OF JEDDo, JAPAN. }
J, 5s1t Thursday, March 9Th 1854. !
We have had religious service pul
licly, and with The consent Of tile author
lilies, who were standing by, and in III
lpreseiee, too, Of Thousands of the popuIs
tion, land this in Japan. Yourenembel
perhaps, the inscription OH the monumen
put up over the massacred christians a
I'lmbara more than 200 years ago.
ESQ long as the Sun shall warm tn
earth, let no Christian be SO boldas Il
come to Japan, and let all know that th'
King Of Spain, himself, or the Christian
God, or the great God Of all, if he VIOLATE
the command, shall pay for it with hi
head
mentioned yesterday that at the inter
view the japanese were brought to con
sent to allow the body of the marine, Vii.
liams, to be buried here. During the
forenoon, to-day their Interpreter and the
Mayor Of Uraga, with other officials, came
on board, and went with our men to show
them the spot selected for the grave. In
an interview with the Comm odere to-day,
l asked him if should bury the Marine
with the usual religious service. "Yes,
exactly as you always do /, no more nor
less. But if the authorities forbid it, and
try to prevent il, still go OH and have your
usual service > was the reply,
The preparations OIL beard were for an
,nterment exactly after our usual method
upon the occasion of the burial Of a Mar
inc. A great many Of the officers would
liked to have gone, and some applied for
permission; but it was thought best to
give the occasion no unusual eclat--while
at the same time nothing was to be omit
ted.
About 3 o'clock, after call hands, had
been called to "burv the dead aud the
Chaplain had read from the gangway the
customary passage OF Scripture, we left
the ships i'll two boats, with the flags at
half mast; the first containing the assist
ant Surgeon, the Captain and NJ, self in
uniform and gown; and the other boat
having the dead body with a guard Of
honor, consisting.of a Sergeant. Corporal
and six Marines. We landed alta spot
designated-a quarter Of a nile south Of
the landing Place of yesterday, and in
trontof large village-Yoko hama, the
whole shore being lined with visitors who
came TO gaze. The Mayor oil JTraga, Inter-
prefer, &c, received us there. | had ex-
peeted, that on seeing me ia my official
costume, and first hno wing that there was
a christian minister ON their shore and
ameng them, there would he reeoil, and
that they would shrink from me as from
something poisonous. But there was no
such thing. On the contrary they came
up successfully aud gave me their hand
for shake. (They have learned our
suiutatlon and Seem 10 be fond Of it,,
The Interpreter, pointing to my Prayer
Book, asked if it was tor ceremonies over
he dead, aud smiled as before when
old him that il was. The Marines were
formed IN line and received the body with
presented arms. when the procession NOV
playing the "Dead March J" the chaplain;
HE coffin borne by four marines their
Captain, Surgeon, Hospital Steward, and
.ix OF eight sailors. Our way laid through
he village, and the occasion seemed to
excite quite helyday among them !. eve
ry body, metl, women and children, run
ming and gaining good places for seeing
and squatting down on the ground till we
had passed, when they would run again
and gain another place for observation, if
they could. The street through which
we passed was, however, kept clear, and
at intervals noticed new boards stuck up,
with inscriptions probably to warn The
people from intfuding on our way. But
the people, even women and children,
showed no ieaf, nor any hesitation in
coming near us, or in being seen them
selves: and some shops that we passed
were kept open as usual. saw myself
often being pointed out, being doubtless
recognized by my gown and book as the
clergyman of the party, but 1t was without
any exhibition Of dIspleasure on their
countenanees, but as they would look at
any other curiosity. saw one woman
hold up her little child to see me, and the
thought passed through my mind, that if
it should ever live to muturity it would
probably see many wonderful! changes i'll
Japan.
Our way led quite through the village,
at the farther end of which, on wooded
hill at our left, was a temple with two
different flights of steps leading up to it,
and ornamented gatc-ways below. Ihro'
the further of these gate-ways now saw
a Buddhist priest, in his officiating costume,
emerge and perceived that he took his
wa y towards some fresh earth--the grave
a little beyond.
They had selected for the interment a
very pretty spot, about hundred yards
from: the village, and closely adjoining am
old bmying, ground of their DIVA. We
found the Buddhist priest seated there, but
lie attempted no interference with our re-
Iiigious ceremonies, which | commenced
(all uncovering,) as we approached the
grave.
The scene at this.time was an exceed
ingly interesting one even apart from us
being the first breaking through of the
Japanese settled oppugnation to Christian
lity. The hills here formed a semi circular
sweep, and at one end Of the semi-elleie
we were standing. On the opposite SIDE,
on the heights above, was the Buddhist
temple. The sides of these hills aud the
whole sweep OF the crest were covered
with people, quiet and attentive Spectators
of what was going on
Close to us stood the Japanese ofieials
inst below the grave; the marines in lin.
on the other side, and near them, on mat
sat the old Buddhist Priest, with a tabl,
below him. on which were number o
..,,.re &c with incense. burt,ipr in thpi