Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-05-30
THE RELIGION OF THE JAPANESE

The orthodox religion of Japan Is Sintoo-
all worship the Sun. Their belief is that the
world was regenerated through the instrumen-
tailty and appearance on earth of a female,
ana after having performed this great and
good work, for which by God she was ordained
she ascended to heaven and became embodied
In the sun. Their national flag is emblemati-
cal OF their religion, displaying, as it does the
sun In all its purity upon the white field.
There are other scots, among them the most
numerous would appear to be the followers Of
Buddha. Many suppose that Buddhism is the
principal creed, from the fact that its follow
ers number three hundred and twenty millions
this and the Mahomedan religion being the
principal creed or religion of the nations of
the East. The founder of the Buddhist reli,
gion was man called Sakya Sinha, who was
born, as was supposed, 2,420 years before the
CHRISTIAN era. 1t is not known for certainty
when Buddhism was introduced into Japan
The statement so often made that Christianity
Is not at present in any way tolerated, is q
mistake, Tor the government is far from being
lntolerant In religious matters. The people in
Japan attend very little to religious NJ alters.
Religion is matter of business, which is at
tended to altogether by the Makado and his
priests. The Buddhist temples are almost ex-
actly like Roman Catholic churches In their
interior arrangements, decorations, altars, &c. D.,
1t is difficult to tell the difference, except by
Oie AouiaIiy acquainted Win Doth. Their
form OF worship is very much the same as
Catholic. The Makado, as the name implies.
Is the spiritual Emperor, who has the exclusive
control OF all Religious matters. The Office is
hereditary; butshould he die without issue.
he has authority to name his successor from
one OF the family of the highest officer of his
household-male or female, as he may choose.
Inc japanese are strange people-deep,
mysterious in everything. Thousands of little
drao
stars, &c: emblematic in some way of their
religion, We see carved upon their dishes.
sword hilts, pipes-ir fact, upon everything.
so dlnerent from what we have ever seen, that
we cant help wondering and admiring these
strange and mysterious people. 1t is not
strange that these people, simple and confding
IN their disposition, who were so terribly de-
celved and imposed upon by the Europeans
who first landed upon their shores in l543
who called themselves Christians, should have
been opposed to admitting Christianity into
their country ever again. These Portuguese
Jesuits, who were so kindly treated at first
paid for that hospitality by interfering with the
government, and before it was know q that a con-
splracy was going on to depOse the government
upwards Of 1000, 600 Japanese had been con.
yerted to the Roman Catholic religion. Among
the number were four hereditary princes
Owing to this interference, christianity was
prohibited under pain of death. and all Chris
1ans put to death or expelled in 1889. Our
religious forms appear strange to them as theirs
do to us. The idea of "asking blessing OF
grace" before sitting down to table on board
the Roanoke at first appeared strange enough
aad 1t was with some little effort that they
could restrain themselves from laughing until
the thing was explained to them. They were
evidently affected by the funeral ceremonie,
of two men at the same time on board the Re
anoke. 1t was on Sunday; the men, sailors,
some $50, besides the officers, were present;
the bodies were both covered with the Amer.
can flag, the band playing a solemn dirge
followed by the burial at sea, read by the chaI
lain, which was solemn and impressive, a..
though not understood by any of them exceI
the interpreters. The Japanese-most of them
came upon deck and sat down in a circle
all holding up their fans to protect themselves
from the sun They all appeared quite sol.
emn, and very much interested. Some of the
japanese attached to the Embassy worship
Buccha, some Sintoo, some Mshomet, and some
worship nothing. The two ambassadors and
one of the interpreters are Buddhists the Cen
sor has no particular religion; the Vice Cover
nor is partly Sintoo and partly Buddhist.