The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-05-24

take the control of the cabs, the refreshment
saloons and the boats entirely into their owa
hands, and keep them strictly subject TO Geo
tain regulations, aud we believe they autic-
pste that the sums received for licenses viii
nearly defrsy the current annual expenses of
the Park, which then will very probably do. The
energy Of the Commissioners in pushing on all
these Improvements Is highly commendable;
and II they continue to add one charm to an-
other in like spirit, we shall have the most
msgnl6cest park In the world in few years.
4
| The japanese IN . Religious Pct.t Of
View.
According to all accounts, the pious people
| In this city and elsewhere have become 80 pco.
foundly exercised In their minds with regard
TO the members OF The japanese Embassy as to
sssd special miaaionaries 10 Washington with
view 10 he Contamination Of the Envoys of the
Tycoon. We are not informed rs to the precise
manner By which this hopeful result Is to be
accomplished, but we presume that orthodox
means Will be resorsed 10. severe course of
Ne New York o. vper, followed up by rat.
ling Are fron the American Tract Society, nigh.
accomplish the unwelcome contamination of
breaking Oh our commercial relations with
Jspas, but would assuredly prevent the con-
version Of any considerable number OF our
grestA
The simple truth about the whole matter f.,
hat he JApanese-we refer to the higher
elsases-hsve no religious belief whatsoever.
I, 10 quite true that there are pagan temples
and idols Of Je.do. sImoda A-d other impor-
,ant places In the Empire, but they are frequent
I'd BY The lower classes only. Without doubt
Japan had Of che period a recognized
religious tAsory, but pov II 10 practically ex.
tInct Twohundred years ago and more, whea
Ne Mother Church was predominant In Eu
! rope, when monarchs trembled before the
| thaadeu Of the Vatican, when ultrano1-
49, ruled with absolute sway, religious
nfssioa ws sent from Europe to Japan. The
nissionaries, Il seems, we're well received, and
made 90 much progress with the governing
classes that sort of seml-onicisl embary was
despatched TO the Pore. That was the 6rst
vial, of any high o1hciai percentages from japan
10 o Christian country, and mast be regarded
a. very strong testimony In favor Of the efforts
Of tie missionaries. II would appear, however,
that the governing classes o. JApAn subsequent
| " discarded the religious theory ineuic Ated by
! DER Walters from the West, and tina, they now
believe enly 10 system Of moral philosophy,
Which, viewed In the orthodox sense, Is
| nothing more nor Len than sheer In.
hdeiisy. Nor h japan siore among the
! Eastern natiorS In this matter. The railing
classes 10 China. Hindostan and Persia
have passed through the same fluctuations
In religious belief. aud have gradually approxi-
mated the same result Mshomessnisu aud
PsgasLm, sp1inging sinos. from the same
quarter In Asia. have lost their vitality, ard
CA culy count their proselytes among the
lower classes
The next question that comes 20 be COG.
sidsrsd 10 lAis. Granted that PAganism Is viz
tually dead In the Eat, can Il be proved to us
,Aa, Chrixxisnity hsa Jared any better In TIE
wsst. The establishment Of the Church upor
a Arm foundation dates from the Council OF
Nice, fifteen centuries ago. From The fourth
10 the fourteenth century the priest was sa-
preme in Earope. Il vas the gown And the
sword, but the gown before al aud above all.
The Rsfornstion gave the Church he frat and
heaviest blow; later came the Gaal overthrow
Of Cslholici,y In Engiaad. and tter the era Of
in6deli,y In France. Nov al Europe 10 uull-
tasian. There IL Q certain respect paid to the
forms Of TIE Established Church L. Eag,ard. TO
The ussses CT the holy csthone religion in
France, Austria and Spain, and TO tie Greek
Church 10 Russia; but II IL oaiy formal
recosrllien OF whs, vas once grea, po~er,
and las still certain influence over the
masses. The governing classes In Europe be-
lave In nothing IDEAL. They stand In exactly
the came position that Il occupied by the ia
psrsse. The holy Fsther himself NEE. With
email support from Catholics al home or
abroad. II his present dificuliy TIE -erse o.
his ovr people IL against bin. Victor Ems
puel takes his recommendations ss quietly a.
be would ess his dinner; and as Tor the En-
reror Of tie French, his conduct IL certainly
exceedirgly irrevereat Tor the eldes, son Of the
Church.
Thus we hsvs the very curious fact before
us that the peoples Of the Orient and OF the
Occident have both arrived at ire same point.
although by entirely different methods q pro
ceeding, 90 far a. religion Is eozcerned. Ia
TIE East Christian missionaries have made but
little progress Chinahasa sort Of evangelical
flIbust~r, who IL still In tie Geld. bet who
seems to have made very little headway. The
sepoy rebellion proved tia, the missionaries
In Hindos,an failed altogether ir their efforts
In thas promising Geld. The early ia.
panete missionaries succeeded In shatting GU,
European trade from tia, country. a1d I, was
reserved for the practical, sensible repse-ea,s.
tive OF q yOsrg ard vigorous naann 20 remove
TIE restrictions which the b'sc'ry ard prsju.
dice Of centuries had throw1 arorae oriea,a
commerce. The Embassy which comes 10 40
from Japan IL . purely commercial one H,ss
Commissioner shall he satisfied ths, ., vii be