The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-06-20


hibit them a Ia Tom Thumb, the Bearded Lady,
or the negro turning White.
Are We to Christiani tho Japanese3
1t is only a few days since our correspondent
at Washington called public attention to the
fact that the Chaplain of the House of Repre-
sentatives had invited the japanese, through
the Naval Commission, to attend divine service
at his chapel, and that he expressed great dis
appointment at their non-attendance and wrote
to one of the local newspapers long COM
plant, from which, to give an idea of its tone,
We quote these words:-"Take them, or let
them go, anywhere and everywhere, except to
the hallowed scenes of Christian worship. Make
them presents of everything and anything ex-
cept the Bible, the.New Testament or any other
religious book. Let the physicians have access
to them, for some of them are doctors; but be-
ware Of the clergy, for no priests are among
them. Their religion is dead, and so is ours
Christianity is no more, the Bible is fiction,
the Church superstition, the ministry mere
profession, and the Sabbath grieyous imposi-
ton. Have we the good work in our hands,
the sure promise in our minds, and the glad
hope in our hearts, of speedily evangelizing the
worlds Ia particular has God just glori6ed His
providence by opening before us the long
closed door of Japan, and saying unto us,
Enter in the fulness of the blessing Of the
Gospel of Christ"
We may safely say that more prejudiced
view of the relations between this country and
Japan has never been taken than is here ex-
pressed by the reverend gentleman in question.
We will ask him if it is not egotism and
uncharitableness Of the highest order
that prompts the desire TO convert the
japanese to the Christian faith, and whether
or not the consequences Of any serious attempt
at such would, so far as we are enabled to judge
by historical example and the prevailing opin-
ion in Japan, be utterly disastrous to the inte-
rests of the United States, as regards its inter-
course with that country!
Have the japanese not an equal right with
ourselves to practise whatever form Of religion
they please without molestation? And would the
clergy, who are so anxious to propagate<heir
own doctrines among them, like to be invaded
| II
the land of the Rising Sun, anxious to make
them all converts to those religions.
Ever since Philip II. tried by means of the
Jesuit missionaries to convert japan into Sc
cond Peru, any measures towards introducing
Christianity into that empire have been regarded
as reasonable and insulting; and the fate Of
crucifxion which befel these last ought to be
sufficient warning to the rest of the world
never again to attempt so vain task as the
Contamination of the Japanese.
With respect to missionaries, we have
seen much and heard more Of the re-
suits attending their labos; but this
knowledge, We are sorry to say, for the
sake of the aborigines, who have seldom reaped
anything more than the vices Of their invaders,
as we'll as those goodintentioned people who
have contributed so much money in the cause,
has only tended TO make us more and more
certain that Christianity and the world would
have been better without them. We have seen
the natives Of the Sandwich Islands compelled
to do the work of horses in dragging the mis-
sionaries and their families from village to
village in vehicles of basketwork and from
statistical accounts ii appears that wherever
these gentlemen have been most numerous, the
determination of the aboriginal inhabitants has
been proportionately rapid, and the state Of
society most deplorable.
FIVE glance at the British possessions, where
the missionary field has been widest, we find
that no accession to the number of the Christian
faith has been virtually and permanently gained
among the native population. The existing
primogenial inhabitants are ut the most but
nominal converts, understanding nothing In
reality, nor caring 70 understand anything.
about the religion preached 10 them and when
| the generation dies away what is there likely TO
be len? Nothing but the inglorious triumph
of civilization over aboriginalism-th victory
Of might over right.
We intend this simply as warning to those
who are anxious 10 bring about the fatal results
referred TO, and who, If they consider themselves
phlanthropists, are mistaken; for If their wishes
were carried out with respect to the Japanese,
the bloody scenes Of the sixteenth century would
in oil probability be re-enactcd, and japan
would again close her ports and resume her old
exclusiveness This would undoubtedly be re-
sisted by the United States and other nations to
which she Is tied by treaty, but the sequel
would be one Of the most tragic episodes in
modern history.
The Governing Glasses Of England and
the United states-ERect Of the Japa-
| nese Upon the New York Democracy.
IL has been the practice recently of British