New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-12-31
CHRISTLANLTY IN JAPAN.

CHRISTIANITY IN JAPAN.
Recent adviccs from Jal IN state that four
priests of high standing have just LETT Yoko-
hama for the purpose Of first worshplng
Buddha in India and then studying the foreign
religions of Europe. they GO with the con-
sent of the Government, but without explain
ing their GRAND to the priesthood, for fear of
hinderance One of them has, however, left
letter behind him in which he reveals 1t, urg-
ING other priests to Grid themselves Of bigotry
enough to test other faiths than their own
meaning, we suppose, literally with st. Paul.
to prove all things and hold fast to'that winch
is good. Many sanguine Christians, no douot'
will rejoice at this news, and look for 1t TO be toI-
lowed speedily by the wholesale conversion OF tho
japanese Empire; but we are afraid that TINS
question of Pagaiism and Christianity must
be met from other points OF view than thoSo
from which the civilized world has so long
regarded it, if conversion is to be practlcable.
Both the Chinese and japanese, in pushing
their investigations among Western nations
have shown a quick perception OF the truth
that differing civilizations do not depend upon
the amount of culture, or scientific knowl-
edge, or even, as we Americans are apt TO
think, mechanical skill, but on the religious
faith Of a nation. A man, according to cir
cumstances. may travel in railway car or on
mules back, may pillow with branch OF a
tree or by steam but what the man himself
il depends upon the God in whom he believes
and the highest relations by which he HOLDS
himself bound to his brother man.
If the Christian religion is judged by these
people by its fruits, what will be the resultf
We NAV as well face the matter fairly. els
the grasping, murderous policy of England IN
India calculated to prejudice the followers OF
Buddha in favor of the teaching of the meek
and lowly Jesus7 The traffic in coolies with
all its barbamties, and the opium trade,
against which the Emperor of China protested
yehemently two years ago. alleging that 1t
"was making of two-thirds of his people
beasts rather than men," both are sustained
by so-called Christian people. The ORR
entail nations are as likely to accept
the Bible from the hands of the English whom
they have proved to be unjust and merciless
as the Indians from hands which began by
robbine them and end by profiering the bowie
knife and fire-water. On the other hand, we
have moderated too long both the intelligence
and high moral culture of many of the East
ern peoples. We have a vague conviction,
obtained in Sunday-schoOl, that outside Of
Chrstendom lies dreary waste Of sayagery
and idiOcy, where the heathen not only brutal
but silly, bows down to apes, snakes, or fe-
fishes, and is perpetually employed in MASKING
himself under Juggenaut cars or drowning
his mother and babies in the Ganges; ali which
is to be set right by our subscription to the cause
of foreign missions. We are beginning slowly
to suspect the power of the systems of min
gled truth and error through which, for thou
sands of years, intellects as keen and natures
as good in bent those of the Anglo-Saxon
have CROPPED their way to the Infinite and the
hereafter. Great sums 1--WE say with all
respect toward both missionaries and the
churches which sent them have been wasted
in attacking heather creeds by men incapable
of comprehending them. The lower orders in
every Pagan country are absolutely under the
feet of the priesthood. 1t is not necessarily by
converting an odd one here and there Of these
ignorant creatures, that the truth will obtain
fair hearing.
The common people heard of Christ gladly
in his day, but He qualified His messengers
with learning and subtlety to preach Him be-
fore the Areopagus and Caesar. 1t is not every
enthusiastic youth and maiden who feel call
to 90 to India or China who can justify their
faith TO intellects the most subtle and logi-
clans the most dexterous in the world. 1t is
high time we saw that plainly. But the pros
pect for Outstanding the heather was never
so hopeful as now. The Buddhists in India
and Japan are turning to test our religion
with that curious gravity, patience, and toler-
alton which mark all their actions. They will
be just enough, we believe, to look at tho
infinite truth of Christianity as its Divine
Teacher left it to us, and not at the sectional
dogmas with which it has been overlaid. 1t
ought to be our business TO present it to them
in such pure, mighty integrity, and after they
have been converted by it to try and become
acquainted with 1t ourselves.