The Opelousas journal. [volume] (Opelousas, La.) 1868-1878, 1872-09-14
ELI PERKINS.
What a Heathen Says What a Japanese
Thinks About Christianity. Talk with
a Heathen Chap.


Heathen Chap.
From the New York Commercial Advertlser.l
FIFTH AVENUE HOTEL, June Is.
We had quite long talk with Max
shima, the Japanese Commissioner, who
explained the currency to us. He is a
gentleman of superior intelligence and
don't look like a heathen at all
First we askG him about his religion.
"I am heatheh," he said, smiling; "I
don't believe in religiOn-that is, in the
forms of religion; my religion is to do
good, to be honest"
"What do you think of our Christ y
we asked, thinking the Commercials
readers would like to know what heath
en- does believe.
Humbug, all humbug," he replied.
"What do you think of MOhammed ~
"MOhammed is fraud, too, and so are
all those middle men who say they are
inspired. COnfucius was wise man,
but no more inspired than Socrates. Ali
these men, like Brahmin, Buddha, Swe-
denborg, Brigham Young, Joe Smith,
and, in fact, every man, from Moses to
Brigham Young, who has set himself up
as inspired from God, is a humbug."
"What kind of religion do you believe
in?n
"Well, though am a heather, be-
| lieye about as you dO.n
Glow is that?" we asked, becoming
interested.
"You believe in God-so do I, and so
does every nation. We only differ in
the Saviour or Christ. Why, the Arabs
believe i'll the same God, but take Mo-
hammed as a Saviour; 300, 100000 OfpeO-
pie believe in Mohammed, and only 50,-
| 100000 in Christ. 1t is always the same
| God all over the world. They may spell
it differently, but it is the same God,
with the same attributes, such as omni-
presence, ubiquity, Omniscience, infnity,
potentially, etc. In Greece, they call him
| 'Theos; in France, Deus; in Germany,
| GOdt; in China, Jos; in Asia, Brahmin
in America, God. Many Japanese believe
in the same God which you do, but re-
ceive Buddha as mediator in place of
Christ. Buddha was q good man. He
was modest, sincere and self sacrificing
but he was not God. He gave up life
of ease near the throne to teach men to
be good. He gave up immense wealth
made no such sacrifices. He was poor
a carpenters son. He was killed because
he preached heresies which the Jews
didn't believe. He went a little too far
and lost his life, like Cranmer and Lati-
mer, and as 10000 foolish people do in
India every day. ROssel lost his life in
| France and John BrOwnhere, for preach
ing what the people don't believe. The
| day will come when you will almost
worship John Brown as the Swiss do
William Tell. Dying for our faith sig
nities nothing. Why, sir, 10000 people
in India burn and kill themselves every
year for their faith"
But, don't you think Saviour is me-
cessary?n
"No. God can do all the saving OF
destroying. When you bring man to
assist him, you destroy all his greatness
his potentiality. These people who
claim to be mediatOrs are only religious
brokers, God is too great to ask or per
nit any one to assist him. We have the
same law Of right and wrong as yOu
have, and still we don't believe your Bi-
BILE at all God has given his law to us
The Koran, your Bible, the teachings OF
SwedenbOrg and Brigham Young all
differ, but the doctrines of the philOso.
pliers like Justinian. Socrates, and Con.
fucius, all agree. That is, they agree
that God is great-and that he is toe
great to have any prophets"
"DOn't you believe that Christ came
into the world to save it?"
''sNo, sir. He did not come into the
world any more than you did. First hi
knew he was here-a boy like all Naza
rene boys. His miraculous birth is thu
fancy Of legendary historians. He was
put to death like John Brown, because
he went round breaking Jewish laws
that is, saying things which had no rea
SON in them. After he was killed, st
Paul and St. Peter established you
church. They made a grand politica
centre, and established the seven church
es of Asia, none of which stand to-day
Ephesus and Antioch believe in Moham
J med now. I know Mohammed is hum
bug, and of the same knowledge [ know
all prophets to be humbugs. You cal
nae Il heathen because / reject you
church. / call you heathen becaus
you reject my Ruddha. He was as grea
and pure as ever man was. He taugh
; people to work; not to all become idl
r preachers. While respect Buddha,
do not think he was inspired; and If h
wasn't, then no man ever was"
That is what that heather said, an,
he didn't thing he was talking sacrile
gious. He did not think he had sal,
anything rude, at least no ruder than W
are always saying of him.