Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-05-06
Congregational Church Services.
A nlessan, fsainra AZ the Co

| sEegStlOhHl Services OF SaDDath
last, was discourse BY the pastor
Rev. Mr. Eaton, upon Jspan-mot.
especially referring to the fruits Of
the missionary work in that country
The theme, of itself interesting, wa.
ably treated and as the speaker il
his researches has compiled the lat
est Information of Japan and i'll
progress. we venture upon noting 9
few of the facts presented for those
who have not been able TO get them
elsewhere.
The speaker opened by referring
to the extent and early condition
OF the country. It's territory il
small, not as large as one of the
States of our Union ; it's population
about equal TO our own. The EN-
pire of Japan dates back some sew.
eral hundred years before the Chris.
tisu era. Its government mas ever
been an oligarchy formed by two
councils of STATE, with the MkadC
az spiritual or chief emperor, and the
Tycoon as secular emperor, at the
head of the military and executive
departments but subordinate to the
Mikado from whom he received his
authority. The department of the
Tycoon was anomalous. Its existence
has been secured by usurpation OF the
people, but only recently by anoth-
er revolution the Tycoon had been
deposed and his power restored to
the rightful authority, the Miksdo
Treaties, commerce and missionary
labor have prepared Japan for the
abrogation of its barborous customs.
and induced the changes of Christ ian
civilization. How strange its recent
progress National edicts against
toleratlon of Professionalism are abol-
ished, and Buddhism discoura ged
laws favoring public vice and car
nallty repealed womans preroga-
tive TO social ar scholastic adyanta-
ges with man acknowledged for>
eign customs of dress and manner of
wearing the hair are substituted for
their own dress and shaved heads
and what is still more portentious,
is the national aspiration for high
Ell plane of intellectual and religious
accomplishment. Some of the more
recent reforms include the adoption
of 8 thorough system of education.
The empire is divided into large
educational districts each OF which
has a universi'y with pteais0t
academies and numerous common
schools. The English language is
made a principal study and our
Textbook on mathematics and the
various artsIand sciences are translst-
ed for their courses of study. With
the commencement of the new year
the mode of measuring time, heretoc
fore based op the lunar months, was
changed for that used by the civihz,
cd world Their national holidays
now are New Years day and the an
niversary of the birth of the Mikado;
and what is still more to be wonder
ed at, the Christian Sabbath or SUM-
day is kept sacred. Christian
churches are being organized and
composed in part of native members,
aud such are striving with commend
BILE zeal for the increase of holy in
fuences. The speaker closed with an
interesting reference to the present
Mjkado who, unfit recently, has been
carefully concealed from the public
gezo, but who now appears publicly
and without osteDtation. These few
facts tell volumes for the future OF
Japan. The general deuunciation of
the existing forms of worship guar
antees The dominion of Protestant
influence. For the missionary aud
philanLhropist the field is here ample
and she harvest ready for the sickle.
Nopro1,y Lsaoo,oo Erovvn nrovninC