Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-08-15
The RELIGIONS of Japan.

The ancient religion of japan, as set
forth in the holy books of Shinto, teaches
that in the beginning the world had no
form but was like an egg. The clear
portion-the white-became heaven, and
the yolk was condensed so as to form
the earth. Then something like reed
appeared, which was soon changed into
a god named Kunitokotatachi.no. Mikoto.
After him we're two other gods who fol-
lowed the first in succession, making
three generations, as it we're. After
them gods of both sexes appeared, four
in number These seven gods are called
the Gods of Heaven. Frem them sprang
five gods who are called The Five Gods
of Earth" The first of these is called
Tensho Daijin, because her body was so
bright that she ascended to Heaven and
became the Sun.
The Japanese believe that these gods
were the ancestors of the existing i'm
perial family. The Mikado Jimnu
Tenno, the first Emperor of Japan, it is
believed, was the son of Tensho DalJin,
and his successors have descended in
an unbroken lire from that deity. Dur
ing the reign of the twenty-eighth EN-
peror, Kennel Tenno, an ambassador
was sent to Corea, and in return the Co
reans sent Japan the Buddhist religion
and many sacred books. The Emperor
became a convert to Buddhism, but a
pestilence shortly after breaking out,
the calamity was attributed to the anger
of the Shinto gods, and to appease the
people Kennel ordered the idol to be
thrown into the sea and its temple to be
burned to the ground. On the accession
to the throne of the twenty ninth EN-
peror, however, the Buddhist Coreans
renewed their proselyting labors with
such success that from that time the
Buddhist faith gradually but efectually
supplanted the Shisto in the affections
of the people.
OF late efforts are making to revive
the popular faith of Shintoism, and the
following article from the Yokohom
magazine entitled the Far East shows
wh At progress has been made in this
direction:
The ancient religion of Japan is thai
named Shinto-which being interpreted
simnlv means the religion OF the
GodsH IT. however, it be asked whaj
idea the word "god " is intended to con
vev we confess ourselves altogether a
soo Some Japanese will say that there
p Int one god. and that all others sc
called are not really deities; but they dc
NOT 80 far as our experience goes, az
tsmnt To explain what they are; and i
they are not gods, the history OIL tn' n
origin Of their emperors altogether iaii'
70 the ground. But most OF the people
helieve that the gods are legion, anc
have little notion of any one god; lr
fact after much endeavor to hnd ou
from different Japanese what their faith
Is we have not been able to get any DE
cided and definite notion on the subject
Having written thus far we read 1t tC
Jananese gentleman who happened tC
come in. he said, We'll, perhaps yoL
NAV obtain a definite notion. In YOU
Christian religion yon speak OF you
three persons in one God. Now oul
idea is that all the gods are one We
attribute to one the power over enc ae
uartment of nature and to another
bower of different character, bat W.
believe them All to be contained, as i
we're, in one deity" This certainly II
the most lucid explanation we have eve
vet had; aud we accept it as the belle
Of a very sincere and thinking man, bu
we are satisfied that 1t is not the belle
of the people at large.
Shintoism has for some centuries onl.
held a place side by side with Buddhism
and probably would have died out alto
0ether hut for the fact that 1t is the re
iig;on of the Mikados, and its gods ar
the accented ancestors Of the Emperors
To dispute their divinity, therefore
would be TO take away the main prop Q
the imperial authority. Practically
Is bevond a doubt that at this presen
time there is an immense amount OF &C
tual in6delity in Japan. People kno'
not what 10 believe-and believe noth
ing. But the amount OF SUPERSTITION
even among those Of whom better thing
might be expected, is very deplorsble.
POPULARITY OF BUDDHISM.
Buddhism, although introduced int
the country so much later than ,. Shinte
/ ism. has from its very establishmen
allen a hold on the affections OF the pee
ME FAR exceeding that Of the older Il
iiriou. AT the time when the Tycoon,
sTeroised imperial command It vas O.
o6opndinr. aud the proportion OF Shin
I ,o,,;vas 10 Buddhist temples was yer
s0-ali Even in Kioto, the ancient res
5--.e az the Mikado, the Buddhist sect
ERE more powerful than the shintc
~ fact borna in mind, It seen
anu tAls -.r.arkable that the mer