The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1875-03-03

the Muncy ia. lsuminary, viii be found
quite interesting. II Is from gentleman
who holds an official position under the
Japanese governments
YEDo, JAPAN, jan LIST, 1875.
Mr. EDITOR have friends enough in
and about the old town,of Mnncy, thinls,sto
justify me In writing them 4 letter, thoughsit
be short and hurried, to wish them all happy
NBw Year. write from the land in which
the day is born. l date my letter 1875, but
along the quiet Susquehaiina you have not
yet finished Thursday, the last day of 1874.
1t seems very strange to the traveller that he
must, drop day out Of his week while cross
ing the Pacific Ocean. It seems strange that
while we sleep, you on the other side, with
your feet toward us, are hard at work, (of
course mean those who are ever guilty Of
doing anything of that kindly
New Years day in Yedo is great occa-
sion. Indeed, to the Japanese, it is the one
day of the year. Debts are all paid, calls are
made, the Emperor is visited by all the officers
of the Government resident in Yedo, houses
are thrown open, decorations are on every
side, the children are in high glee, kites
abound, and candy toys, such as the children
at home delight in, and altogether it is a
festive day. The Japanese year used to begin
in February, but recently the new style was
adopted. 1t has not yet come into general
use, but here in the capital all are required to
follow our method Of akoi;ig time. In the
Japanese decorations, green predominates.
The pine and bamboo are most common In
almost every house may be found the plum
tree, dwarfed to the size OF low currant
bush, standing in little flower pot in one
corner of the room. These are always in full
bloom at the New Year, the blossoms being
either pure white or a delicate pink. Three
things l note above the entrance to almost
every Japanese house on New Years day.
lobster, lemon, and a piece of charcoal.
The Specification Of which is, that the lobster
typides " old age" the word for lemon means
also in Japanese +" family" or generation"
and the word for charcoal means also "to
live." Hence in sign language the three may
be translated to mean May our family live
to old age
Almost every day I pass one or more
funerals on their way to the cemeteries that
dot the city, almost always connected with
some Buddhist temple. just now the Govern
ment is seriously considering whether it can
sanction the christian burial Of converted
Japanese in the Buddhist grave yards. The
decision of this question will enable foreigners
to determine, in some measure, the attitude
of the Government toward christianity. So
far as my observation has extended, the
Japanese in higher circles do not care much
for any religion. With them it is mere
matter of political good management. When
liberation can be publicly declared without
danger of a revolt among the lower classes,
melted by the priests who rule them, then
will a decree be issued enabling the mission
aries Of all faiths to make converts when and
where they can.
Burning the dead was quite common among
the Japanese in former times, but just as
Western nations are agitating cremation"
our fellow-heathcn here have issued an edict
forbdding it. Weliave just heard Of Lady
bikes manner OF being consigned flashes to
ashes.'' Why is there such Revision Of feel-
ing in the minds of SO many as they think of
burning as contrastcd with burial? Surely
there is no question as to which is more loath-
some The Japanese may be seen sitting on
the floor at their meals (; the shop-keepers
scarcely ever rise from sitting posture; the
wood chopper by the way side the black
smith in his shop; the priest in his temple,
even up to Budha himself, their great divinity,
all may be seen sitting. And strange
thought it is, they do not he dolon in the
grave, but ale buried in a square box, with
the lead erect, squatted on their knees for
ever. The Japanese mourn in white Our
custom is heathenisf. Theirs is christian.
The dead are wrapped in white. The collins
are wound about with white. Why should it
ever be anything but white for us if VIC have
better faith thantheirs? 'ss7sss s'''& g.
A strange fact was told me yesterday by a
missionary. He had been using the I" Lords
Prayer y IN his house in Japanese. One OF
his servants attending had given up his Aacis
and was trying to learn of the new religion.
But after repeating "our Father who art in
Heaven for three months daily, it had not
yet dawned upon his darkened intellect that
he was doing anything else but praying to his
deceased father, whom he supposed as likely
in heaven as anywhere else. This will illus
trate the slow growth of an idea, and the OBJ
stacles to be overcome BY men who come to
teach new faith. They must make q
vocabulary, and then wait until the meaning
attached to certain new phrases have slowly
filtered through the rubbish accumulated dur.
ing ages of superstition. This letter will Come
to you with Japanese stamps upon it. The
first postal treaty made BY this, government
with any foreign country goes into effect Jan.
1st, between Japan aud the United States land
this letter will cross the Pacific in the first
mailbag sent out from Japanese post office.
4 This indicates progress, as do thousand
other things which may be seen in this vast
city. Five years have worked wonders, and
| in five more no one will know it.
Truly, &c,
JAfoNicuss
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