The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1875-07-27

dertake this pilgrimage, and all exposure
to impurity must be studiously avoided
during its continuance. The religion
upon which the sovereignty Of the coun.
try is founded must forever remain the
exclusive faith of Japan, unless supersed.
ed Tor the express purpose of deposipg
the reigning emperor.
But another religion co.exists and has
long co'existed there with Sinto, that ia.
Buddhism, Of this religion Of Buddbs,
by no means peculiar to Japan, but pre-.
vailing through the whole Of Central and
Southeastern Asia, and having probably
more adherents than any other religions
creed, it is unnecessary here to speak at
any length. This religion was introduced
to Japan about the year 552 A. D., by
the King of COrea, who sent an image Of
Sheka FOUNDER of that religion and sa.
cred books and liturgy, but at the time
they were rejected and these images and
books we're thrown into the sea.
Again, about the year 6O2 AD
some japanese travellers or traders
brought from Corea two images OF Sheks
and sacred books, and presented them
to the Minister of the reigning Emperor,
and as he was such Jealous Buddhist.
begged Of the Emperor the liberation Of
this religion, and it was permitted. Since
then Buddhism has prevailed and become
the second established religion of Japan.
The Buddhist priests, called BONES, were
arranged in hierarchy, and they i'm.
perfectly read the foreign language 10
which their sacred books and their iitur.
gy we're written, and before the people
they read them so that the people cannot
understand it. Their doctrine of celiba.
cy the establishment Of monasteries and
nunneries; their orders Of devotees their
exterior purity and self-denal, but SUP.
posed secret RIGHTEOUSNESS their fssts
their clothes; the tiDkling Of bells the
rosaries on which they count their
prayers; their manner OF preaching
their religious professions; their pilgrim.
ages tho size, cplcndor aud magnifcence
of their temples, known as Teras the al.
tar within, and the lamps and incense
burning therein all these respects, |
suppose that this system presents coun.
terpart, at least as to show and forms,au
is nearly similar to, the scheme of Roman
Catholic worship. But in Japan church
and state were entirely kept distinct. as
now IN the United States. The priests
possessed no direct temporal power there
were no appeals to the secular arm; no
civil punishment for heresy, and no re-
liglous VOWS perpetually binding, all be.
ing at liberty, so far as the civil law is
concerned, to enter or leave the monster
les at pleasure, There are also in Jan
an higher sect of Rationalitos, the nat.
ural results Of freedom of opinion, who
regard all the various creeds of the couo.
try with secret iucredulity and even con.
tempt. There are the Judoists who
read and expound the philosophy Of Con.
fucius, which is totally unconaected with
any mythology or religious rites, and
teach only moral principles and some
mysteries touching the human soul. First.
when this Judo (the way of philosophers
was introduced into Japan it is said to
have been Immediately adopted by the
wise and learned, and they followed Con.
fuclus as their master and teacher.
At the later period, that is, before the
revolution Of 1S6S,th lower classes were
Buddhists, the higher orders, especially
the wise among them, were Judoists, pro.
Tossing respect to Sinto, and avowedly de.
spising Buddhism.
There were besides the more regular
clergy, enthusiasts, or imposters, religious
vagabonds, who lived by beggary and by
pretending to drive away evil SPIRITS, to
lind things lost, to discover robbers, TO
determine the guilt or innocence of ac
cused parties, to interpret dreams, to pre-
diet the future, to cure desperate maa-
dies and perform similar deeds, which
they performed chiefly through the medi
um OF spirits or something like that sort
of fasehood.