Telegram-herald., 1889-06-11
OLD JAPAN.
Isetars Delivered Last Essuins ~ Rev
k@n nriSht.

f0eilLug tic IS4A prayer IA ttie 80
panese, and then delivered the lecture,
OF which the following 5 synopsis.
The lecturer sad: Ia undertaking 70
deliver a lecture On Oh japan, can
plead Al least one qualification, ".
that / Lved ia Japan when the cd re
game was dy.ng out and the new dawn
mg forth, and MAS acquainted with
many of the men who were IN
-trUnrutal ia bringing about the new
Ordtr Of things Iue extent OI tue
empire from extreme north 20 south L
lotJ miles, aud c IS composed OI 0V0V
Islands. The northern islands are 81
berlan la climate. ine last remnants
OF the aboriginal tribes are found III
the island OT 1eLO, and art called the
AlnOo. There are about 40 900 of them.
They have timex, bu>hy hair aud Deard
anu axe short and stout lm build. They
lNe 10y hunting and fishing, and l0gD
years agothey extended half way down
the mann island.
According 10 japanese history, the
first MIkadO reigned COO before the
Christian era, but late investigation
makes TINS statement doubtful. lhe
earliest history Is the kogikl, u book Oi
mythology and tradition, written IN ~
\. H.. and IL is also the earliest literary
product of that division OF the human
race. Soon after is publication Chinese
culture became prevalent and old Jap
anese literature Was swept away.
Chinese today is TO the Japanese lam
guage "a Latin and creek to the Eng
lIsh, and constitutes about twO-thlras
OF lis vocabulary. The book j. eVl-
dence that at the time IL was written
the people had long been cultivated
and civilized; they had passed the stone
age and Il real bronze age. They used
iron for spear tips and swords and
knives. No mention Is made OF saw
and AK, but they had the mortar and
pestle, the wedge, and the shuttle for
weaving. Navigation was IN It's infancy.
The sOvcreign's palace was u wooden
hut with pillars planted IN the ground;
the windows were mere holes and skins
and rugs OF silk were used for seats.
Rice Is the only cereal mentioned. In
toXlcatlng liquor. called sake, was
known. All garments were woven.
Sewing was nowhere alluded 10. The
hair was only shearcd for punishment,
and the sexes dressed alike except III
head-gcar.
The use of surnames came from
China. No mention is made of
education or of wedding ccrc-
monies. Burial rites were peculiar and
the house OF the deceased was aban-
dOned. This OccasiOued the removal
OF the capital at one time. The Gus
tom OF huryng retainers alive gave
way to that OF substituting clay images
N the first century of the new era.
There were at thisearly period no tea,
uolans no pOrcela II lacquer or vehicles,
and no method of computing time; no
money, scarcely any knowledge Of
mcdicIne. Chinese culture br0sa Et
4 combination of the Buddhist and
Confuscian faiths with ShintOsm, and
the doctrine was called Rho Shinto,
and was principally transmOgrliied
Buddhism.
In 1884 the ITOgo family was over
thrown, aud a war lasting for nearly
three hundred years followed. 1yegas.
a successful general, gained absolute
power over the MlkadO, and became
Sh0gma in 1903, and hs descend
ants virtually ruled the country
until 1858. Iycgas was aftcrward dcl-
fed. lie established Il code of laws
comprising 100 rules which was OBJ
served until 1868. The speaker read
number OF these rules.
Norio Takechi, Il resident Japanese
student, then read paper ON the
teudal system in Japan. The samarai,
or military class, were the mobiles OF the
land, and they had absolute power
over the other three classcs-thc farm
a .f,.s.r
Tea was introduced in the ninth cen
ttIrv. r. 500 Buddhist priest named
SlitO brought tea seeds from China
and planted them where the imperial
tea gardens are still situated. The man
ufacure OF pottery has been carried
ON for centuries. The ant was brought
from Coroa. Seyagi. a Buddhist priest,
Is sand to- have been an inventor, and
instructed the people in the
art OF constructing entertainments,
building bridges. and is said ID have
been the originator of the POtters'
wheel. Printed books became common
IN the tenth century. The literature
Ot tine day 2bOunjcd IN fables, stories
and novels. There is almost c0un-
tcrpart of Gullivcr's travels existing ln
the japanese language. The literature
abouud- n epi-lam- and proverbs.
ODD sup.rsutons arc very plentiful in
Japan. Tho fox Is an omen ol cv.l and
is supposed t. have miraculous powers.
beng able 10 transform himself into
any attractive form Tor iuuug men -
dcsirucl ou.
The muscal Instruments most COM
mon ia Japan are the san sen, three
strnged instrument covered Wlth cat