The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-10-21

/ pFlNb hueti VI ~ NEeab Nuuu ~ N1Hb VI HSCAuh
the Pope and the Christians Of Europe, and thus
finally brought them 10 give their consent, but
! with such infinite regret, such tears that one of
| the poor ladies fell dangerously ILL" without
| offence TO the names of the excellent Gualtierl
| or Of Father vslignano II may be surmised that
the Incredible vehemence" with which these
| youths besoueht their mothers to let them un-
dertske the great voyage proposed to them may
| not have been inspired solely by impulses Of
| piety and devOtioni
Like the young Lord Bateman in the ballad,
these Japanese lads of IS probably longcd
| strange countries for TO see"; and indeed
| Gualtieri comments shrewdly enough upon this
aspect Of the expedition. There was a strong
disposition, he says, on the part Of the Princes
| TO send these inquirinq youths abroad on the
suggestion Of Father Valignano. that they
might observe the masnifcence Of the Romish
| Church and the splendor Of Christianity. for
many people in Japan disbeiieve what the
Jesuits said If Europe, having such high
ceit of themselves that they did not believe that
any countries could be found more beautiful
and great than their own, or any people OF more
vslor and intelligence than themselves" This
skeptioism of the Japanese, to the alleged in
| ferlority of Europe, had, in fact, been stun-
| bling block In the way OF the missionaries the
unbelievers casting doubt upon II, in order to
| impugn the motives with which the mission
Il
argued these disciples of doubling Thomas,
"why should these priests Of Jesus leave it and
go to sterile and dissgreeabls countries, and this
| not for any human interest OF their own, but
only for the profit and utility of other persons ?"
After the most careful preparation and pro-
| vision had been made on fine Portuguese ship
for the comfort Of the party, the youthful ENJOYS
finally Get sail with Father valignano and a
small retinue from NaRasaki under the COM
al nj Tn,,I na-In a n i,,a LNah a
with fair wind for Macao. Father valignano,
| with great prudence. refused to accept any large
| and splendid establishment for his young en-
| voys, not wishing to attract too much attention
| TO them and to their errand. in those days when
every ship met at sea as likely to- he pirate
as peaceful trader. and when the long voyage
| from Japan to Europe had to be made by success
sive stages within the reach OF all sorts OF poten
tates and peoples and at the risk OF encountering
unforeseen perils on land and sea through many
consecutive months. My space will not allow
me to give you many details from this most in
| teresting little book OF the moving accidents by
| food and field " which befell Valignano and his
companions in the China Seas of the Straits OF
| Sumatra, in southern India, around the Cape OF
Good Hope, and on the African coast before they
| finally reached Lisbon. They were kept in the
| first instance for no less than nine months at
Macao. which had been granted as q settlement
| with the privilege of sending great vessel to
! Europe and receiving one from Europe only
once a year The Japanese mission, therefore.
had to await the date fixed for the departure of
| the Portuguese salleon. but Valignano's noble
| and intelligent youths employed their time very
| proftably in acquiring the Latin language, max
| ing some progress In Italian and learning to
write after the Roman fashion.
| When the time came to sail, II was decided,
ftA. NtAt- f.ts y. fail
friend, Don lgnazio di Lima, by continuing
their voyage with him. instead Of going on board
| finer Portuguese ship on which passage was
| offered them. They afterward saw the finger of
| Providence In this preference, when In the
| Straits of Sumatra they came upon the wreck
| of this finer ship and were able to rescue many
OF the survivors. The young ENJOYS passed
long time, too. in southern India and at Goa,
being everywhere treated by the Jesuit estab-
lishment and the Portuguese authorities with
great kindness and distinction. Gualtieri gives
some very interesting pages, too. to their stop
page at st. Helena, which he tells us had been
stocked only nine vears before with goats, sheep,
chickens, and many European plants and veg
etables for the benefit OF q Portuguese sailor
who, having committed some crime elected to
be left there as q penitent and . hermit by his
comrades The animals and plants had multi
piled and fourished. and the hermit having
eminent had forbidden any further settlement
to be made on the island ressrving It to the ex-
elusive use OF the Portuguese flag as aconvenient
place at which Portuguese vessela passing be-
tween Europe and the East might take aboard
| supplies of fowls. sheep, vegetable and above
all of the fresh water found there In abundance.
After visiting Portugal and Spain, the Japanese
ENJOYS finally reached the Mecca Of their pill
grimage. Rome, in the spring of 1888, just three
at thav had Lant tha faatiy pal of Eaat
| in Southern India. BY this time Pope Gregory
| Kill, the great canonist, Buoncompagni to
| whom the world the reformation of the
| calendar. had died, and been succeeded by the
| famous Savoyard Slxtus ", who governed the
| Church with so masterful a nand for Ave event
| full years, Nothing was spared by this far
| sighted Pontif which could impress upon the
| minds of the young Japanese the lessons they
had been brought so far to learn. Civilities and
| distinctions of all kinds were lavished upon
| them, and they were solemnly received by the
| Holy Father at great and special consstory,
| attended by all the members of the Sacred Col
| lege, then present In Rome. This conslstory was
| held with the utmost possible pomp at the great
| College OF the Jesuits. and Gualtieri gives q
| lively picture OF the intense emotion with which
this great event inspired the young Japanese,
now of course fast approaching the maturity Of
manhood. One OF their number, a young noble,
who had contracted fever. was forbidden by
the Pope's physicians to attend the ceremonial
but he insisted with prayers and tears upon go
| ing. and being taken with a faintlng 1T during
the ceremonial, he would not even then consent
TO being removed until the Pope touched by
much devotion, had promised that another con-
sistory should be held after he had recovered
| Gualtieri gives the full text of discOurses made
| by Cardinal Peretti In the name Of the Pope on
various occasions while the mission remained
| In Rome and OF the sDacial letters addressed nv
the Cardinal to the King Of Bougo and the
| Princes of Arima and Omura in behalf of his
uncle the Pope, when the ENJOYS finally set out
upon their return to the far East. They found
| their way back again To Japan, enriched with
much experience. and laden with many gifts.
But their return, instead OF inaugurating, as
| the Jesuit Fathers and tho Portuguese states
men had hoped and expected, = new era of grow
ing Christianity and expanding commerce with