The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1895-03-15
RELIGION OF JAPAN.
sHlNTolsM RESPONSIBLE FOR JAPA-
NESe lleERALlTv.

a Japanese gentleman not long ago
visited drug store on the Third avenue,
In this city, and asked for q postage
stamp. The stamp was duly supplied by
the head of the drug store, who, wish.
ing to be pleasant and agreeable to the
foreigner, said. "well, sir, which do
you like better, America or Gilman"
The Japanese gentleman Indignantly
replied. MAY suggest, sir, that 1t is
your business to sell drugs and stamps,
and that you should confine yourself to
these duties? am not Chinaman, but
a native Of Japan and Il Is mark Of
YOUR ignorance of geography that you
do not know the difference.
Without apologizing for the rndeness
rpf the gentleman Of Japan, we venture
to remark that western peoples, even
the most educated among Us, do not
seem to carefully distinguish between
Japan and China.
The Japanese have always regarded
themselves as far in advance In civiliza.
tion, and there Is nothing which offends
the native Of the island of Japan more
I than to no taken for Chinaman.
Very much Of the liberal attitude Of
,thes people OF Japan toward western
thought and custom arises from the fact
that its national religion is Shintoism.
Most people imagine that Buddhism
IL the religion Of Japan, and conse
quently the national cult Of Shintoism
ID d religious belief which until the last
30 years had never been heard of in the
western world.
For centuries Japan was terra in
eoanita to the rest Of humanity, although
Its history dates from $50 B. c.; when
thinner Tenno was king and Shintoism
was his creed. Buddhism was not in
troduced into Japan until 900 of the
Christian ora, when 1t came from India
by@way of Korea.
The term Shinto is Of Chinese origin
and is expressed by the almost unpro,
nounceable Japanese word of Kami.no.
michi, the7ineafing Of both words being
1.-THE way of the spirits. F" The essential
principle of Shintoism is a combination
of ancestor worship and nature worship,
and it would seem that the latter Of
these elements is largely due to the con.
tact of Japan with the Taoism of China.
Shinotism is therefore the veneration OF
the eountry's heroes and benefacrors Of
every age. legendary, historical, an.
Gent and modern.
The essential feature Of Shintoism is
its liberal attitude toward other reli.
gious beliefs, and when Buddhism was
brought into the countr. he priests Of
the ancient belief extended the right
hand of fellowship toward its missicna
ries. But the same liberality has lot
always been returned by the clergy Of
Buddhism, ard not very long ago enc Of
the great temples at Tokyo was burned
by the Buddhists to prevent its falling
into the hands of the Shihto priests
Shintoism has been equally liberal To-
ward modern Protestant missionaries,
for before. the Church Of England edifict
at Tokyo, now known as ST. Andrew
church, was built the present Shint,
government lent one Of the Shinto TEN
Piles for Church Of England services.
Whenever opposition to Christianity hi
arisen it has come from the old nobili
ty, who, are opposed to all change alt
are sealous supporters Of Buddhism.
Although Shintoism has been tho an
cient religion of Japan for more thar
"a centuries, it had never been declared
the established religion" of Japan un
til the year 1868, when for reasons
wholly political it became the establish
ed religion Of the country. A grant O.
$500, 900 year was made for the main
tenance Of the Shinto temples ant
'shrines, which are said to be somewhere
about 100, 600 in number.
J The Buddhism of Japan had been ex
ceedingly aggressive and had almost sub
verted the ancient system of Shintoism
but now whena child is born it is takel
by its parents either to Shinto or ;
Buddhist temple for dedication. Funer
als are how conducted by either Shintt
or Buddhist priests, as the relatives ma,
prefer.
The first great god of the Shintos il
,Mingo no Mikoto, the remote ancestor
of the priest mikado, who is said to hav,
been descended from the god and god
dess Of the sun The mikado is known
among tho japanese as Teushi, or tn,
son Of heaven, on account of his celes
|. tial descent, the title of mikado mean
ing very much the same as the sublime
/ porte Of the Ottomans-namely, 18th,
presence" an expression SO common il
/ oriental lands for exalted personagos
It is said that when the goddess O.
|. the sun made the mikado's remote an
cestor (Mingo) sovereign Of japan sh,
deliyered to him the way Of the gods
and degreed that his dynasty should b,
as immovable as the sun and the moon
|, hence the need for making Shintoisn
the established religion. She also CAV,
him a mirror rs sacred emblem, say
]. ing, Look upon this mirror as my spir
it, keep it III tho same house and upol
the same floor with yourself, and wor
ship it, rs If you were worshipirg IN,
|, actual presence The story is that thi
sacred mirror is still in the Shinto ten
/ pie of Naiku, at Yamada, although i
has never been seen by western tray
eler.. q
1.-THE rites OF Shirtoism for many year
occupied conspicuous place in the rule
Of the court of Japan, and there arc te,
'sections of the sacred book known ~
the "Yengi Shiii" devoted to court cero
monies. 1t must be understood that. &C
cording to Shinto belief, the great incar
nate god is the mikado himself, but tn
gods of Shintoism are numbered by thou
sands. - Thomas p. Hughes in New
York Sun.
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