The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1899-09-22
RANSOME'S BOOK.
Extract From Japan in
Transition" 30,
Japanese Have no strong Religious
Convictions Of Any sort-shin-
toism susfices for Them.


Stafford Ransome's book on Japan in
Transition"
The early missionaries succeeded In
winning over many thousands of the
people to Christianity. for they were
greatly attracted to the religion OF the
foreigners who could do SO many won
derful things. But the rivalry between
Protestant and Catholic sects soon fol-
lowed. The Protestants at first were
able to convince the natives that the
Catholics were not Christians. and
were merely, under the guise of Chris
tianity, plotting against the state. Az
ter much massacring and banishing of
the Catholics. the natives learned that
both sects were Christians, and quick
ly came to the conclusion that II one
had reasonable designs. both had
such purposes. From that day Chris
tianity lost it's hold upon Japan. never
to recover II, although the Government
was later forced to concede treaty ports
and receive the foreigners In great
schools were established after the
opening OF these ports, and they we're
crowded with pupils. II looked as II
Japan had again made up its mind to
accept Christianity. But, no. The Jap
anese attended these schools in their
eagerness to learn the English Ian
guage.
Now the intelligent Japanese has a
highly developed desire to avoid hurt
ing peoples feelings, and when he goes
to these schools he makes no objection
TO being called Christian for the time
being. He does this with a respect
that an atheist observes on entering a
church edifice. But when he lays his
books aside and leaves the school, he
thinks no more Of being a Christian as
a matter of course. Again, when
japanese is travelling in Europe or
America, his instinct of. adapting him
self to circumstances never fails to as
| sert itself in conspicuous manner. To
all appearances he is Christian" un-
til he returns home. The Japanese
professor or other experienced adviser
will say to the young man starting his
journey: You had better buy Bible,
and so to church when you are away;
II may make things easier for you. and
can not do any harm" This traveller
looks upon the possession of Bible as
sort Of passport to protect him from
danger in the West. The Englishman
or American Is inclined to look upon
such pretense as contemplate. but the
Japanese feels that 1t Is perfectly
proper. ..,
But it must be borne in mind that the
Japanese man has no strong religious
convictions of any sort. Many of the
educated classes have as much knOwl-,
edge Of Christianity az they have of
Buddhism, the rudiments of the Chris
tian faith being much simpler than
those of the other, and the rush for
modern education having elbowed out
many of the opportunities offered i'm
the old days for profound religious
study.
Shlntoism, which many foreign au-
thorities hold to be no religion at all,
suffices for the requirements of the or
binary Japanese today. A man wor-
ships his ancestors presumably for
having brought into the world so per-
feet "A specimen of humanity as him
self, and the satisfaction and self-as-
sertion such a faith begets help to
hold families and the nation together:
but this sort OF faith does not amount
to a profound conviction anywhere in
Japan.
1t Is alleged that a great many of the
educated japanese know more about
Christianity than the half-educated
missionaries who go there, but along
with their study OF this subject they
have carefully read the materialistic
writings of John Stuart Mill, Auguste
COmte, and other such philosophers,
which goes to prove that they are aft
| er the practical, money-making kn0wl-
edge In the West and not its spiritual
ity. Thus 1t Is seen that Japan Is a
poor soil for any sort of new religion;
and since the war with China the peo-
pie are so well satisfied with them
selves and so eager to advance their
material welfare that the moment Is
not opportune for spiritual innova-
| tons.
1T Is difficult to estimate the num-
Der of Christians in Japan, but II is
| safe to say there Is not one In every
100 900 OF the population. the statistics
OF the missionaries to the contrary
Notwithstanding. Without impugning
the good faith of the missionaries II
may be said that they often take ma
tives for Christians who appear to ac-
quiesce with them In conversation on
religious subjects. Nine cases In ten
"a native will do this, II he knows the
foreigner TO whom he Is talking has
pronounced Views on Christianity. I'm
Ill recently people Of the lower classes
made no objection when asked by the
missionaries to allow their names to
be put In the returns as Christians. 1t
Is TO be presumed, then. that the re-
turns OF Japanese Christians" made
from time to time TO European and
American missionary societies are
largely made up OF this sort of Chris
| tians."
But with the spread OF education the
Japanese are now getting tired Of pre-
tending to be Christians, which, after
all Is doubtless the best thing for
Christianity, for the genuine converts
viii then become known, The growth
OF education among the lower classes
has taught them that baptism carries
with IL obligations which they are
ayerse 10 discharging Consequently
/ 81 a. a.