The Intermountain Catholic. (Salt Lake City [Utah] ;) 1899-1920, 1904-03-12


four orders-Jesuits, Franciscans, Domncans and
Augustinians-she their blood for the faith dur
ing It's course, whilst the number of native Japan
ese ay-folk who perished exceeded 100000! Since
the apostolic times grander spectacle had been
exhibited to the Christian world; it embraced cpl
sodes beautiful enough to delight the angels, and
refnements OF wickednes5 sufficient to excite the
jealousy of demons"
At the last general massacre, III 1888, 10000
Christians were slaughtered, and the church, which
at the beginning OF the century, counted nearly
100000 souls appeared TO be absolutely extinct
A silence of death that not broken until the
nineteenth century, settled upon II.
On Whit Sunday, 1862, Plus IN. surrounded
by an extraordinary gathering OF Cathohc DiShols
from all parts of the world, had the consolation OF
solemnly procaiming the canonizatlon of the twen-
ty-sX martyrs of Japan.
What followed in Japan seemed like a visible
answer to the honOrs thus splendidy rendered 10
those heroes of the faith. On Feb. 49, 1860, the
fine Catholic church dedicated to the twenty-six
martyrs was opened at Nagasak, the scene of their
martyrdom The church had been built by NJ. Ber-
nard Petitiean, native of the diocese OF Autun.
who having joined the Soeete des Missions OF
Etrangeres, had been sent out TO Japan IN 1861 We
must let this illusrieus missionary, whose name
will be for ever ndissoluby bound up with the his
tory of the japanese church. narrate the wonderful
sequel in his own oft-quoted words;
The Wonderful Sequel
'Scarce month had elapsed since the bepedic-
tion of the church at Aagasaki, On March II, 1865
about half-past twelve, some fifteen persons We're
standing at the church door. had scarce time to
say pater when three women between 80. and 90
years of age knelt down beside me- and said IN a
low voice, placing their hand upon their hearts,
The hearts of all of US do not differ from
yours -
"Indeed,' exclaimed aEhence do you comep
They mentioned their village, adding, AT home
everybody is the same as we aren
BLESSED be thou, o, my God! for all the hap
piness which filled my soul. What compensation
for five years of barren ministry Scarce had our
dear japanese opened their hearts to us than they
displayed an amount of trustfulness which con-
trasts strangely with the behavior of their pagan
brethren. | was obliged to answer all their ques-
tions and to talk to them of O Deous Sama, O Vase
Sama and Santa Maria Sama, by which names they
designate God, Jesus Christ and the Blessed Vir-
gin. The view of the statue of the Madonna and
Child recalled Christmas to them, which they said
they had celebrated in the elevneth month They
asked me If they were not at the seventeenth day
of the time of sadness Ii. e. Lent nor was st. Jo
seph unknown to them; they call him O Vase Sa-
nano you fu, the adaptive father of Lord In
the midst of this voey of questions footsteps were
heard; Immediately all dispersed But soon as
the newcomers were recognized all returned, laugh
ing at their fright.
They are people of our village they said,
They have the same hearts as we have.
However, we had to separate for fear of aWak-
ening the suspicious of the officials, whose visit
feared. On Maundy Thursday and Good Friday,
April 10 and IA, 1900 people visited the church of
Nagasaki. The presbytery was invaded: the faith
ful took the opportunity to satisfy their devotion
before the crucifx and the statues of Our Lady Dur
ng the early days of May the missioners learned
IF the existence of $500 Christians scattered in the
of the city. On May Is there arrived
delegates from an island not very far from here.
After short interview We dismissed them, detain
ng only the catechist and the leader of the pilgrim
age. The catechist. named Peter. gave Us the most
-aluable information. Let me first say that his for
nula for baptism does not differ at ali from ours,
md that he pronounces it very distinctly. He de-
,ares that there are many Christians left up and |
loWn all over Japan. He cited in particular one
,lace where there are over 1000 Christian families
he then asked about the great chicI Of the king
lom OF Rome, whose name ne desired to know
When | told him the vicar of Christ. the sanity
Pope Plus IL, would be very happy TO learn the
onsoling news given Us by himself ard his fellow
,ountIymen, he gave full expression to his JOY.
Nevertheless before leaving he wished to make
quite sure that we We're the true successors of the
peient missioners. Have you 10 children" he
gked, tmidly.
You and all your brethren, Christian and
eathen, of Japan, are all the children whom God
las given US. Other children we cannot have. The
rest must, like your first apostles, remain all his
lte unmarried
Az inns reply HeJef ana MS companion hcnt
heir heads down to the ground and cried out, They
re celibate, thank Godr"
Kept Faith Without Clergy For Two Centuries.
Next day an entire Christian village invited
isit from the missioners. Two days later 600 more
christians sent deputation 10 Nagasaki BY
une the missoners had learned the existence of
twenty-five 'Christianities,' and seven baptizers'
7ere put into direct relation with them"
Thus" to quote NJ. Lamay's admirable le-
ume of this marvellous episode, Sin spite OF the
bsence of all exterior help, without any sacraments
except baptism-by the action of God in the first
lace, and in the next by tie faithful transmission
families of the teaching and example of the Jap
nese Christians and martyrs of the sixteenth and
centuries. the sacred fire OF the true
aith, at least still burning spark OF this fire
ad remained concealed in a country tyramized
yer by government the most despotic and ihe
1ost hostile to the Christian religion. All that was
equired was 10 blow up this spark and rekndle It's
anne in order TO realize once more the wish ex-
ressed by Saviour, Il am to cast fire upon
arth. and what do / desire but that it be rekin-
ledr" F."
"Such was the almost miraculous event of
Iarch H. 1865, in honor OF which Plus X estab-
shed feast, with the rank of greater double.
. be celebrated forever in Japan under the title of
The Finding of the Christians"