The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1904-06-23

of hari-kari, or suicide, as above re-
proach. AS an example of the conf
dent, masterful, self-reliant, positive
individuality of the average japanese,
let me cite an instance, as told by
Christian missionary. Touring one
day with japanese friend, they
paused at ruined Buddhistic shrine.
Old and gray, it stood by the roadside;
its chaplet of flowers withered and de-
cayed; its face SCARED and dis6gured
by the work of alien hands. Pointing
to it, the missionary said half-triumph-
antly, half jokingly: "Behold, the vic
tory of the Nazarenew He said after
ward, he never quite forgot the freez-
ing, partly repellant air, with which
his native friend greeted this announce
ment, as he replied in broken English:
"Once, long ago, we make the gods, it is
by us they are destroyed-if so be, we
make again-we need not import"
Up to 1869 Japan was feudal. At
that time, the chiefs of the various
clans voluntarily relinquished the
greater part of their rights to the gener-
al government. In 1871 decree was
issued by the mikado, announcing that
the lands and troops of the chiefs had
reverted to the empire, and that here
after, the heads of the clans would be
placed on salary which would be
made hereditary to their families. In
1884, the visible worship of idolatry
was abolished, and Buddhism, Shinto-
ism, and Christianity were made equal
before the law. Thirty-five years ago
Japan had no railways, telegraph or
telephone lines, no navy or efficient
army. She has now 5000 miles of rail-
way in active operation, 81 900 miles of
telegraph, and 100000 miles of tele-
phone wire, with merchant marine,
modelled after European pattern, of
100000 gross tonnage. 1t is unneces-
sary to draw attention to either her
present army or navy. ALI this in less
than half century. The little "Isl-
and of the Gods" awakes from her
idealic dream of ages, and with the
swiftness of her ancient god Samra,
dons the habiliments of modernity and
takes her place in the front rank of
nations.
But stay, has she changed her faith ?
Not one whit, except in outward form.
Morally, ethically, her standards re-
main the same; tho she has lost much
of her idealism, by having assimilated
Western ideas and customs so rapidly.
Through all the history of the human
race, the pendulum swings the same
rhythmic beat; from one extreme to
the other Both religion and philosO-
ply have run the gamut in the annals
of nation more than once; from real
ism -materialism, to idealism-spiritism
ing point.
Christianity has found firm footing
in Japan: but her acceptance of The
doctrine is still one of jcomplaisance
The Jap laughs at lie as a peccadillo
but has no forgiveness for discourtesy
The desideratum with him Is perpetu.
al politeness, and he succeeds in the
undertaking. When Father Xavier
founded the first Jesuit mission in 1542
on.the island of Japan, the BONES, OF
native priests, took alarm at such un-
orthodox encroachment and appealed
to the emperor, who thereupon asked
, how many religions were existent in
, Japan. The answer was, thirty-fiye
, Whereat the monarch exclaimed
sThen, if thirty-five religions can be
. tolerated in Japan, we can easily bear
, with thirty-six." The same spirit is
: alive today; and it is that same spirit
which is often the most impregnable to
religious assault-a nominal acquies
cence without real conviction or CONVEX.
sion. The authenticity of the follow.
! ing statement cannot be doubted, as
, times without number, it has been
made by Anglo-Saxon residents of ia.
pan, that, the prime incentive for Jap.
anese attendance at mission schools is
| that they give the opportunity of learn
: ing English.
Transposed commercially, the atti
/ tude of the Jap toward Christianity, is
! very much like that of certain retail
i; dealers and buyers. They affably
e agree with the salesman that his goods
Q | are the best, and his prices the loves,