Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-08-09

of the god or the spirit to whom a prayer
is to be offered. There is a box to receive
the coin, no matter how small or how va1u-
able. that must be offered with every pray
err. and generally priest or two standing
around to look after the place and to offer
advice and consolation. although he has no
ritual to perform, and breaches no public
sermons. There are no regular services.
There is no Shinto Sunday. But worship is
continuous; the common people seldom pass
temple without offering a prayer to some
ancestor or to some favorite god. or dead
persons whose memory they may reverence.
While theologians say that Shnto has no
right to be called a religion 1t has more
vital force than most religions, stronger
hold upon it's believers, and Is a restraining.
inspiring and uplifting influence upon the
individual and the nation at large. 1t has
been utilized frequently political
agency. just as it is now to stimulate the
patriotism of the people. In a certain sense
it is the state religion. The priests are ap-
pointed by the government and the temples
looked after by a bureau of temples
and ShrineS, a part of the interior depart
ment The emperor and the officials OF the
government are careful to observe all the
anniversaries and traditions. and to encour-
age pilgrimages to the tombs and shrines
of the Washingtons, Lincolns, Grants. JEFF
Persons. Jacksons and Mckinieys OF Japa-
nese history. While the educated classes
do not believe in the legends and signs and
omens taught by ignorant priests, and DO
not practice the rites of the Shinto cult as
Individuals, their loyalty and respect Will
not permit them to deny that the emperor
is divine or prevent them from participant
ing in the annual festivals and ceremonies
that have been celebrated at the Shinto
shrines and temples and other sacred
places for many generations.
Japs Are spiritualists.
The Japanese are natural spritualists
No people are more subject to the influence
of the dead, and while they have no means
of communicating directly with the inhab-
itants of the spirit world, such as our me-
diums furnish, the ancestral tablets to be
found in every household are a constant
reminder of the reverence that is due to
the dead. and the influence the spirits of
their grandfathers and grandmothers may
exert upon temporal affairs, because oil
their ability to see and know whatever is
to happen. Hence. when japanese is
planning for journey he prayS for the
guidance and protection of an ancestor or
some other person who was in the habit OF
travelling, or to some distinguished traveller
outside of his family. If he is to build a
house he prays for the aid of some great
architect; if he is about to undertake an
important negotiation he prays for the in
terceSsion of the spirit of some one who
was gifted with unusual business ability;
if he is going into battle he prays to Han
nimun. the god of war. or to LeyaSu. the
first shotgun who was me Napoleon. or
rather the Peter the Great of Japan.
At the hour of its birth every child is
placed by its parents under the protection
of some Shinto deity and their pantheon is
made up largely of the spirits of dead
heroes who in centuries past have distin-
gushed themselves in various fields of ac
tivity, just as in the Catholic Church
child is committed to the protection of
some saint who has been distinguished for
faith. piety and devotion In Japan the
baby becomes the foster child of this deity,
worShips at its shrine throughout life and
is buried by its priests The ancient burial
ritual of the Shintoists has been revived
during recent years. and notwithS landing
the progress and the education of the peo
pie. Shintoism has a stronger hold upon the
nation than it ever had before. The war
with Russia has revived and stimulated it,
and made it a real living vital necessity
of the entire nation.
The basis of Shinto is the worship of the
emperor and the loyalty and service which
each citizen of the country owes to him.
for the radiant Ama-teraS goddess of the
sun. chief of the S,OO.oOO deities of the
Shnto pantheon, was the founder of the
nation. Her crest is the national emblem.
She was the ancestress of the heaven-de
broken succession from the beginning of
the world and are worshiped as divine
when they die In addition to the emperors
and other patriots and great men of the
nation to whom shrineS have been erected
there is long list of gods and goddesseS
some commanding wide influence and popu-
larity, others known only to local fame
1t is within the power Oh the emperor to
canonize and elevate to the rank of a deity
any statesman. who has done valuable serv-
ice to the nation. And the present emperor
has exercised that power on several occa-
sions since his restoration to the throne.