The Opelousas courier., 1904-06-25
NO JAP SWEAR WORDS.
MlLDNESS OF LANGUAGE DUE TO
WoMAN'S INFLUENCE.
Retrospect and Prospect of Religion in
Japan-A Yard Long List of Sects of
Ruddhism-Religious Fanaticism Is
Unknown.

observation-disclosures Fanatlcism IS
Unknown.
"The japanese language was mold
ed into it's literary form by the touch
Of woman" said DR.. Toyokichi Iyen-
aga, at the Brooklyn Institute, &C.
cording to the New York Tribune.
"As Dante fixed the classic form OF
Italian, so the court ladies of the six
teenth century, the most cultivated
influence then existing, fixed the lit
erary standards of Japanese.
perhaps to this formative femin-
inc influence is due the chief deic-
iency Of the languaVe-its lack of
good, strong, virile wear words"
said the lecturer. with a twinkle in
his eye. cat any rate, this deficiency
is at times a disadvantage. 1t COM
pels a Japanese to learn English If
he is going to play golf or football"
The subject Of the lecture, the fifth
in the course, was Retrospect and
Prospect of Religion in Japan" DR..
Iyenaga, who is q lecturer in the uni
versity course of the University OF
Chicago, said in retrospect that Shin
toism, the ancient native religion, was
a compound of nature worship and
ancestor worship. 1t Is held now
only by very old-fashioned, conserva-
tive folk, who dislike and d%eprecate
the age of modern progress in Japan.
But Buddhism is essentially the jap
/ anese religion. Buddhism has priests
and pilgrims, monks and nuns, confess
sion and penance, saints and a saw
four.
"In fact" said the speaker, "the
more one knows of Buddhism the
better he realizes the truth Of the
saying, Buddhism is the devils 1m1-
| tation of Christianity For instance,
there is a sect of the Shin-Shu. They
believe in salvation by faith. They
believe that the spirit Of Buddha
| comes to dwell in the heart of the
believer.
"You see these doctrines sound
| somewhat familiar. You have heard
| something like them before. In fact,
the ShinrShu are called the Protest
ants of Buddhism. They do not be-
lieve in fasting or doing penance, or
in monastic life. In fact, the chief
| reproach against them Is that they
are so much like the Christians that
they might as we'll be Christians out
and out"
Dr.. Iyenaga gave a yardlong list Of
| sects of Buddhism, all of which sound
| ed like the names of the generals and
| b%attlefelds of the present war.
"I'm afraid you won't remember all
those" said he demurely. It's like
the Japanese when he begins to learn
the different Christian sects. He
finds them hard to remember" Most
of these sects rose and f1ourished IN
the thirteenth century, which was the
| golden age of Buddhism. But no mat
ter how many sects or doctrines may
| be found in Japan, none of them strike
/ very deep, according to the speaker
of the day.
Japan could never produce a Pu-
| ritan, a Covenanter or an 1nquisition,"
| said he with conviction. Religious
fanatictsm is unknown. Bigotry is
| not in the genius of the race. Relig,
| ious gloom does not enter into the
, lives of the people.
'"Their religion does not prescribe
austerity Of life or manner"
DR.. Iyenaga described a Buddhist
| saints day celebration out of the city
The people go in vast crowds to a
lonely spot among beautiful gardens,
surrounded by lovely scenery. Every
species Of travelling show and re-
freshment booth cheers the scene.
"If you could see the tiny company
that gathers in the temple" said he
"and the enormous throngs that KEEP
the day Of the good saint by enjoying
themselves outside, 1t would be sug
gestiye of the character of the people
But, in addition, the whole side Of
the temple is removed, so that the
worshippers are really part of the
crowd without. The effect is almost
as If you were to e acrobats ant
trained birds performing in a cathe
draf."
After the revolution of 1868 the ra
tionalistic tendencies of the Japanese
broke out with marvellous force. Il
was like the effect of the French Rev
olution on the religious thought O
Europe.
"A wave Of rationalistic though
swept over the country" he said
"The professors of the universities
led IL. Shintoism was seen to b'
dead. Even Buddhism became inered
ible. It came to be a mark OF ignor
ance to believe In religion; a mari
Of intelligence to despise 1t. Leader
Of Japanese thought shook 1t off a
a tradition of the past, and reaches
out for what they believed the solit
fruits Of thought, science, art and lit
erature.
"But a nation cannot exist withou
q religion. There are today In Japal
Christianity and Buddhism. 1t is
question If Christianity will total,
eradicate Buddhism in Japan. 1t
a question If either Professionalism o
Catholicism will become the nationa
religion of Japan. Prophets are Il
poor repute; but If I were to ventur
AI-& Al