Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1904-02-27

Grafton. These works are. strictly
speaking, histories, but they contain al
so mythology, describing the origin Of
gods and men. According to these
books, In the beginning,
Far In the deep ininitudes OF space,
Upon throne OF silence,
Sat Ame-no mi naka-nushi-ro.kaml,"
Which name signifies The Lord OF the
Center OF Heaven. Around him was
chaos, But soon came forth pairs OF
beings, and last OF them Izanagi and
lzanami. These lived In heaven, the
earth not yet being formed. The sun,
moon and earth were Just separating
and heavenly bridge still connected
them. On this bridge Izanagl stood
while giving 10 the earth mass a rotary
motion and causing dry land to APP
pear. izanagi and his wife. now de-
scended, and created Japan, the EN-
pire Of the Eight Great Islands"
After this 100000 gods were formed.
and gradually the continents and ISL
ands were made to appear, TO become
clothed In verdure, and inhabited. ia
pan, however, Is the center OF this
earthly creation. The stars were made
to guide warriors from foreign coun-
tries to the Mikado, who is the son of
heaven, before whom all should bow.
1t Is claimed that for 1000 years Shin
toism, with these ideas OF creation.
was the sole religion Of Japan. I'M
pllct obedience to the Mikado Is Its
fundamental aim. II has no creads.
Good gods must be worshlped, It says,
that good gifts may be obtained, and
evil gods, to appease them. Twice each
year festivals were held for general
publication, and the following prayer
was then offered up;
20 God that dwellest In the high
plain OF heaven. who art divine In sub.
stance and In intellect, and able TO
give protection from guilt and It's PEN
alties, TO Danish impurlty, and 10
cleanse US from uncleanness; Hosts OF
Gods, hear US and listen to these petit
tionsi"
This gives some idea OF shInto re-
llgion, Its characteristics In It's pure
state are an absence OF an ethical and
doctrinal code, OF idol-worshp, OF
priestcraft, and Of any teachings con-
corning a future state, and the deitica-
ton of heroes emperors and great men,
together with the worship Of certain
forces and objects In nature, II Is
claimed that the Shintolsts have li0cO
gods, OF whom 400 have shrines
If these features OF japanese religion
are compared with prominent features
In Russian forms Of worship, the differ
ence will not appear so greatly In favor
OF Russia, II Japan has Its gods and
shrines, Russia has her saints and sa-
cred places, and pllgrimages and fes-
tlvals. The reverence due the Mlkado
rs the son Of heaven" Is equaled by
that paid TO the Car as the vice.
gerent OF God, not to speak Of the
Blessed and Holy Patriarch Of the Holy
City" If morality counts In this COM
parlson, Japan is ahead. Alfred Stead
says. you can go all over Japan and
never see a drunken soldler-that IL,
Japanese soldier. When on duty, sol
dfers so about In the quietest man
ner imaginable. Their principal diver
sion Is drinking tea with their friends,
or hanging about the old book shops.
Unless q Jap is actually engaged In war,
YOU Will find him an extremely child
like creature, Aud this Ia national
characteristic.
The truth is that Japan Is as much |
Christian" as Russia Is, The japanese
are as moral, as truth-loying and as
progressive as the Russians, Neither |
II a Christian" nation II that word |
is taken to mean one that follows the |
divine Nagarene In faith and practice |
II they both were Christian nations
they could not make war upon one an
other. II is well to bear these facts In
mind, when the statement is made that
the war IL one between paganlsm and |
Christianity II 10 not. 1t is emphatic
ally n war Of greed, and not OF prlncl-
nlos.