The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-11-15
Use TEMPLE
WORSHIP
Interesting Papers at
Women's Board
Meeting.

The Woman's Board of Central Union
yesterday afternoon, beginning at 2:30.
The Acting President Mrs. Theodore
Richards, presided. The Treasurer ce-
ported the financial condition good.
An interesting letter was read from
Mrs. De La Porte on Pleasant Island.
Then came a report from the Lima
Kokua society, after which Mrs. E. B.
Waterhouse, Miss Francis Johnson and
Miss Cunningham read interesting pa
pers on the three ancient religions OF
Japan, Shintoism. Buddhism and Con-
fucianism, being presented in the or
der of their introduction to the land of
the chrysanthemum.
Mrs Damon introduced Mrs. DR..
Bernard, who talked Of the Chinese
work The Portuguese work was re-
ported on by Mrs. Soares, and Mrs.
Huntington, Mrs. Simpson and Mrs.
Merriman spoke a few words at the
invitation of the President. Mrs. P. ..
Jones closed the session with pleasant
"reminiscences of the last session of the
American Board, where she met many
of Hawaiis friends.
The paper read by Mrs. Waterhouse
throws considerable light on the signifi-
canoe of the ceremony reported by
cable a day or two ago announcing the
intention of the MiKado and his minis
tiers of state to visit the temple of Ise
and give thanks for success in the war.
1t was as follows:
The Shinto religion is the most an
cient in Japan. The Japanese call it
"Kauri no michi'-'"The way of the
Gods" The Chinese name of Shinto
was adopted later. ShintO is literally
the God way just as the Japanese now
speak of the Christian religion as 1.-THE
Jesus way"
The Shinto religion was already
spread over Japan when Buddhism was
introduced, in the sixth century. The
richer ceremony of Buddhism appealed
to the beauty loving people of Japan.
At the restoration of the Mikado to
temporal power IN 1868, Shinto was re-
it's value as a political influence.
A Shinto shrine has no idol and all
the temples are severely plain. The
round metal mirror which is found in
every temple, is a copy of the original
mirror in Ise which also teaches that
the thoughts of the worshipers must
be pure and sincere. 1t is also intend
ed to represent the Sun Goddess, the
Great Divinity of the Shinto religion.
In Shfnto sin is pollution, and much of
the worship consists of washings and
publication of the body. This idea of
purity is carried so far that pity for the
sufferer is lost in the idea of defflement
which attends disease. Birth and
death are considered defiling, and, until
recently. the house where anyone died
was generally burnt and those who at
tended the funeral had to purify them
selves with salt.
Another tenet of Shintoism is the
worship of the Emperor, or Mikadoism.
which is a belief that he is descended
from the Sun goddess and that the in
sigma of power, the mirror, the sword
and the crystal stone have descended
to him as gifts directly from her.
Thus patriotism is exalted to re-
Iigion and the people are taught that
they must obey the commands OF the
Emperor without questioning whether
they are right or wrong.
Shintoism can hardly be called re-
ligion, as we understand il. 1t is sys-
TEN of guardianship over ancient tombs
"a political force and an incentive to
patriotism and cleanliness. There is
an absence of doctrine or any moral
teaching or idea of a future state.