Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1907-07-31
baptism. ana a few Christian sooss

baptism. ana q FEW Christian books
and emblemA The ways in which
this was done were most ingenious.
Sometimes crosses and pictures OF
the Virgin were placed in shrines. and
then locked. over the door of the
shrine was placed a warning that
1t must never be opened. Here for
two centuries Christian and heather
worshiped. the latter OF course. al,
ignorantly. Certain OF these shrines
became. with the passage OF time. IA
vorite places Of worship. and as clear
belief passed into dim tradition. no.
BODY knew definitely to whom these
shrines were erected. or why. Some
OF the fayorite Japanese deities have
since proved to be Christian personal.
tiles! DULY with the opening of
many shrines in recent years has
the real natu-e OF their contents been
discovered.
Ihis momectous chapter OF reli.
gious history nav several bearings.
but at the present critical period in
Japan's religious life it is an impor.
.ant evidence to the fidelity of the
Japanese character. Those who ques
ton whether the native Christians
VIII hold out, should missionaries de
part. have only TO read this unparal
ieiied page of the church's annals ia
learn lesson in heroism and stead
fastness that is nothing less thar
thrilling.
Persecution and Prosperity.
Luiled into a sense of security by
the coming OF the missionaries, the
Christians openly avowed themselves
But in 1865 the present emperor re
iterated the ancient anti Christian
edicts. in the following proclama
tons:
The evil sect. called Christian. Is
strictly prohibited. Suspicious per
sons should be reported to the proper
officers and rewards will be given"
With respect to the Christian sect
the existing prohibition must be
strictly observed. Evil sects are
strictly prohibited"
For several years the Christians
who refused to forswear their faith
were again called upon to pass
through the fires of persecution
They were exiled and imprisoned and
tortured to the number OF more thar
6.OO0-2.000 again paying the las,
full measure of devotion" Full re
hgious liberty was granted. however
In 1873. and since then the Roman
Catholic church has made remarkable
progress in Japan. especially amona
the poor and lowly. to whom 1t ha.
particularly ministered
There are 243 Roman Catholic mis-
sionaries in Japan, ali members of
the Society of Jesus. and practically
all French. Some antagonism was
shown to them during the late war
because OF Frances alliance with
Russia. but this was generally over
come by the tact or the missionaries
themselves. The self-sacrifice and
zeal OF these men is praised by every
body. A frequent subject of remark
is the manner in which they share
the poverty OF the natives among
whom they live. One of the fathers
himself says on this point:
The mission requires that its
workers should live according to the
precepts of evangelical poverty. and
so, aside from lodging, IL allows only
20 yen ($l1.5O) month to Euro
pean missionaries 1t is misery &c
those who have no private means
Nevertheless, there are several who
must content themselves with this pit
lance and live on such moaest re-
sources. Strange to relate. II is lust
these last who succeed best in evan
gelization. The Japanese people. be
ing themselves poor, listen more read
lily to an apostle who lives q life OF
privation than 10 one who has
modest competence" Repeatedly
have heard the contrast made be
tween the style of living adopted by
the Roman Catholics, and that of the
Protestant missionaries, and always
in favor of the former.
Nuns came In 1872, and their first
postuiant, as also the first nun to die.
was a young woman named Kataoka,
known as Sister Margaret" who was
the sister and daughter of mar
tyrs," and whose death was has
tened by the ill-usage she had en-.
dured as a child in Jail. where she
saw her father executed for his faith
The Cistercian Trappists, whose or.
der dates from the twelfth century
have two colonies, one OF monks and
one of nuns, in the northern island of
Yezo, not far from Hakodate. These
are all engaged in agriculture. and
their farms are regarded as models
by the Japanese government. Their
time is divided between prayer and
farm work. They arise at two q m
During several hours daily they OBJ.
serve the rule Of silence.
OF Roman Catholic churches Ia
Japan-usually more prepossessing Ia