The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1908-05-02

more than with spiritual affairs. n
!. has existed in Japan from time imme-
mortal. long. before the Introduction
an ethical point of view 1t has more
teaching IN It than Buddhism. but 1T
Is not so elaborate as Confucianism.
the japanese mind. 1t is based upon
a patriarchal form OF community. Its
essential notion OF ethics Is cleanliness
OF conscience: but the idea Of clean
Illness is. applied not only mentally but
physically-hence its tendency to bod
lily cleanliness as we'll as other cog
nate matters. 1t speaks OF good and
bad the one as black or muddy and
ences the ruler from the very ma
ture of its cult, and u magnificent
! ideal of subject and citizen Is de-
veloped from these simple notions"
Thus speaks Baron suematsu. and
in his last sentence he sounds the key
to. 1t is a political! and a national
religion, and the nation fears that with
the death OF Shinto Japan itself would
expire. The 100000 Shinto shrines are
divided into twelve classes. from the
| Great Shrine OF Ise down to the
'shrines with no fixed parisl, to guard
over" Many Of these are the shrine s,
OF family .deities and about them still
revolvcs the complicated machinery of
the Japanese family" Others are
erected to the memory OF mythical
ton OF note was that of Prince Kita-
| shirakawa. who died of disease in For
nlosa In 1895. while leading an army
high official rank was erected TO him
and he is now deifed as the god of
Formosa.
The shintoIsts are divided into
Of smaller subsects, distinguished by
their devotion to some particular god,
although trey accept all other gods.
One worships IN, Mt. Evil Which ,Ia . i BE-.
another avowedly places the imperial
family first and greatest among the
gods; another upholds personal ances-
tor worship as of first Importance.
Buddhism in Japan claims the larger
part OF the people as It's followers, yet
we'll informed Japanese say the re-
igon is stagnated and \. mas ntt nro
gress Of thought in the last forty
years. True, It has established thee
logical seminaries and colleges found
I, ed on models Of Western organization.
its scandalous priesthood. But on the
whole 1t is losing power and influence
In affairs, while perhaps still holding
temple of Kwannon. in Asakusa Park
| In Tokyo. is in the centre OF a Coney
Island amusement park, but the thou
SANDS VINO come 10 DC hhihsSd hiao
| stop in the temple. cast coin into
THE great box and clap their hands
as they bow In prayer.
| Japanese Buddhism is divided into
twelve sects and forty-nine subsects.
| The youngest Of the recognized sects
| was established in 1875. But the many
| changes of the past few Years have
| caused the formation of two or three
! new sects which are not recognized
as true Ruddhists. These are mix
| ture of Shnto. Buddhism, orthodox
! Chrlstianity and Christian Science, and
/ lave made great Roadway among the
| poorer classes Of the people.
| The lower classes of Japan are for
| the most part devout rellgionists. and
| every requirement of Shintoism, Budd-
| ,hism and tic thousand and one super.
! stitons growing out of them, is fulfill
| ed to the letter. Tina the upper classes
| are atheistlc Is denied. that they are
1 agnostc is quite probable. The leaders
! Of nations In times of transition are
| often prone to religious skepticism, as
| for instance, Franklin. Jefferson and
Paine in America. and the leaders OF
1.-THE French Revolution soon after. But
| in Japan the leaders. no matter If they
themselves are atheists, are determined
| to keep the people firm In the faith
| of Shinto and the divinity OF the En-
| peror.
| tCopyright, 1905. BY Frederic j. Has.
| kind
-morrow-Christianit in Japan