The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-05-22

memorial, long before the Introduction
of Confucianism and Buddhism. From
an ethical point of view IL has more
teaching in it than Buddhism, but 1t is
not so elaborate as Confucianisnl-
Nevertheless it has tight grasp on
the Japanese mind. 1t is based upon
a patriarchical form of community. Its
essential notion of ethics is cieanli-
ness of conscience; but the idea of
cleanliness is applied not only men
tally, but physically-hence its ten
dency to bodily cleanliness as well as
other cognate matters. 1t speaks of
good and bad, the one as black or
muddy and~the other as red or
clear 1t reverences the Ruler from
the very nature of it's cult, and a
magnificent ideal of a subject and a
citizen is developed from these simple
notions"
Thus speaks Baron Suematsu, and
in his last sentence he sounds the key
note of the reason for the life of
Shinto. 1t is a political and a national
religion, and the nation fears that
with the death of Shinto. Japan itself
would expire. The 250.000 Shinto
shrines are divided into twelve classes,
from the Great Shrine of Ise down to
the "shrines with no fixed parish to
guard over" Many of these are the
shrines to family deities and about
them still revolves the complicated
machinery of the Japanese family"
Others are erected TO the memory OF
mythical deities and heroes, and others
to the patriots of history. The last
dedication of note was that of Prince
Kitashirakawa, who died of disease in
Formosa in 1895 while leading an army
sent to subjugate rebels. A shrine Of
high official rank was erected to him
and he is now deified as the God of
Formosa.
The Shintoists are divided in twelve
principal sects and number of small
er subsects, distinguished by their de-
votion to some particular god, al
though they accept all other gods. One
worships Mt. Full, which it believes
to be 1.-The soul of the GLOBE" another
avowedly places the Imperial Family
first and greatest among the gods.
another upholds personal ancestor
worship as of first Importance, and 50
on.
Buddhism in Japan claims the larger
part of the people of Japan as it's fol-
lowers; yet well-informed Japanese
say that the religion is stagnated and
has utterly failed to keep up with the
rapid progress of thought in the last
forty years. True, it has established
theological seminaries and colleges
founded on models of Western organ
ization, and has even attempted re-
form in it's scandalous priesthood. But
on the whole it is losing power and
influence in affairs, while perhaps stin
holding the masses of the people. The
great temple of Kwannon in Asakusa
Park in Toxic is in the center of a
Coney Island amusement park, but the
thousands who come to be amused
also stop in the temple. cast a 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
rue Buddhists. These are a mixture
If Shinto, Buddhism, orthodox Chris
ianity and Christian Science, and
nave made great Roadway among the
poorer classes of the people.
The lower classes of Japan are for
he most part devout religionists, and
every requirement of Shintoism, Bud
lhism and the thousand and one SUI
,erstitions growing out of them, is
fulfilled to the letter. That the upper
,lasses are atheistic is denied. that
hey are agnostic is quite probable
rhe leaders of nations in times OF
transition are often prone to religious
as, for instance, Franklin
Jefferson and Paine in America, and
he leaders of the French Revolution
ioOn after. But in Japan the leaders.
10 matter if they themselves are athe-
SITS, are determined to keep the people
irm in the faith of Shinto and the
Divinity of the Emperor.