The Washington herald., 1908-01-05
FACING MANY PERILS
Trappist Monks Encounter
Dangers in Japan.
NEED AID FROM FRIENDS
TyphOOn and Fire Interfere with
Work OF Fathers-NOw Making "a
Third Attempt 30 Repair Losses
and Expect TO Win Out - Italian
Morality Society Is Organized.


New York, Jan. 4-There Is, in the
diocese Of Hakodate, in the northern pOr-
ton of Japan, a community of Trappist
monks, whose special trials and expert
snces have awakened widespread interest
and sympathy. These religious men ar
rived at the port of Hakodate October
Is, 1896. They established themselves in
wild and uninviting region near Hako-
date, WITH the sea on one side and the
mountains on the other.
Their first shelter consisted of a poor
little wooden building, which they erect
ed with the aid of a few generous per-
sons, who took an interest in their pro-
posed work in Japan. Practically with
out means, their first sufferings were in
tense. Semi-starvation, suffering from
cold and sickness, were the first tests Of
their courage and constancy.
The community, consisting Of about
dozen men of varying nationalities
aroused the intense curiosity and the sus-
picions of the native population. The po-
lice We're also set. to keep special watch,
upon their doings.
Despite these difficulties they gathered
"a group of native workmen about them
and set determinedly to work to clear
and cultivate the land The japanese
government allows certain grants of land
in the district of the Yesso, requiring
only that they be cleared within a time
limit set by the authorities With the
aid Of the native laborers, this was ac-
complished.
Open a school.
The monks also opened a school. In
which they taught, some thirty boys, the
ordinary branches, and also employed
them, a portion Of the time in manual
labor upon the land. As they were about
TO gather in their first harvest, thus end
ing the worst Of their suherings, a ty-
phOon swept over the land sweeping
away, in a few moments, barns, horses,
cattle, and harvest, leaving only the orig
inaI wooden building, in which the monks
We're housed.
Bravely and sturdily they began once
more. at the beginning, to build up their
work all over again. But now came a
storm Of a different nature. far more
insidious. far more difficult TO combat, or
TO evade, than any that had preceded it.
a man, who had failed TO compel them
TO purchase his adjoining land. at price
which they deemed unreasonable, adroit-
Iy took advantage of the suspicious Of
the local natives. and of the government.
10 start a campaign OF SANDER and
calumny against the foreigners.
The japanese press suddenly teemed
with all manner of reports. all intended
to discredit the poor Trappists, and to
bring odium upon them. So determined
and widespread were these rumOrs, that
the originator OVerreaChed the mark. The
disturbance penetrated even to the En-
peror's court. His majesty was so
aroused that he selected one Of his cham
berlains and a counsellor 0f the min
istry Of the interior, andd commissioned
them TO make a thorough investigation
OF the entire case, and TO report their
conclusions 10 him.
Worked Faithfully and Well.
The missionary who furnishes these de-
tails has told US that the work Of these
two men was courteously and faithfully
performed They were afforded every op-
portunity by the monks, and penetrated
every nook and Granny Of their conces-
sion, asking searching questions. and see
ing and hearing everything with their
own eyes and ears. The contrast be-
tween the picture drawn in the public
press and the actual conditions as they
found them aroused their amazement and
they returned to the Emperor filled with
admiration and delighted with all that
they had seen.
Not satisfied with their favorable re-
port to the Emperor one Of them pub
lished his impressions in the most infuen-
tial and widely read newspaper in ia
pan, and the public interest was aroused
in favor of the illuminated monks. The
president OF the Chamber Of Deputies. an
ex-minister Of public instruction, and
many public men visited the monastery TO
see for themselves. As a result, the pop
ularity Of the Trappists in Japan is now
established apparently on a solid basis.
and they have won the esteem of the
japanese people. They began meanwhile
10 obtain somewhat scanty returns from
their land, and were gradually improving
thelg harvests each year,
Fire Destroys All.
Six years had passed since their advent
TO Japan. when fire broke out in the roof
OF the monastery, built of resinoUs wood.
thoroughly dried and ready for the
flames. Library. sacred vessels. build
ings, tools, farming implements, dairy,
bakery-all were consumed in a compara-
tively-few moments. The clothes they
wore and the building occupied by the
school children remained TO them. Their
saddest experience was the necessity of
sending the scholars back to their homes,
or 20 other places, thus abandoning alto
gether for the time their school.
For the third time these persistent
workers have begun at the beginning. So
far they have not been able to fully repair
their losses. But it is hoped that event
ually. by their own labor, and with the
aid Of friends all over the world, whose
sympathies may be aroused by their suf-
ferings, they may yet be able 10 put up
permanent buildings, less liable to de-
struction by fire and storm. and to estab-
lish their foundation in Japan on a last
ing basis. Their great aim is 20 make of
the japanese Christians and workers"
OF the natives who have gathered about
the monastery. and who join with the
monks in their daily labor, a large num-
her are already faithful, practical Catho-
lies.
a German Catholic Institute of Oriental
Archaeology, is to be established in Jeru-
salem Its home viii be in the Dormitio
OF the Blessed Virgin, which the Ger
man Emperor, some time ago, donated to
the Catholics of Germany.
The section Of Biblical and archaeolog-
ical studies. already established at the
Dormitio, Will DO furnished with the