The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-03-09

sands Of japanese who would readi-
~ accept Christianityf by placing the
image of Jesus with that of Buddha
and those Of their ancestors, ii the
Christian religion did not insist in
there being no other god but one.
Their constitution permits all relig-
ions, and the government does not
question the faith of its employees.
Count aktsura, the premier of Japan,
says that this country is at the head.
as to religious nheralty, and that a
mar may have any religion without
suffering for it. Prince Ito told me
that he considered the Buddhists
more liberal than the Christians,
that there is today a considerable
Christian element growing UP In ia
pan. At one time the government
actually considered the doptio OF
Christianity as the state religion. pro-
posing to modify or revise. the Bible
and our doctrines to suit Japanese re-
QuireInentS.
/ Centuries ago there was a big
Christian lenen in Japan. The Je-
suits came here n converted the
people by hundreds, and it Is esti-
mated that there was once no less
than 100000 processing Christians
That was more thar 400 years ago:
n at that time Japanese missions
were sent to the pope at Rome. a
little later the tide turned and Chris
tianity was wiped out, the converts
being killed by the thousands in the
most horrible ways. There are, it is
said, something hke 10000 native
Christians in japan today.
Many Buddhists Sects.
Shintoism and Buddhism, as they
are practiced in Japan have almost
as many sects as Christianity. Shin
toism has existed in, Japan longer
TIM n one can remember. 1t recog-
nizeS the immortality Of the soul and
the existence Of supernatural power.
II teaches reverence for ancestors
and cleanliness OF soul and body. It's
ideas Of conduct aretthonesty and
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1t especially
teaches reverence for the emperor.
and the children in the schools are
taught that their loyalty to him is a
part of their religion. There is one
sect which makes q specially Of rev
erence for the imperial family, anOth-
er in which the sun goddess is the
principal object of worship, s<ld a
third, the Jikko, which believes tina
Mount Full is the soul of the globe
ami which VOWS to pray for the eter-
nal existence of the imperial family
and the nation.
The have twelve divisions
with forty-nine subdivisions. One OF
h most advanced Of these is the
Shin sect, which teaches that moral
ity is as important IS faith, and
winch hectares mat women may De
saved. The Shin priests believe. in
education. They are allowed to mar
~ and to eat flesh and fish. Many
Of the other sectS are VegetarianS, il
being a general principle Of the re-
ligiOn that no one should kill any liv-
ing thing, some even straining their
drinking water. in order that they
may not unknowing1y swallow u fish
or a frog.
Among the most intelligent Rudd
hists of Japan are the Gems, who's fol-
lowers are largely among the intel
lectual classes. They believe in edu-
cation and aim at salvation by an I'M
existence. With them meditation and
introspection r the means Of at
taining r
And then there is the Shingon sect.
one Of whom invented the apanese
alphabet; the kegon sect. whose
headquarters is at Nara. and the Jodo
sect, which has doctrines for the mi
tiated and doctrines for the masses.
!, Nearly all Of the sects tolerate a be-
lief in other religions, and a large
!, proportion Of the Japanese people
have sacrificed affairs, in their homes
:. for both the Buddhists- and Shlnto
!. faiths. Many of them are C~onfucian-
lists as we'll.
What a Famous Priest Says.
One Of the most noted uddr1s
priests of Japan is RENO Akamatzu.
who was educated in Europe and who
: studied there as q pupil of Max Null
Ter. He is connected with the big
/ HongWanji temple here in kyoto. He
! makes no bones of saying that relig-
: ious tolerance is growing in Japan and
that Christianity is a permanent in
| stitution here. He says that there
: is no reason why the two religions
should not exist without friction, be
cause both appeal to the hearts and
: minds Of men and that one is better
: suited to some men thar the other.
: Akamatzu teaches his students that
: they should study Christianity, saying
5 that it will make them minded