Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1912-09-27

were SIdueu DIS lOllOWS. l. Inc ell
peror, above all; 2, the mobiles; 8, the
Samurai; 4, the farmers; s, artists
and artisans; 6, the merchants and
traders; T., the criminals and out.
casts.
"In no country in the world Isl there
more religious freedom than in Japan.
Three religions flourish = Shintoism,
Buddhism and Christianity. Shintoism
is the indigenous religion of Japan Its
foundation stones are loyalty, and the
worship of ancestors, heroes and ma.
ture. Shintoism is the religion Of the
emperor, and consequently is favored
by the government. Its moral precepts
are taught in the schools.
Buddhism has for its central doc
trine the unity of all life and the broth
erhood of man, while its ideal is life
made glorious by self-conquest and ex-
alted by boundless love and wisdom.
A Japanese can be, and often Is. an ad-
herent of both Shintoism End Budd-
hism.
Temples Beautiful.
Buddhism alone of all the world re-
ligions has never carried on Its propa-
ganda by the sword. 1t Is now divided
into great number Of sects. or late
it has witnessed a decided revival in
Japan. Though neither Shintoism nor
Buddhism has the clear conception OF
a personal God that Christianity offers,
the great man of noble character Is
held to be the direct impersonation Of
the divine spirit.
"Of course large part of our sight.
seeing was visiting the shrines and
temples. many Of them beautiful be-
yond description. can never for
get the Shinto shrines in woodland
glades, which no human being ever
enters, where the many gaze reverent-
ly through the latticed windows into
the twilight silence within and where
abide divinities and ghosts Of noble
men. Nor can l cease to remember
the soft enchantment of the Budd.
hist temples, the deep music of the
great bells, the green peace of the
gardens haunted by fearless things,
doves that flutter down at call. fishes
rising to be fed.
81 shall be expected to say some
thing about the present status of Chris.
tianity in japan. Most travellers re-
turn from japan either pro-missionary
or anti-missionary. If they have made
their headquarters, as perhaps most
do, In Yokohama and Kobe and min
gled almost exclusively with the for
eign business men they are likely to
take the anti-missionary point Of view.
They will not get an anti-missionary
impression, however. If they spend
most Of their time among the Japan.
ese as l did.
while 1t Is true that Christianity
is probably not keeping pace with
the growth of population. Christian
ethical standards have already per.
meated the nation and are univer.
sally incorporated into the Japanese
social system. Acceptance of Chris
tianity as such has hardly touched the
upper and lower classes. 1t has it's
footing almost entirely In the middle
class. The students, as with us, are
considered especially susceptible to its
appeal.
"The two chief hindrances to the
spread Of Christianity aside from
worldwide causes seem to be the pres.
ent diversity and antagonism Of de-
nominations and the quite obvious dis
crepancy between Christian profession
and practice. When Christian nations
offer themselves as moral leaders, aft.
!. er the rapacity with which they have
established themselves in the Orient.
, the educated Japanese is tempted to
, smile at the incongruity."