The authorization given by the Japanese government to foreign residents of a free exercise of the Christian religion in the open ports was, of course, eagerly em- braced by both the Protestant and the Roman Catholic churches. Missionaries of both established themselves in several of the ports, attending both to the religious wants of the foreign residents, and preparing for mis- sionary operations among the natives. The appearance
of Roman Catholic missionaries at Nagasaki brought to light the fact that a number of the descendants of for- mer Christians in Japan still secretly adhered to the Roman Catholic faith, and now hoped for permission to exercise it publicly. The Japanese government, how- ever, did not give the expected permission, but in 1867 arrested and imprisoned some twenty of the native Christians. After an imprisonment of six months, the French charge d'affaires obtained in December their liberation. In the following year, however, the perse- cution was renewed with great cruelty. The following is one of the official decrees published by the govern- ment: "As the abominable religion of the Christians is strictly prohibited, every one shall be bound to denounce to the proper authorities such persons as appear suspi- cious to him, and a reward shall be given to him for so doing. Although the sect of the Christians has been many centuries ago persecuted most rigorously by the Rankfu government, its entire extermination liad not been arrived at. As, however, the number of the fol- lowers of the Christian doctrine has lately considerably augmented in the village of Urakami, near Nagasaki, whose peasants secretly adhere to it, after mature con- sideration it has been ordered by the highest authority that Christians shall be taken into custody, according to the rules laid down in the annexed document > 'As the Christian doctrine has been prohibited in this coun- try' since the oldest times, this matter ought not to be lightly treated. Those to whose custody Christians shall be confided shaU therefore instruct them of what is right, with leniency and humanity, and shall do their best to again make good men of them. But if some should not repent and acknowledge their errors, they shall be most severely punished without any mercy. Those whom it concerns shall keep this well in mind, and denounce to the proper authorities everj' one who shall prove incorrigible. Those men (Christians), until they have repented, shall not be allowed to have any intercourse with the inhabitants of the places where they are consigned. They shall be used to clear land, or to work in the lime-pits, or the gold and coal mines, or for any work their officers may think fit to employ them on. They shall live in the mountains and for- ests. One portion of rice shall be allowed per head to the respective Daimios for the space of three years, to commence from a day to be determined hereafter. They shall be brought in small detachments to the places men- tioned below. The Daimios shall, as soon as they re- ceive the information of the arrival of the persons allot- ted to them, send soldiers to take them over. The above imperial orders are hereby published for observ- ance. The following Daimios shall take over the Christians allotted to them at their respective palaces at Osaca.' " This decree was followed by a list of thir- ty-four Daimios who had Christian prisoners allotted to them, in numbers varj'ing from 30 to 250 each. The following decree was posted at the gates of Yokohama : " The Christian religion being still forbidden in the same manner as formerly, is strictly interdicted. The devil- ish sect is strictly prohibited."
On the 7th of July 114 native Christians, chiefly men and heads of families, were put on board the Japanese steamer Sir H. Parkes at Nagasaki, and carried away to the mines of the north for penal sen-itude. The pro- test of the consuls at Nagasaki and the ministers at Yeddo were of no avail. The Congress of Daimios which met in 1869 showed itself likewise very hostile to Christianity. Only one member dared to defend it, while 210 voted for a resolution declaring Christianity to be opposed to the state. Another resolution to inflict severe penalties for bringing back the apostates to one of the religions of the country was negatived by 176 against 44 votes.
Japan has long had many religious sects which have lived peaceably together. The three principal sects are the Sinto religion. Buddhism, and the sect of Siu. The original and most ancient is the Sinto or Sinsyoo
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sect, which i.^ founded on the ^vorship of spirits, called in the Japanese language Kami, in the Chinese Sin, who control the actions of men, and all visible and in- visible things. The chief of these spirits is Yen Zio Dai Sin, winch means Great Spirit of the Heavenly Light, who receives the highest honors from all religious ]iarties. Besides this sun-goddess, thousands of inferior Kamis receive divine honors. Most of these are the spirits of distinguished men, who were canonized on ac- count of their merits. Their number is not limited, but the Mikado still possesses the right to canonize promi- nent men, and thus to elevate them to the dignity of a Kami. The Sinto religion has live commandments : 1. Preservation of the pure fire as an emblem of purit}' and a means of purilication ; 2. Purity of the soul, of the heart, and the body; 3. Observation of festivals •, 4. Pil- grimages: 5. Worship of the Kami in the temples and at home. The numerous temples (Mya) contain no idols, but large metal mirrors and jiackets of white pa- per scraps, as symbols of purity. The priests are called Kaminusi, or keepers of the gods. They live near the temples, and derive their income chiefly from the money offerings made on feast-days. Among the twent\'-two places of pilgrimage, the temple Nykoo, in the province of Jsyay, which is sacred to tlie sun-goddess, is the most prominent, and every one is bound to visit it at least once in the course of his life. The second religion is Buddhism, which was introduced about 532 from Corea, but received many modifications in Japan, and gradual- ly became the religion of the vast majority of Japanese. The sect known as Siuto, or the school of pliilosophers, comprises the followers of Confucius, and includes the people of the best education.