"6. Cyrcft.— Christianity was introduced here from Chi- na about 1632, and has since grown amid persecution of the severest kind. The history of the Corean Church is writ- ten m blood. Her first neophyte was a martyr; her first
Chinese apostle, a martyr ; her first native priest, a mar- tyr; her first European missionaries, all martyrs. The number of Catholics is about 12,000, directed by a bishop, 2 Euroi)ean priests, if still alive, and some native clergy. This mission is intrusted to the Seminary of the Foreign Missions.
"7. .Miniija! Tartarij. —Th\s is a Lazarist mission, directed by a lii.-lio]!, :; European and W native priests, a college seminaiy, ^ -chools, and .5000 Christiaus.
"S. Miniii'lr. ria. — A mission uuder the priests of the Foreign Missious, with a bishop aud some European cler- gymen.
"0. y/tifief.— Missions were attempted here in the 13th and 14th centuries by Hyacinth of Poland, and Oderic of Fruili ; in the ITth century by the Jesuits and Capuchins ; but in the interval Btnidhisin had grown up and expelled all but the traces of Christianitv. The mission was re- stored in is4(; by the Lazarists Hue and Gabet, Others liave followed, and a bishop has hitely been appointed.
'■ Hnst I ml la Islands. — Missious exist on some of these of ancient liale, but the data are not very full or recent.
'■10. Japan. — Christianity was introduced into this em- pire in 1549 by Francis Xavier, who had converted a Jap- anese at Goa. During a sttiy of two years he visited sev- eral kingdoms, and founded missions, wliicli he confided, to zealous priests of his order. The faith spread rapidly. In 1562 the prince of Omura, aud soon after the kings of Bungo and Arima, embraced Christianity, and sent a splendid embassy to pope Gregory XIII. Soon after Tay- cosoma, a powerful general, iisurped the throne, and iu 15S6 issued a law against Christianity, which his prede- cessor, Nabunanga, had greatly favored. The number of Christians increased with the iiersecution, aud iu 1038 they rose iu arms in Arima, but were crushed by Dutch aid. Since then the faith has been almost entirely extin- guished. The number of Christians put to death has been estimated at nearly tw.i miilions. and the annals of the Jesuits, Franciscans, and |ioniinican< tire filled with narratives of the deaths ol inembcr^ of ilicir orders in Ja- jian. Besides Xaviei-, ilie ^'reat<-t niis-ionaries were Va- liirmmi, father. J.. hn l!a].ti-t,a ^pani^h Franci.^can, Philip of Jesus, a ?tlexican Franciscan, l>oth crucitied at Nau'a- saki, father Clnirie- Spinola. etc. Tile last Catholic i)rie>t who entered Jaiian wa^ .M. Sedotti, wlio in 1709 found means to land, but he was never again heard of. Within a few years great eftbrts have been made to reach the for- saken Christians still said to exist in Japan ; and a bish- op appointed to the mission has already founded stations on the Lew-Chew Islands.
" C. Afiiica. — 1. Comjo. — The earliest missions were those of Con^o, begun by the Domitiicans, Franciscans, aud Jesuits. From' 1.500 'to about 1560 the success was great ; the king and many of his people were converted, initive |)iie-t> ordained, and one raised to the episcopacy. Catholtrity tlourislied there for many years, but insensi- lily declined for want of priests. The Carmelites estab- lished missious iu Guinea, the Jesuits in Angola aud Lo- ango : aud on these chiefiy the Catholics of Congo de- pelnded as late as 1022. In 1642 the Capuchins undertook the mis-ion, headed by Fray Francisco de Parapeluna, once a tnilitary oiVner of high rank. This body aud their successors ronlinned the mission till about \7(tO, when Cistercians took tlieir place. About the middle of the last ceutury the priests of the Foreign Missious estab- lished stations in Loango, and converted many. These missions still exist in several parts.
"2, Bavharij. — Missions have from the earliest times been conducted there by Franciscans, Dominicans, Trini- tarians, and Mercedarians ; still later by the Jesuits and Lazarists. The number of Christians is, however, very sntail. and the clergy d<i not number a score.
■■::. /•.','/ v'^—Tlie" Latin mission there is due chiefly to the .Ic-nit-. of whom father Sieard was the leader. Many Copts were recalled to the Latin Church, and are now di- rected by Lazarist missionaries, aided by brothers of the Christian School.
"4. vl 6(/.s.s?«/a.— The Portuguese, about 1530, attempted to convert the schismatics of Al)vssinia, and revive mo- ralitvand learniti- Imt the effort^ainl the zeal of the Jes- uits'failed : the tni-;onarie< were exci'ided, after a long persecution. In l>:;'.i the inis-ion was tevived by the Laz- arists, and a bishop appointed, wlnle the Galla couutry was allotted to the Capneliins in 1S46.
"5. Madaga.'icar.—'Vhe tiist missions among the Mala^ gasies was begun by tlie I^azarists iu 1648, and continued till 16T4, when Loui.s XIV forbade French vessels to stop at the island. The mission was revived in 183T by Mr. Dal- mond, who founded the station of Nossibe in 1840. Since 1S45 this mission has been confided to the Jesuits, who have made rapid progress.
"6. Other Part?.— Missious have been founded at dift"er- ent spots on the eastern and western coast, which have been discontimied, or are not yet firmly established. That of Guinea is the most thriving. A bishop was at first se- lected for it from among the Catholic clergy in the United States; but on the faihVre of his health the mission was transferred to the Society of the Sacred Hearts of Jesus and Mary, who still administer it.