THE NEW SCHAFF-HERZOG
Nagasaki. At first the missionaries could do little except study the language and open schools, where they taught those desiring to learn French. In 1862 a church, nominally erected for the use of foreigners, was dedicated in Yokohama, and the missionaries soon found themselves engaged in addressing the crowds that gathered about them, and several of their auditors were arrested. The French minister secured the release of these persons by promising that there should be no more preaching in the Japanese language. In 1865 a church building was dedicated in Nagasaki. One morning, as M. Petitjean, the missionary in charge, was kneeling before the altar, three women drew near and kneeling near him, said in a low voice, " Our heart is one with yours," and then told him that all the people in the village from which they came were Christians. The descendants of the ancient Christians, for whom the missionaries had from the first been seeking, were found. The discovery of other Christian communities followed, and ultimately the missionaries learned of about 50,000 persons, most of them living near Nagasaki, who considered themselves Christians, though for various reasons about half of these refrained from entering into close relations with the missionaries. The missionaries became busily occupied in instructing and caring for these believers. Though they tried to exercise due caution, it was not long before arrests began to be made. After the new government was thoroughly established in 1868, the persecution became severe, and from one cluster of villages 3,000 persons were exiled to distant provinces. The official representatives of Western nations united in a protest, declaring that by persecuting Christians Japan was showing dishonor to the countries whose people believed in the same religion. The Japanese government at first refused to yield and told the foreign ministers that " it would resist the propagation of Christianity as it would oppose the advance of an invading army." In 1873, however, orders were issued for removing from public view the edicts against Christianity. Though the laws had not been repealed, it was evident that they would not be enforced. From that time Roman Catholics shared with others the constantly increasing degree of religious freedom which at last found expression in the following article of the constitution promulgated in 1890: " Japanese subjects shall, within limits not prejudicial to peace and order, and not antagonistic to their duties as subjects, enjoy freedom of religious belief."
In comparing the growth of Roman Catholicism with that of Protestantism and of the Greek Church, it must be remembered that it began 9. Results, its new propaganda with several thousand adherents, while the others had none. On the other hand, it has been more hindered than they by the prejudices aroused three centuries ago against Christianity. Its work has spread into most of the large towns of Japan. It is governed by an archbishop who, with his coadjutor, lives in Tokyo; and there are four bishops, whose residences are in Tokyo, Sendai, Osaka, and Nagasaki. At the close of 1907 the missionaries, most of whom
are French, numbered 124 men and 124 women. There were 33 Japanese priests and 303 catechists. The number of believers was 61,095, of whom more than half were in the island of Kiushiu. 1,551 adults and 3,604 infants were baptized in 1907. Schools for the training of priests had 20 students. There were several other schools, while in 19 orphanages 1,027 children found a home. Among other forms of charity, two hospitals for lepers deserve special notice. A large number of books is published, among them being a translation of the Bible. There are also two periodicals issued by the mission.
2. Missions of the Eastern Church: In 1861 Nicolai Kasatkin went to Hakodate as chaplain of the Russian consulate there. As a 1. Initia- student he had been moved by a desire tion by to give the Gospel to the Japanese, Nicolai and this position furnished an opening Kasatkin. for carrying out his wish. His first convert was a Shinto priest whose prejudice against Christianity led him to come to the chaplain either to conquer him in argument, or to assassinate him, who, however, became convinced that the foreigner's doctrine was true, and in 1868 he and two others were secretly baptized. When the Shogunate was overthrown, many of those who belonged to the defeated party went to Hakodate, among them several from the Sendai clan. Led in part by curiosity and in part by the thought that a new religion might subserve their political aims, some of them began to study Christianity. Many accepted it and returned as evangelists to their own province, or went elsewhere to teach what they had learned. In a visit to Russia, Nicolai organized a missionary society to support his efforts, and when in 1871 another priest took his place in Hakodate, he removed to Tokyo, where, besides engaging in direct evangelistic work, he opened a seminary for training evangelists and also a school for teaching languages and the sciences. In 1872 three evangelists in Sendai were arrested with several of their hearers, and there were arrests in Hakodate. Appeals to the imperial government resulted in the release of these persons. That same year Nicolai baptized ten persons in Tokyo; the greatest secrecy was observed, but a few days later a Buddhist priest showed him a sketch, drawn by a spy of the government, of the room in which the ceremony had taken place. But, as no arrests followed, anxiety gave way to confidence. Other spies entered the school as pupils and at least two became Christians. Great success attended the early efforts at evangelization, especially in Sendai and its vicinity. In 1875 the man mentioned above as the first convert was ordained as the first priest. Nicolai was made a bishop in 1880. The growth of the Eastern Church in Japan has been to a remarkable degree due to this one man. 2. Results. There have never been more than four other missionaries, and most of the time only one. He trained the Japanese priests and, in addition to the supervision of churches and schools, he prepared a translation of the New Testament and published several other books. A force of ten translators and writers is kept busy under his