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 JAPAN

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JAPAN

stored to their homes, persecution ceased in Japan, and the regime of tolerance began. Henceforth the Government was silent regarding religion and dis- turbed no one provided public order was not troublerl. In May, 1876, Japan was divided into two vicariates Apostolic, South and North; Mgr. Petit jean was made Vicar Apostolic of the South, Mgr. Osouf, of the North. About 1S7S the mi.s.sionaries were permitted by means of an official passport to travel more than ten leagues from the port into the interior of the coiuitry. Then a certain number of them became itinerant, and by their means the Gospel was preached with admiralile success in nearly all the towns and villages in the space of fifteen years. Prejudices diminished, con- versions multiplied, and opinion inclined towards liberty. On 11 August, 18S4, an official decree pro- claimed that there was no longer a state religion. On 12 Sept., 1885, a letter from Leo XIII to the Emperor of Japan was received with great honour, and on 18 December of the same year a representative of the emperor assi-sted resjiectfully at the Catholic ceremony of the funeral service for Alphonso XII, King of Spain. In March, 1888, the \'icariate Apostolic of Central Japan was created, with Mgr. Midon as vicar Apostolic. Finally on 11 Feb., 1889, came the pro- mulgation of the new Constitution of the empire and authentic recognition of religious liberty. In the fol- lowing year (1890), on the twenty-fifth anniversary of the discovery of the Christians, the first synod of the bishops of Japan was held at Nagasaki. During six weeks occurred the incomparable festivals by which the Church of Japan celebrated in transports of joy and gratitude the miracle of her resurrection. In April, 1891, the Vicariate Apostolic of Hakodate was created with Mgr. Berlioz as vicar Apostolic. On 1.5 June of the same year the ecclesiastical hierarchy of Japan was established with an Archbishop of Tokio and three suffragans, namely the Bishops of Nagasaki, Osaka, and Hakodate.

With liberty the zeal of the Japanese for religion de- creased and conversions became less frequent. How- ever, Catholic educational, benevolent, and journal- istic works developed and grew unmolested, and moreover the numerical progress has never been inter- rupted. In 1860 there were two missionaries in Japan; in 1870 one vicar Apostolic, 13 missionaries, and 10,000 Christians; in 1880, 2 vicars Apostolic, 40 mission- aries, 27 religious (nuns), and 23,000 Christians; in 1890, 79 missionaries, 15 native priests, 27 Marianists, 59 nuns, and 42,387 Christians; in 1900, 1 archbishop and 3 bishops, 115 missionaries, 32 native priests, 55,091 Christians; in 1908, 119 missionaries, 33 native priests, 62,694 Christians, 93 religious men, and 389 religious women (foreigners and natives).

Writing has been joined to preaching by word of mouth. A Catholic review, "Kokyo Bampo", founded in 1881, continued under various names until the present time, explains religion, solves current ob- jections, and gives news of interest to the Christians. Nearly everything relative to Christian life, education, philosophy, and theology has been treated in more than a hundred works, little or great. Several lesser works and two large dictionaries for the study of the Japan- ese language have also been issued by the missionaries (a French-Japanese dictionary by M. Raguet; a Japan- ese-French by M. Lemar6chal; a Japanese grammar by M. Balet). The " M(^langes ", another review founded in 1904 and written in French, studies Japanese tnat- tcrs and gives a quarterly summary of the press. Two noteworthy benevolent works hiixc also been estab- lished by the missionaries, the leper Imspital of (!o- temba, founded by M. Tcslcvvaide and Ih.-il of Kuma- moto by M. Corre, The iiiissiniiarics were soon joiniMl by numerous and vahialilc assistants. In 1873 came the Dames de St-Maur. They first founded an or- phanage at Yokohama, and another at Tokio in 1875; as many as 700 persons were assisted here at one time.

At present they have an orphanage and three schools, one of them at Shizuoka, for the middle classes, and a course in foreign languages and arts for the higher classes, with 180 pupils. In 1S77 came the Sisters of the Infant Jesus of Chauffailles. They have orphanages and private schools at Osaka, Kobe, Kyoto, Nagasaki, and Okayama. The Sisters of St. Paul of Chartres came in 1878; they ha^•e jirimary or boarding schools and dispensaries at Hakodate, Tokio, Sendai, Morioka, and Yatsushiro, with more than 800 pupils.

In 1888 the Marianist Fathers established them- selves at Tokio. Their progress was slow and labori- ous, but uninterrupted. The}' have at present a pri- mary and secondary school with 802 pupils, of whom 71 are Catholic and 29 catechumens; and a foreign language course for adults with 100 pupils. Of these 802 pupils, 140 are the sons of generals, admirals, superior officers, ambassadors, ministers, consuls, dep- uties, senators. There are 19 European teachers and 26 Japanese. Five Marianist Fathers conduct courses at the luiiversity, the school for nobles, the school of manoeuvres, the school of cadets, and that of the mili- tary intendance. They have besides at Nagasaki a commercial school (1892), with 380 pupils; at Osaka (1898) a commercial school, with 498 pupils; at Yoko- hama (1902) a higher primary school, with commercial courses for foreigners or Eiu'asians of all nationalities, with 120 pupils. In all these schools student and grad- uate societies for piety, zeal, friendship, sport, etc., are flourishing. The native religious are recruited chiefly from among the ancient Christians of Kiusiu; a house for this purpose was opened in April, 1910, at Urakami.

In 1896 TrappLsts of four different nationalities came to Hokkaido. Within twelve years, despite difficulties of all sorts, of a total of about 1000 acres, comprising mountains and ravines, they had cleared and made valuable about 620 acres and formed a Christian colony of more than 100 persons.

The Trappistines came from France in 1S9S. Their start was painful. But they now have no difficult}' in securing recruits from among the ancient Christians of Nagasaki. They are engaged in the cheese inchistry, and development, at first despaired of, has been rapid.

In 1905 the whole of the Island of Shikoku was given to the Spanish Dominicans. This is the fifth ec- clesiastical division of Japan, with 300 Christians.

The Franciscans returned in 1906. They are at Sap- poro and Hakodate and are 9 in number, 5 Germans, 2 Canadians, an Englishman, and a Frenchman, en- gaged in teaching languages and in the ministry.

The Fathers of the Divine Word of Steyl came in 1907. They consist of seven Germans and one Aus- trian. They teach German, English, French, and Chinese, and preach the Gospel.

On 1 January, 1908, the Religious of the Sacred Heart, 12 in number, English, Belgian, and French, opened a house for higher education at Tokio; on 1 July the Servants of the Holy Ghost, 5 in number, from Germany and Austria came to Akita, where they have a kindergarten, boarding-school, a school of dressmaking, and one of French and German lan- guages. On 1 September 7 Franciscan Sisters from France, Mexico, and Italy came to Sapporo, where they established sewing and embroidery classes, a school of housekeeping, and a dispensary. Sisters of the same congregation care for the lepers at Kuma- moto. Finally on 17 October three Jesuit Fathers, English, German, and French, establishecl themselves at Tokio for higher education aii<l jouiiialism. Thus the Catliolic Cluirch, one in faith, with its religious bodies of every country and name, has in Japan a truly universal character.

Prolcsldtitism. — Protestantism appeared in Japan in 1859 at the opening up of the country. The first ar- rivals were the American Episcopalians, the best^ known of whom was Chauning Moore Williams.