Page:Encyclopædia Britannica, Ninth Edition, v. 19.djvu/834

Rh 810 PROPAGANDA and, if the progress made requires it, the mission is erected into an episcopal diocese. Such has been the method of proceeding in the American and Canadian missions ; such, in part, what has happened in India, China, and Africa. Through these, whether prefects or vicars apostolic or bishops, the orders of the Propaganda, which are those of the head of the church, are transmitted to the faithful, and they are the ordinary centres of its correspondence, although it does not disdain the reports furnished by the humblest members of the Christian flock. The prelates furnish exact reports to the Propaganda of the progress and circum stances of the faith in their various missions. The material means for the diffusion of the faith are supplied in the first place by special grants from the revenues of the Propaganda and from various associations in Europe. The greatest part is furnished by the society for the propagation of the faith of Paris and Lyons. This society is independent of the Propaganda, relying wholly on the energy of the two central councils of Paris and Lyons and on the charity of the faithful, though it attends to the sug gestions of the Propaganda, which indicates to it the needs of new missions. Contributions are also furnished by other associations, as that of the Holy Infancy, or that for the education of Oriental nations. Similar societies, occupied with the support of special missions, exist in Bavaria, Ger many, and Austria. The Propaganda likewise takes care that, as soon as a mission is established, pious foundations are constituted by native Christians, and become the local property of the church, and so supply it with a stable and enduring vitality. Subscriptions from Europe are given only to the poorer missions, which, however, are very numerous. One of the most powerful aids adopted by the Propaganda in the diffusion of the faith is the print ing-press. The missionaries are required to study the lan guages of the countries to which they are sent and exhorted to publish books in these languages. Printing-presses are introduced into new missions. In China, what may be described as wooden stereotypes are employed for the printing of Catholic works in the Chinese language. Early in its career the Congregation of Propaganda estab lished at its seat in Rome the celebrated Polyglott Print ing Press, and gave it a character of universality. There people of all nations the Copt, the Armenian, the Arab, the Hebrew, the Japanese, and the native of Malabar may find books in their native tongue and in their special type. Although great progress has been made by other countries in polyglott printing, the Propaganda press still holds a high position. The part of the world to which the cardinals of the Congregation of Propaganda first turned their attention was Asia. In no region of the globe has Christianity had greater difficulties to struggle against than in China. An ancient tradition exists, confirmed by documents, that in the early centuries of the Christian era Christianity had penetrated into and left traces in China. It was re- introduced in the 13th century by Franciscan fathers. It flourished at Peking for a time, but died out with the Mongolian dynasty, and China remained closed to Christian influences until 1555, when the Dominican father Gaspare della Croce introduced it into the province of Canton. After he was expelled came the Jesuits Rogeri and Ricci. They established a residence there in 1579, and were followed by Dominicans and Franciscans. These were succeeded a century later by the priests of the Paris seminary of foreign missions, in the last century by Augustinians and Lazarists, and in the present century by the missionaries of the seminary of St Calocero of Milan. Two bishoprics were created in 1688, one at Nanking, the other at Peking, and the missions of Yun-nan and Sze- chuen founded. At the beginning of the 18th century the number of churches in the northern provinces reached 300, and of Christians 300,000. In 1803 a college for native clergy was opened in Sze-chuen, and the work of the Holy Infancy introduced. In 1837 the Portuguese patronage of Chinese missions was brought to an end, with the exception of that exercised over Macao, a Portu guese colony. In 1310 B. Odorico cli Friuli, a Franciscan, entered Tibet and made many converts. In 1624 Father D Andrada penetrated into the same country, but was not allowed to remain. Others followed, and were put to death. In 1847 the Propaganda entrusted to the seminary of foreign missions the task of entering Tibet, and in 1857 a vicariate apostolic was erected on the frontiers. In Mongolia, constituted a vicariate apostolic in 1840, many converts were made and several priests educated in the seminary of Siwang-se. This mission offers great hopes. It was divided into three vicar iates in 1883, and is entrusted to the Belgian congregation of the Immaculate Heart of Mary. The Manchuria mission was made a vicariate in 1839; in 1854 a church, S. Maria ad Nives, was erected, and many other churches have since been built for the increasing mission. In 1592 an attempt was made to Christianize Corea ; but repeated persecutions
 * crushed out the germs of Christianity. Its first neophyte,

its first native priest, its first bishops, and its first European I missionaries were martyrs. From 1784 to 1789 4000 Coreans were converted, but their number was greatly reduced by persecution. In 1831 a vicariate was estab lished; in 1835 the number of Christians was 6280; in 1861 they reached 18,000; but in 1866 persecution began anew. Christianity was introduced into Japan in 1549 by S. Francis Xavier. In less than fifty years there were in Japan a bishopric, 380 churches, and 30,000 professing Christians. Persecution broke out in 1601, and in 1614 became so fierce that the priests were put to death and the people dispersed. In 1640 all Europeans, missionaries included, were banished from Japan, this proscription continuing for two centuries. Missionaries were admitted in 1843, but so jealously watched that little good was accomplished. In 1863 a treaty was concluded between the emperor of the French and the Japanese Government permitting the preaching of the gospel. The first church was built after a lapse of two centuries; the number of catechumens soon reached 10,000 ; other churches were constructed ; and the descendants of the old Christians, who had still preserved the faith, came forth from their concealment. A new persecution broke out in 1870; many Christians apostatized ; a great number died of hunger, and many were exiled. Peace was established in 1873. The vicariate apostolic was divided in 1876 into two the northern and southern vicariates. By the treaty of Peking, concluded between the French and Chinese Governments, liberty of religion was granted in the Chinese empire and a new era opened. In 1873, in the eighteen provinces of the Chinese empire, the number of Catholics was 410,644, with 4054 centres, 1220 churches and public chapels, 294 bishops and missionaries, 252 native priests, 137 European female religious and 924 native, 104 orphanages with 6853 orphans, and 947 schools frequented by 10,624 pupils. In spite of popular tumults and per secutions these numbers have increased in late years. In the year of its foundation the Propaganda established a prefecture apostolic in Burmah. Italian Barnabites penetrated into the country in 1721, and two of them, Fathers Gallizio and Nerici, were put to death. The priests of the seminary of foreign missions continue the work, and three vicariates have been established. Malacca was visited by S. Francis Xavier, and was for a long time under the Portuguese jurisdiction ; but a vicariate was