THE INTELLECTUAL POSITION

New Zealand Tablet, Volume XXIX, Issue 26, 27 June 1901, Page 6

THE INTELLECTUAL POSITION

in Japan recalls in some respects that of Roman society at the time of the preaching of Christianity, when advanced paganism had outgrown ita primitive religion, and had lapsed into a general state of philosophical scepticism. A recent inquiry into the religious belief of the students at the Japanese universities resulted in the return of 66 per cent, as avowed atheists, some of whom lamented their inability to accept a religious creed, while others declared that they had no time to study the question. The introduction into Japan of the writings of the modern English school of Agrnostic philosophy is largely responsible for this state of things. All those questioned replied in favor of a system of ethics of some description, and were disposed to claim for the dictates of the conscience the authority of a moral law. The men of science who conducted the inquiry concluded in favor of the elaboration of an ideal system of eclectic morality embodying the beet principles of all religions. In the family life of Japan, Father Marie asserts that the old ancestral religion is losing- all hold over the rising generation, and that there is a deep divergence between them and their elders in regard to its observances. Sometimes the sons refuse to light the candles on the family altar, saying it is nonsense, and in other cases the father will beg his sons to maintain the old usages during his life, and defer their emancipation from them till after his death. The missionary writer adduces facts in proof of the growing recognition of the superiority of Christianity by public opinion, and oitea a conversation held between a well-to-do man and one of his friends in presence of 70 workmen. 'Do you know the Christian religion ?' he asked. 'No,' replied the other. 'How is it that you do not know it ? It is the only religion worth while having. Only there are in the decalogue two commandments which neither you nor I will ever observe. But that cannot prevent the religion from being true nevertheless.'

Japan has at present 54,366 Catholics, of whom the diooeee of Nagasaki contains 36,117, and Tokio, Osaka, and Hakodate, 9004, 4602, and 4643 respectively. Father Marie laments the pauoity of Catholic missionaries, and is in favor of seeking the diffusion of religion by works of beneficence. He adduces the strongest motive for attempting to do so when he concludes by declaring that • to convert Japan would be the most important step towards the evangelisation of the Farthest East.'