Part 8 (2/2)

Government recognition has been already gained, and it is gradually making a place for itself among {138} the religions of j.a.pan. Some authorities place the number of its adherents as high as 5,000,000, but these figures are probably too high.

Tenrikyo is a missionary religion, having very earnest representatives in almost every district in j.a.pan. These men rely almost exclusively upon preaching for the propagation of their doctrines, and their efforts are generally successful.

s.p.a.ce permits us to say only a few words in regard to the origin of this religion. Its founder was a peasant woman named Nakayama Miiki, popularly called Omiiki, who was born of a very poor family in the province of Yamato in 1798, There was nothing remarkable about her life until her fortieth year, when she fell into a trance. While in this state one of the old s.h.i.+nto deities, Kuni-Toko-Tachi No Mikoto, appeared to her, and, after causing her much distress, left her for a short time undisturbed. After this brief interval of quiet she again fell into a trance, and was visited by a large number of G.o.ds, some of them the greatest of the s.h.i.+nto pantheon. These G.o.ds revealed to her the substance of her teaching, representing it as the only true doctrine and the one which would ultimately triumph over all others.

They also informed her that she was the divinely appointed instrument through whom this revelation was to be given to the world. From {139} this time forward Omiiki devoted herself to the propagation of this revelation.

Not wis.h.i.+ng to break entirely with the old religions, she represented her revelation as having been received from the s.h.i.+nto G.o.ds, and gave a place in her teaching to some prominent Buddhist elements. By this means she won popular favor and gained an earnest hearing.

The term ”Tenrikyo” signifies the ”Doctrine of the Heavenly Reason.”

While many of its teachings differ but little from current s.h.i.+nto and Buddhistic ideas, its more prominent tenets are radically different.

In the first place, Tenrikyo tends much toward monotheism. Omiiki herself accepted polytheism, but taught that man's real allegiance is due to the sun and the moon. These she regarded as the real G.o.ds; but as they always work together, and as the world and all things therein are the product of their joint working, they are practically one.

Since her death the teaching has become more and more monotheistic in tendency, and some of its preachers teach explicit monotheism.

Omiiki taught a new relation between the G.o.ds and men--a relation of parents to children. The G.o.ds watch over and love their children just as earthly parents do. The emperor is the elder brother of the people, who rules as the representative of the divine parents.

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Faith-healing formed a prominent part in the original teaching of Tenrikyo. It a.s.serted that neither physicians nor medicine was needed, but that cures are to be effected through faith alone. Marvelous stories are told of the wonderful cures it has accomplished, many of which seem well authenticated. But while there seems no good reason for doubting the genuineness of some of these cures, the power of mind over mind, and the influence of personal magnetism in certain kinds of nervous disorders, are so well known that they can be easily explained without any reference to the supernatural. The faith-cure feature of this religion is now falling into disuse.

Tenrikyo makes very little of the future state, although Omiiki a.s.sumed its reality. In one pa.s.sage she refers to the soul as an emanation from the G.o.ds, and says that after death it will go back to them. She teaches that the cause of suffering, disease, and sin is found in the impurity of the human heart, and that the heart must be cleansed before believers can receive the divine favor. She insists over and over again that no prayers nor religious services are of any avail so long as the heart is impure.

The aim of Omiiki and her followers seems to be a worthy one. The movement is highly ethical, and there is little doubt but that the adherents of the Tenrikyo are superior in morals to {141} the rest of their cla.s.s. Some features of this new religion are, however, looked upon with suspicion, and it is being closely watched by the government.

Charges of gross immorality have been preferred against it, especially in reference to the midnight dances, in which both s.e.xes are said to partic.i.p.ate indiscriminately; but these charges are made by its enemies and have never been proved.

In many respects Tenrikyo materially differs from the other religions of j.a.pan. Its adherents a.s.semble at stated times for wors.h.i.+p and instruction, while the Buddhists a.s.semble in the temples for wors.h.i.+p and preaching only three or four times a year, and the s.h.i.+ntoists seldom, if ever, a.s.semble. The wors.h.i.+p of Tenrikyo, for the most part, consists of praise and thanksgiving by music and dancing; but prayer is also practised.

Another distinguis.h.i.+ng characteristic of Tenrikyo is that it is exclusive. The other religions of j.a.pan are very tolerant of one another; one may believe them all. But Tenrikyo will not tolerate either Buddhism or s.h.i.+nto. Its adherents must give their allegiance to it alone.

It is interesting to conjecture as to the influence Christianity has had upon Tenrikyo. It does not seem probable that Omiiki was at all influenced by it, unless the traditions of the Catholic Christianity of some two or three hundred years previous reached her in some way. But the expansion {142} and development of the system by its later teachers have been very much affected by Christianity. Some of its present preachers, in constructing their sermons, borrow largely from Christian sources. In the minds of the common people Tenrikyo is generally a.s.sociated with Christianity.

There are several other small religious sects in j.a.pan, such as the Remmon Kyokwai, Kurozumi Kyokwai, etc., but they are not of sufficient importance to command notice here.

Any statement of the religions of contemporary j.a.pan would be incomplete without notice of Christianity, but that will be reserved for another portion of this book.

The three great religions, s.h.i.+nto, Buddhism, and Confucianism, are completely woven into the warp and woof of j.a.panese society. As Christianity has shaped the political, social, and family life of the West, so these ancient faiths have that of the East. The laws, the morality, the manners and customs of these peoples all have been determined by their religions. And to-day the ma.s.ses of the people look to them for principles to guide their present life, and for their future spiritual welfare, with just as much confidence and trust as my readers look to Christianity. The missionary, in his work, must encounter and {143} vanquish all of these religions, which is no light task. They all have elements of superst.i.tion, and their origin and supernatural teachings will not bear the search-light of the growing spirit of criticism and investigation. Each one of them is even now modifying gradually its doctrines in some features, so as to bring them into harmony with true learning and science; and as the nation progresses intellectually the hold of these ancient faiths upon the common mind will become more and more precarious. We expect to see them gradually retreating, though stubbornly resisting every inch of ground, until they shall finally leave the field to their younger and more vigorous antagonists, Christianity and civilization.

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VIII

FIRST INTRODUCTION OF CHRISTIANITY

One of the most interesting chapters of j.a.panese history is that relating to the introduction and growth of Catholic Christianity in the sixteenth century. This story has been eloquently told in nearly all European languages, and is familiar to the reading public. The terrible persecutions then enacted are vividly represented in paintings and other works of art on exhibition in art galleries of Europe and America. This chapter is not written with the hope of saying anything new upon the subject, but because a story of mission work in j.a.pan would be incomplete without it; and it may be that some for the first time will here read this story.

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