IT had been the custom of the Christians to avoid trouble by joining with others in making contributions to the temples, and by allowing deceased friends to be buried with Buddhist rites. Those in Urakami now resolved that, whatever might be the consequences, they would make no more gifts to temples. In April, 1867, the relatives of a Christian who had died asked the missionaries what they ought to do about the funeral. The latter said that the Church, as the enemy of all superstition, disapproved of heathen ceremonies, and they advised that, without having recourse to the Buddhists, they give notice of the death to the officers of the village. Instead of following this advice, the relatives, as had been done in some other cases, buried the body without saying anything to either officers or priests. These last brought the matter to the attention of the Mayor, who summoned the brother of the deceased person, reproved him for what he had done, and threatened to make him exhume the body in order to have it properly buried by the bonzes. The Christians made no reply, and the menace was not carried into effect. A few days later another death occurred. In this case notice was sent to the Mayor, who gave an order for burial by a Buddhist priest. The relatives declared that they would not accept the priest’s services, and the Christians of the different villages sent deputies to the Mayor saying that, while they were loyal subjects of the Government, they wished to have no dealings with the bonzes. A few days later, the son and another relative of the deceased person were summoned to appear before a magistrate in Nagasaki. By advice of their Mayor they asked the deputies of the villages to go with them. At two o’clock on the morning of the appointed day, they sought strength through the sacrament of the Eucharist, and afterwards went to the magistrate. He said to the son:
“You have buried your mother without notifying the Mayor or the priest.”
“I informed the Mayor but not the priest.”
“Why did you not call the latter? You know the law.”
From this point Dominic Zenemon, one of the deputies, took the place of the son in replying to the magistrate. In response to the last question he said:
“We do not like the bonzes, and our aversion to them we have received from our ancestors.”
“Why do you dislike the bonzes?”
“We do not believe what they teach.”
“Henceforth, you must conform to the customs of the country and call them.”
“We are citizens of this country and are disposed to obey you in ail respects. Our religion declares this to be our duty. We cannot, however, call the bonzes, for that would be contrary to our religion. You can command us in whatever relates to the body; but not in what concerns the anima.”
“What do you mean by that word anima?”
“The anima is the soul. It is that part of ourselves that does not die, that is capable of doing good or evil, and that, after life in this world is over, will receive reward or punishment.”
“What is this religion of yours?”
“It is that which we received from our ancestors, It gives peace to our hearts in this life, and assures us of perfect blessedness in the life to come.”
As the magistrate made further inquiries concerning their belief, Dominic said:
“Being but a poor farmer, I know only the most essential parts of the doctrine; but if you will go to the French priests, they will tell you all about our religion.”
The Governor also met the deputies, and after asking a few questions dismissed them. The next day he sent them his decision that they ought to call the bonzes to conduct funerals. The Mayor advised them to present a petition asking to be freed from the necessity of doing what was opposed to their beliefs. Of eight hundred families living in the Urakami Valley, seven hundred were included in the list of those asking this exemption. Four days later, there was another death, and to the surprise of the people the Governor then gave his authorisation for funerals to be held without recourse to the Buddhists. The police officers simply took note of the failure to have the customary rites performed, and said that the course to be pursued would be decided later. In other respects the Christians for a while enjoyed greater freedom. They went openly to the church in Nagasaki, and made no attempt to conceal the chapels in Urakami. The change in the attitude of the officials was probably owing to the unwillingness of the Shogun to have anything done that would offend the French Minister, whose support he hoped to gain against those who were trying to overthrow his power. The Minister himself, when visiting Nagasaki in May, had met the Christians who were concealed in the house of the missionaries, and had promised to use his influence in their behalf. He also took part in the service of dedicating an image of the Virgin Mary that was set up before the church. In the evening the front of the church was illuminated, and the Vice-Governor, in company with the French Consul, came before the image and presented his congratulations to Mgr. Petitjean.
This apparently favourable condition of affairs was but the calm preceding the outbreak of a storm. About three o’clock on the morning of July 15, M. Laucaigne, who was spending a few days in Urakami, was suddenly awakened by the master of the house where he was stopping, who called to him:
“They are coming to arrest us. Quick! We must flee.”
M. Laucaigne hastily dressed and barely escaped from one side of the garden as armed men entered at the other. The rain was falling in torrents as he made his way to the cabin of a poor old woman who lived on the edge of a forest. He had been there but a few moments when the approach of a band of officers made it necessary to flee. Hastening through the forest he came to a deep and thickly wooded valley where he remained several hours. When all seemed quiet he returned to the cabin Another alarm drove him back to the forest, where he spent the night and then made his way to Nagasaki.
The police had been conducted to the village by a traitor, a young man who a few months before had made his first communion, and who on account of some family quarrel had put himself at the service of the Mayor, that officer being no longer inclined to favour the Christians, the chapel that had been M. Laucaigne’s retreat was pillaged and all of his effects that he had left behind were taken. Several of the villages in the valley were visited and a number of the people arrested. The prisoners were at first taken before the Mayor. A crowd of their friends followed them. It is said that the Mayor tried to stir up the people to resist the officers and even to use weapons, his object being to have them raise such a revolt as would in the eyes of foreigners be a sufficient reason for punishment. Some of the Christians were so indignant at the cruel way in which the prisoners were treated that they did come to blows with the officers but there was no such general disturbance as the Mayor desired.
Sixty-four of the arrested persons, some of them being women, were taken to Nagasaki. Crowds watched them as they passed through the streets. The European residents were greatly stirred by the sight. The consuls of different countries uttered their protests. In an interview with the Governors, the French Consul said:
It is not in the name of the Frences that I come before you; it is as a friend and in the name of humanity whose laws you violate. Europe will condemn your act In her esteem you will descend to the rank of barbarous peoples, and your relations with her will suffer. It may even be that the foreign ministers residing in Yedo will oblige you to retrace your steps, a humiliation that can be avoided if you now of your own accord release the prisoners."
A few days after the arrest General Van Valkenburgh, the American Minister, came to Nagasaki, In a report to his government, he wrote:
“I at once asked an audience with the two Governors of Nagasaki, and on the twenty-ninth of July they visited me pursuant to my request. I expressed to them my regret at the occurrence and endeavoured to induce them to release the poor prisoners. They declined, having arrested them as criminals under the laws of Japan upon complaint and proof, unless by direction from the Government. They assured me, however, that they had not been tortured, and promised that the wants of those confined, as well as their families, should be provided for, and that no future arrests should be made until directions were received from the Goroju (Shogun’s Council).”
The missionaries were much disappointed by the attitude of the French Minister. In a letter written August 8, to Mgr. Petitjean, he said that he had hastened to confer with the Shogun’s Council, and had been impressed with the sentiments of moderation and tolerance expressed by its members. He was told that orders would soon be sent to Nagasaki for setting the prisoners at liberty. Meanwhile he reminded the missionaries that the present moment, when the enemies of the Shogun were watching every opportunity to weaken his authority, was not a favourable time for seeking a definite settlement of the religious question, on which the Japanese felt so deeply. He added that he did not doubt the missionaries would use their influence with the Christians to induce them to observe certain external formalities that did not touch their religious beliefs.
Evidently the “external formalities” of which the minister wrote were those connected with funerals, and the missionaries were unwilling to withdraw from their decision that the Christians ought to have nothing to do with the Buddhist priests. Two more deaths had occurred, and those responsible for the funerals had been taken into custody. To the protest of the American Minister that this was a violation of the promise made to him that there should be no more arrests until orders came from Yedo, the reply was given that the persons in question had not been put in prison, but were simply held for examination.
Persecution now commenced in the villages of Omura, some twenty miles from Nagasaki. In connection with a registration of the inhabitants, they were ordered to seal with their own blood, a statement that they were not Christians, and also to drink water over which the Buddhist priests had pronounced certain formulas. In one village forty men who refused to obey were thrown into prison, the women and children being left at liberty. In another village, the Christians at first sealed the document; but when they realised its meaning, they declared that they had been deceived and that they wished to be known as Christians. Thereupon, seven of the men were taken into custody. When the believers in Urakami learned what had happened, some of their number went to these villages in order to guard the houses and otherwise help the women and children, who, however, were soon after imprisoned as their husbands and fathers had been. The whole number of arrests at this time in Omura was about one hundred and ten.
A few days later an attempt was made to procure a general apostasy in Urakami. The Christians of the different villages were told to send delegates to receive an official communication. They accordingly chose persons for this purpose; but the Mayor, who feared that those selected might be too immovable, replaced them by others. On the appointed day the Governor of Nagasaki met these people. He urged them to take such action as would secure the release of their friends and put an end to the trouble. The first two delegates to whom he appealed were frightened into promising to do what was required. The next seven would not yield. Disconcerted by their firmness, the Governor told them to put their statements into writing so as to send them to him in a few days. He then said it was necessary for him to return to Nagasaki where the prisoners were being examined. His place was now taken by a subordinate, before whom came the delegates that had been originally chosen by the villagers. They bore a petition that they asked him to present to the Governor. After he had examined it, the officer said:
“This of itself is sufficient to ruin you, for in it you have used the word ‘Christian,’ a name which the Government does not permit.”
Throughout the interview the officials themselves had always taken care not to use that word, hut had replaced it by such terms as “the French religion,” “the foreign religion,” “the religion of the Lord of Heaven,” etc.
On the same day in Nagasaki, five of the Christians were led in chains across the city from the prison to the place where they were to be examined. They were taken one at a time before the Governor, who among other questions, asked them how they had been instructed, who were their leaders, who among them had taken the first steps in getting the missionaries to visit their villages, and whether they were able to perform miracles.
These examinations were continued from day to day. On September 8, when twenty-two of the prisoners were brought before the officers, all but one of them apostatised. At their head was the chief of one of the villages, a man enfeebled by ill health, who was as yet only a catechumen. The apostates did not receive their liberty, though they were exempted from the severe treatment to which the others were now subjected. The latter were crowded into a little room and had their food reduced to a very small allowance.
At this time, for reasons not connected with the Christians, the Governors of Nagasaki were replaced by an envoy of the Shogun. In an interview with the French Consul the new official denied that the prisoners had been ill-treated. He said that he would release them if they would renounce their faith. Henceforth, too, the missionaries must cease to visit them. When the Consul asked why the prisoners had not already been set free in accordance with the promise made to the French Minister, he was told that the Shogun had never ratified the action of the Council in this matter.
One concession was granted a little later. Whereas, forty-seven persons had been confined in a room twelve feet long and six feet wide, the number was now reduced to thirty-three.*
On September 16, twenty-eight of the Christians in Urakami were called to the house of the Mayor, that they might be questioned separately by the Buddhist priests.
Why, was the question put to one of them, “do you follow the religion of the foreign priests? Cannot you save your soul well enough through Buddhism, which likewise teaches about heaven and hell? We also adore one supreme being—Amida. It is only because you are not acquainted with our teaching that you reject it.”
“No,” was the reply, “it is because we are Christians and wish nothing to do with Amida.”
“But what you believe is really the same as what we hold to be true. Tell me what your belief is.”
The Christian repeated the Apostles’ Creed, strongly emphasising the article, “I believe in the life everlasting” That is a very beautiful doctrine. You can follow it without calling yourselves Christians and thus doing what is forbidden by the laws of the land. Do not the commands of the Lord of Heaven require obedience to parents? Why then do you disobey the rulers, who are the fathers and mothers of the people?"
“We are quite willing to obey the rulers, but not to accept the doctrine of Amida,” persisted the Christian.
Soon after this Mgr. Petitjean received from M. Roches, the French Minister, a note that contained the following passage:
“You will to-day receive an official letter, an authentic copy of which I have transmitted to the Japanese Government. It is only in consequence of receiving this document that it has consented to set the prisoners at liberty without demanding from them any act that could be regarded as an abjuration. I ought to add that it was not without great difficulty that I secured this solution. of the problem. The daimyos, who, we have been told, are little favourable to the spread of Christianity, and who are perfectly well informed concerning all that has occurred at Nagasaki, have all sent protests to the Shogun against the present state of affairs. They expressed the opinion that the Shogun’s Government had given tacit assent to their views, and they added that they were determined to resort to the most energetic methods for causing the fundamental laws of Japan to be respected. They declared that they had given stringent orders for the beheading of any European priest or Japanese Christian that might dare to enter their territories. These letters of the daimyos are by no means a pretext invented by the Japanese Government to cover the present necessity; I have read them and have been able to verify for myself their authority.”
The official letter to which the personal note refers was likewise addressed to Mgr. Petitjean. It informed him that the Japanese Government had consented to pardon the persons arrested at Nagasaki who had violated the laws of the country by professing an unauthorised religion. “I ought to add,” continued the Minister, “that, if the Shogun forgives the past, he understands that in the future the Japanese will observe the laws of the Empire. I therefore hope that as regards your Catholic Mission you will avoid every act that has for its purpose the encouragement of Japanese subjects who profess the Christian religion in continuing their resistance to the authorities under whom the laws of Japan place them.”
The Minister also wrote to the French Consul in Nagasaki:
“After I have obtained the unconditional release of all the Japanese who have been imprisoned on the charge of having violated the laws of the country by professing the Christian religion, you will warn the Bishop in my name that he must henceforth avoid everything that can encourage Japanese subjects to break or defy the laws of the land. Hereafter no priest of the Catholic Mission should go to Urakami or elsewhere for the purpose of religious propagandism. In the great state of excitement that now prevails in the south of Japan, the presence of a Catholic missionary in the midst of the native population would be the cause of incalculable evils. A sound policy and the true interests of our religion admonish us to do all we can to avoid such a result. You will therefore aid, so far as you can, the carrying out what is written in this letter and the spirit of my instructions.”
It is not strange that Mgr. Petitjean felt called upon to write to the Minister reminding him that he had been kept informed of what was happening, and that during his visit to Nagasaki, in June, when his attention had been called to the question of the funerals, he had tried to reassure the missionaries by speaking of the liberal ideas of the Shogun, while at the same time he had promised the Christians that he would use his influence in favour of religious toleration. The letter closed with the statement that it would be impossible to follow the recommendations made by the Minister.
The prisoners were brought, October 5, before the Governor, who informed them that they could be set at liberty only on condition of their signing a document which admitted that they had been following a religion not sanctioned by the Government. Some of them consented, and after three days ten of the leaders of the Christians, who had been subjected to torture, yielded, and said to their companions:
“We have submitted; and if we, who are men, have done so, what can you women and children do? It is impossible for you to hold out. It is better to surrender at once rather than to suffer torture uselessly.”
This advice was so far followed that the paper was signed by all of the prisoners with the exception of Dominic Zenemon, who still stood firm. Twice was he tortured; but each time he came forth victorious from the test. No less than seven times was he brought before the Governor or his delegates.
“How have you been instructed?” he was asked.
“At first I went like the others to visit the church. There, I saw the priest praying and I asked him to teach me his doctrine.”
“Were you not aware that the laws of Japan forbid its people to follow the religion of foreigners?”
“I did know it; but I thought the Emperor ought to permit us to follow this religion, for its doctrines are good, and it teaches nothing but what is right. Urakami has become much better since it has learned the Christian doctrines. Its people do not quarrel, nor drink; they busy themselves with taking care of the sick or with labour in the fields, which are more productive than ever before. It is asserted that Christians practice sorcery and perform miracles. This is a mistake. Sorcery is the work of devils; and if we could work miracles, we should have come out of the prison in spite of you.”
“This religion may be good; but by following it you have broken the law and so done wrong.”
“No, I have not done wrong; for God, who teaches men this religion, is my first Father and my first Mother. As for the law, if I have violated it, let the offence be washed out by my blood. I give up my body to satisfy the law; but I wish to save my soul.”
Notwithstanding his steadfastness, Dominic was soon set at liberty. On his return to Urakami his house was crowded with those that came to hear from his own lips the story of the trials through which he had passed. Those who had not been so brave were ashamed of their weakness. Already, on the day of their deliverance from prison, thirty-eight persons had gone to the Governor’s house, saying: “Our apostasy was only in words and not from the heart. We were overcome by fear of torture. To atone for our crime we are ready to go back to our chains, to suffer, and to die.” A few days later, ten others wished to follow their example; but the official of their district refused to bring them before the Governor.
Officers had been sent to destroy all the chapels in the valley, and they compelled the Christians to assist in the work. Fifty policemen were stationed in the villages to watch over those who had withdrawn their acknowledgement of wrong-doing. At first these persons were not allowed to have any communication with others. While they were at home, guards stood before their doors; and when they went to work in the fields, they were followed by officers. Little by little this surveillance was relaxed, and in December the guards were withdrawn. A few days before this was done, the Governor himself came to the houses of those that had retracted, expressed his pity for what they had suffered, and in a paternal way advised them to be more careful in the future. He feigned ignorance of their protestations that they had never wished to renounce Christianity, and said that he was so satisfied with their submission to the Government that he could now take away the guards as being no longer needed. A patrol was kept in the village, however; daily visits being made to the houses of the persons who had retracted. The object of this seemed to be to prevent them from having any communication with the missionaries; yet hardly a night passed when some of them did not find means of going to the residence in Nagasaki where they expressed great remorse for the weakness they had shown, and sought pardon for their sin.
Death could not be shut out from the valley; and those that were responsible for the burial of their friends without Buddhist rites were summoned before the officials, only to be dismissed with a reprimand or with the statement that their cases would be considered later.
The prisoners in Omura suffered much from insufficient food and, as winter came on. from insufficient clothing. Four adults and several children died.
There was persecution in other communities. Some of the Christians apostatised, while others tried to conceal their faith. Even Michael of the Discipline advised the Christians to assume the outward appearance of heathenism. When the missionaries learned of this, they were able to get him to come and see them, and as a result of the interview he put away certain Buddhist emblems that he had thought it right to use in order to avoid persecution. At Shittsu a number of Christians were beaten because they refused to attend Buddhist services Afterwards ninety persons from this place and seventeen from Kurosaki, were sent to the coal mines at Takashima as convicts, sentenced to hard labour.
Though the Christians in the Goto Islands were not molested at this time, they were apprehensive that their turn would come. Six of their number, therefore set out in a small boat to see if they could not find some uninhabited island that would serve as a retreat for the Christians when persecution should arise. For several months nothing was heard from them. Driven about by the winds and disappointed by finding people living in all places at which they touched, they finally came to a small island belonging to Satsuma. Its inhabitants regarded them as shipwrecked sailors, confiscated their boat, and sent them to Nagasaki, whence they returned to their home, convinced that no island suited to their purpose could be found.
In October, 1867, Mgr. Petitjean went to France and Rome in order to plead the cause of his Mission. His attempts to induce Napoleon III. to make a benevolent intervention in favour of the persecuted Christians were of no avail, the Emperor saying that nothing could be done except in concert with the other Powers.
It was in the absence of the Vicar Apostolic, who did not return until June, 1868, that the Shogunate was overthrown and the old edicts against Christianity re-affirmed by the new Government. Even before this last action was announced, there were signs of the storm that was soon to break in its fury. March 16. twenty-two Christians of Urakami, eleven of whom had been among those arrested the previous year, were ordered to appear before the new Governor. One of them was Dominic Zenemon, who became their spokesman. About three hundred of their friends followed them to the open courtyard in front of the Governor’s residence. While waiting for the door to be opened, they knelt upon the coarse pebbles that took the place of a pavement, and with rosaries in their hands, spent the time in prayer.
The officer that conducted the examination began by asking:
“Is it true that you adore Jesus and follow the religion of the French?”
His pronunciation of the word “Jesus” being different from that used by the Christians, Dominic was not quite sure of its meaning and so said:
“We follow the true Christianity.”
“Christianity [Roman Catholicism] is the religion of the French, If it were good, the other nations of Europe would accept it. Instead of doing so, they mock at it Therefore, it is evil and you ought to give it up.”
“We cannot do so. It is necessary to be a Christian in order to secure the salvation of the soul in another life.”
“Do you believe that a naked man, a criminal fastened to a cross, can protect you? Ten years ago some of your people were put in prison and many of them have since died. Do you believe that any calamity has come to the officers that ordered their punishment?”
“God does not always punish men in this life. He waits.”
Dominic was going on to explain some of the Christian doctrines when he was ordered to be silent:
“Who are you that you dare to talk in this way before your superiors? You must give up this religion or else resign yourself to death. Choose.”
“I cannot give up being a Christian.”
“Are you all of the same mind?”
“Yes, yes,” cried the Christians, as they made low bows.
The question was put to them three times with short intervals for reflection; but they continued to give the same reply. The officer then said:
“You have come here with closed ears, fully determined not to listen. What would happen in your families if the women and children refused to obey the head of the house? Everything would go wrong, and it would be necessary to chastise them. In Japan there is only one Head of the Empire, and all ought to obey him.”
“We are loyal to him. If we are only permitted to be Christians, the Government would have no more faithful servants than we are.”
“You disobey the laws by following a foreign religion. Do you not see that you will be put to death and that your families will suffer for your offence? Withdraw from here. Consult with your friends, your wives and your children. Perhaps they will be wiser than you are. Away with you!”
April 29, one hundred and eighty heads of Christian families in Urakami were called before the Governor. As before, Dominic was the chief speaker. After all had declared that they could not give up Christianity, they were told:
“Instead of trusting your rulers, who are the father and mother of the people, you allow yourselves to be deceived by the French priests. They seek only the conquest of the land. That is the reason why your religion has for so long a time been prohibited, as it will continue to be, whatever changes there may be in the government. You are traitors, since you do not adore Ama-terasu, who came from heaven to create Japan and who perpetuates herself in the person of the Mikado, her direct descendant, and in the officials, who are his representatives. What have the French and other priests done that you should ally yourselves with them? What complaint have you to make against the Son of Heaven and his officials, that you will not submit to them?”
“If we are disobedient,” said Dominic, “let us be put to death. It is what we desire.”
Once more the Christians were dismissed that they might reflect on what had been said. There were many rumours about what would be done to them. It was said that twenty were at once to be put to death, while the others would be tortured. The day and the hour on which the execution was to take place were said to have been fixed, and people from the neighbouring country began to flock into Nagasaki in hopes to see the spectacle. The foreign consuls in a letter that they addressed to the Governor General of Kyushu, said that they had no desire to interfere with the rights of the Government, but since there were persistent rumours that a general persecution of the Christians had been planned, they desired to make an earnest remonstrance against what would certainly injure Japan’s reputation with Western nations.
On May 14 the Supreme Council of the Emperor sent the following circular to the provincial governors:
“Among the inhabitants of the village of Urakami near Nagasaki there have always been some persons who have not ceased to follow the Christian religion; but in recent years their number has grown from day to day until the whole village, consisting of about three thousand inhabitants, practise that religion. The tribunal at Nagasaki is greatly troubled over this matter. It has vainly tried by all sorts of expostulations to bring these people to repentance. At the beginning of the new system of government we cannot, without exposing the country to most serious perils, permit this to continue. Measures of repression must be taken at once. The leaders must be called together and an attempt be made to detach them from their belief by kind exhortations. If they yield, they must be made to destroy their books and religious images and then to take a vow before the national gods. In case they do not heed the exhortations, nothing remains but to adopt strong measures. The leaders must be arrested and beheaded, their heads being exposed as a warning. Others must be transported to distant provinces where they shall be employed in various kinds of labour. In this way it will doubtless be possible to root out the beliefs that they cherish. Those that in time show signs of repentance shall be allowed to return to their villages. While the gravity of the crime may render these methods necessary, they are nevertheless extreme measures. Hence, before putting them into execution, each daimyo is requested to state without reserve his opinion upon the subject.”
Okuma Shigenobu (afterwards Count Okuma, the well-known statesman) had been one of the officials in Nagasaki at the time when Christians were first arrested under the new Government. A few days later he was appointed an Assistant Councillor of State and called to Kyoto. Immediately after his arrival, the Supreme Council held a meeting to consider what action should be taken in connection with protests made by the foreign representatives against the treatment of the Christians. As no others had any definite plan to propose, they finally agreed with Okuma’s contention that yielding to the demands of the foreigners would be such a lowering of national dignity that a refusal ought to be given, even though it should lead to war. Accordingly at a conference held at Osaka with the foreign ministers he was the chief speaker. His own account of the meeting will show the view taken by the Japanese and some of the difficulties with which the Government had to contend:
“I said: ‘I am one of those who arrested and examined Christians in Nagasaki. . . . We cannot grant your request for releasing the prisoners and withdrawing the prohibitions against Christianity. Foreign countries are not justified in interfering when we punish our people according to our laws. Hence we do not think it necessary to discuss the matter with you.”
“Sir Harry Parkes, the English Minister, was very angry. He shook his fist and struck the table as he said: ‘This is insolence; this is going too far. Religion and truth are universal. Men are free to follow this religion or acknowledge that truth as they deem right. Among civilised nations, there is none that docs not permit liberty of belief. To have laws punishing people who have done nothing wrong, to erect barriers for shutting out the truth, is a shame for even a barbarous country. You do not realise what you are doing. You are rejecting the friendship of other lands. You ought to consider the condition of Japan and think of its future.’
“I answered: ’ You cannot hope to move us by such simple arguments as these. I know a little about religion and religious history. Christianity, indeed, contains some truth; but it must not be forgotten that its history is filled with evil. A historian has said that the history of Europe is the history of strife; and a religious writer says that the history of Europe is the history of Christianity, If these authors are correct, the history of Christianity is a history of strife. Christ has not given peace to the earth but a sword. After the birth of Christ came the age of the popes. What was it that gave rise to great tumults and continually plunged the people of Europe into deep misery? From ancient times the rulers of different countries have often done cruel deeds; but what is it that has gone beyond kings in cruelty? How about the dungeons and the torments for punishing those who, as you say, simply held opinions differing from those of others? Of late, this evil has somewhat decreased in the West. This is because men’s minds are expanding and they are not controlled by religion alone. In our country, conditions at present are different. From the first, Shinto has controlled men’s minds. Buddhism also has had great power for over a thousand years. We are not lacking a religion. If at this time we should remove the edicts against Christianity and at the same time release its followers who have been arrested, Shintoists and Buddhists would rise up in anger and there would be a great disturbance. Of all disputes, none are more violent than those connected with religion. They suck out the blood, crunch the bones, and are never satiated. We cannot tell what sort of strife would arise in our land. Our statesmen must carefully consider this. In what happened at Nagasaki our Government did not make the first move. The people of different places came with their complaints and urged us to take action against the Christians. We were forced by reasons connected with the internal affairs of the country to take action and strictly suppress Christianity We thank you for your benevolent thoughts; but the facts being as stated, what else can we do?’
“Parkes became more angry and said: ‘You are cowardly If you wish to accomplish anything you must expect some loss If you hesitate because of unwillingness to face difficulties, you can never attain success. Is not this an era of reorganisation? Why not destroy evil customs and come out into a broader world have known?, Christianity is now accepted by all civilised countries. Though some evils may have appeared in its history, its fruits are seen in the civilisation of this nineteenth century, Its excellence and truth are evident. Nothing is worse than to regard as an enemy what the whole world knows to be good, nothing is so foolish as to reject the truth. You ought to open your eyes. It is truly said that Oriental officials are so in the habit of looking only at what is directly before them that they never turn their gaze upwards. If you repeal the edicts and pardon the prisoners, you will find that your fears were needless it you do not take this action, I am sure that Japan is doomed’
I answered with a laugh: ‘The day that we blindly follow the commands of foreigners will surely be the time of our nation’s destruction. We are better acquainted than you with the state of affairs in our country. You think that what you desire can easily be done; but it is not so. Religious views that are the product of past centuries cannot be overcome in a single day We cannot endure to add another to the many things that are disturbing our country. In making purchases, one should not pay more than a reasonable price. We do not like to pay too high a price, as we should by purchasing Christianity at the cost of many human lives.’”*
June 7, the very day that Mgr. Petitjean reached Japan on his return from Europe, another circular from the Supreme Council ordered the deportation of the Christians. It was accompanied by a list that specified how four thousand and ten of them were to be distributed among thirty-four daimiates. It was directed that “these persons shall be rigidly excluded from social intercourse until it shall have been proved that their hearts are purified. They shall be employed as labourers on ground requiring improvement, such as mines, collieries, etc. They shall live in forests.” The daimyos should take care “to induce them to renounce their evil way, and if there be any who refuse to repent, severe punishment must be inflicted.”* Capital punishment was probably intended by this last clause.
The Governor-General of Kyushu now sent a tardy reply to the letter of the consuls in which he said: “We respect the humane feelings which dictated this letter, and we pity these perverse-minded Japanese subjects of the lower class who, in the face of an old established Japanese law, have committed the crime of apostatising to a strange religion. The practice of this is strictly prohibited, and we shall have no alternative but to punish them according to Japanese law if our repeated remonstrances do not cause them immediately to repent and retract their errors.”
Kido, who had been one of the leaders in restoring power to the Emperor, was sent to Nagasaki to enquire concerning the Christians and to arrange for carrying the proclamation into effect. In an interview with the English Consul he said that so much animosity existed between the Christians and other Japanese of the lower classes that civil strife was feared by the Government, whose object was not so much to oppose Christianity as to preserve order. It did not wish to resort to extreme measures; but if the means now being taken did not produce the desired result, it would be necessary to punish the Christians severely. He believed that the missionaries still kept up secret communication with their followers in Urakami. A missionary seemed to him to be a man sent to Japan that he might teach the Japanese to break the laws of the land.†
The deportation of the Christians soon began. The first company, consisting of one hundred and twenty persons, was summoned July 20. Their friends, who followed them to the gates of the Governor’s residence, were driven away with blows. The prisoners were taken on board a Japanese steamer, and at one time it was commonly believed that they had been taken to sea and drowned. It was afterwards learned that they had been divided among three provinces. Sixteen of them had been sentenced to death, but were reprieved in consequence of representations made by the foreign ministers.* It was partly perhaps because of these protests and partly because the Government’s attention was occupied in repressing its opponents in the northeast that there was a lull in the persecution.
On the evening of the day after the first deportation, M. Cousin embarked on a steamer that was starting for Shanghai. The anchor had been weighed, the customhouse officers had departed, and the steamer was moving slowly as though picking its way with difficulty among the other vessels in the harbour, when the captain’s boat, which had been sent to shore, came quickly alongside, bringing with it ten lads, the seminarists from the Hall of the Immaculate Conception. They were taken on board and the steamer hastened on its way. M. Cousin took his pupils to the college at Penang. Four of the boys died there, while three others were unable to keep on with their studies. The remaining three afterwards returned to Japan, where in 1882 they were ordained as priests.
The Christians in Urakami now openly practised their religion, for they knew that it could not he concealed. There was not a day when some persons belonging to the families of those that had been exiled did not go to the church in Nagasaki. M. Laucaigne, disguised as a Japanese, often went by night into the valley in order to administer the sacraments to the dying.
Several Buddhist sects requested that the Christians be put in their charge so that attempts might be made for their conversion; but Buddhism itself was not in favour with those now in power, and the petition was rejected.*
November 12, in Hisakashima, a small island belonging to the Goto group, twenty-two heads of families were arrested and taken to the chief town of the islands. Immediately afterwards, with the exception of six young men who escaped, the whole remaining population, men, women, and children, one hundred and eighty-one persons in all, were shut up in the house belonging to one of them, this improvised prison being so crowded that there were seventeen persons to a single mat.† The food given them was insufficient. One child and one old person soon died. There were arrests in other places. In January, 1869, a letter of instruction from the Supreme Council warned the Daimyo in Goto that in taking action against the Christians care should be exercised that nothing concerning it should become known outside.
At about this time a registration was made of all those families in Urakami from which no members had been deported. This proceeding led to fear that more arrests would soon be made. The number of the prisoners at Omura had been greatly lessened by death, there being in January, 1869, only seventy-eight survivors of the one hundred and twenty-three that had been incarcerated less than a year and a half before.
The persecutions at the Goto Islands became known to the foreign ministers, so that they sent a new protest to the Imperial Government. After a while the reply came that an officer sent to make an investigation had reported that there had been no persecution. Thereupon the ministers presented a detailed statement prepared by Mgr. Petitjean, which gave particulars concerning four hundred persons who had been arrested. Many of them had been tortured, while two men, three women, and twelve children had died under the treatment received. The particulars concerning the death of the men was given as follows:
“1. Paul Sakeichi, aged 79 years, arrested the 12th November, was beaten with an iron rod and thrown in prison, where he died toward the middle of December, of hunger, cold, and the blows he had received.
“2. Francis Rikiso, aged 55, son of the above Sakeichi, arrested the same day as his father, was, after being beaten almost to death, submitted to the torture named sangtshino seine,*** during which he fainted. On recovering consciousness, he was, on the following day, tortured again; the executioners beat him with iron bars, putting live coals into his mouth. Again it was thought he was dead. Thrown into a prison where he had scarcely room to rest his bruised body, he was soon nothing but one living sore, and died after three months of agony, on the 17th February, 1869, His body was left unburied for four days and nights in the midst of the prisoners."†
In the year 1869 arrests occurred from time to time. The protests of the ministers appeared to have little effect except that in the Goto Islands the number of those kept in confinement was reduced in June to twenty-seven, all of whom were heads of families. These were told that ere long they would be put to death unless they gave up their religion. The others were kept under surveillance, and those that were able to do so were made to work in the fields. Mr. De Long, the United States Minister, received from the officials of the Foreign Department the following communication:—
“In reply to the letter received in the fifth month of last year, we now beg to inform your excellency that we duly inquired into the alleged ill-treatment of Christians from the officers in charge of the Goto Islands; and as their statement did not appear to us sufficiently explicit, we directed some officers from Nagasaki to visit those islands and investigate the matter on the spot. Altogether there were more than one thousand persons on those islands who professed Christianity. Out of those, three hundred and thirty-five were reconverted to their own country’s religion after having been gradually advised and disciplined. Five hundred and ninety-three were kept in prison, where they continued to receive advice, and one hundred and forty of these persons escaped from their prison.
“It having been reported that some of those had formed a, conspiracy to rise against authority, they were caught and tried, and those who did not confess were coerced in the usual way in order to extort confession from them; but they have not been struck with iron rods, nor has fire been put into their mouths, as mentioned in your letter. Moreover, the prison, so-called, was simply a dwelling-house arranged in such a way that the persons kept in it could not go out during the night. During the daytime they were permitted to work on their farms. Of this large number, some have died from natural causes, but not from any cruel treatment administered. Those persons received a much gentler treatment than is usually accorded to criminals under the laws; and since special laws were issued during the last sixth month relative to Christianity, ill treatment of native Christians has been forbidden, and we believe therefore that the cruelties reported to have been practised are simply the result of rumours without foundation…”*
January 7 another communication from the same officials said that it had been decided to transport all the Christians remaining in Urakami; “our reasons being that if those Christians remain undisturbed, from the unfriendly feelings of which they are the objects, difficulties will inevitably arise between them and their neighbours, and in this manner it will become troublesome to govern those country people. In conclusion, we beg to state that, all rumours that may be circulated notwithstanding, those people will not be subject to any severe labour."†
Early in January, 1870, all the Christians of Urakami, about three thousand in number, were embarked on two steamers. The men were first sent on board and were followed by the women and children. Those of the women who had been admitted to the sacraments wore upon their heads the white cloths that had been given to them as veils at the time of their baptism. Many were seen to make the sign of the cross as they got into the boats that bore them to the steamers.
The foreigners in Nagasaki were moved with pity and indignation. Nothing was effected by a protest of the consuls; while Sir Harry Parkes, the English Minister who arrived in Nagasaki while the Christians were being collected, asked in vain that the proceedings be delayed for fifteen days in order that he might have time to communicate with the Central Government. On his return to Tokyo, he joined with the representatives of the other treaty powers in asking for a conference with the highest officers of the state. The request was granted, and the meeting was held January 19. It was attended by Sir Harry Parkes, and Messrs. Outrey, De Long, and Von Brandt, the representatives respectively of Great Britain France, the United States and Holland. Among the Japanese were Prince Sanjo, the Prime Minister; Sawa and Terashima, Ministers of Foreign Affairs; and eight members of the Imperial Council. Some extracts from the report of the proceedings will show the position assumed by each party in the controversy:
Sanjo. “Since last year the Government has had a full opportunity of discovering and understanding the character of the Japanese people who profess Christianity, and it has learned that they have become troublesome, and if allowed to proceed unchecked will subvert all governmental authority, interfere with trade, and seriously affect the relations of the Government with foreign nations. This Government does not move these people on account of their religious professions, but on account of their having been for a long time ungovernable and insubordinate, and on this account the Government has determined to change ’their residence. The Government heretofore removed some of them and has treated them with kindness, and those now being removed are being treated in the same manner, and consequently we do not think that we have destroyed or violated the promises made by this Government last year to the foreign representatives. this Government, in allotting to these people new residences, has not been persecuting them…”
Parkes. “. . . My own judgment of this’, and I am sure it will be of my Government, is that this was a most cruel proceeding the only reason assigned being that these people professed the Christian religion, and that is the religion of my countrymen. Such an act when known in England will produce a bad effect and be looked upon as a most unfriendly act. . . . If a few of these people commit wrongs, punish them; but to visit this punishment on families and on thousands is contrary to our view of right…
Outrey. “In my opinion there is a misunderstanding about a word. You said you would act ‘mildly’ towards native Christians. I suppose the greatest punishment you consider you could inflict is death, and I suppose what you mean by ‘mild treatment’ is that you will not kill. This is not our understanding of ‘mild treatment,’ In our country it is regarded that a man taken from his family and banished is most cruelly treated…..”
Iwakura. “There is a misunderstanding. We consider that we have acted mildly and as we promised. These persons recently deported have had their families sent with them, and this cannot be called severe punishment. They have lands assigned them and an opportunity given them to make a living as they had before. Heretofore the punishment for this offence was crucifixion. This we had moderated at the request of the foreign representatives, but you know that in Japan, where all the people believe in one religion, a sudden change or the sudden introduction of a new religion would produce great and constant political disturbances. Our object now is to converse on this subject. If in the future we understand and believe it to be necessary we will still execute this order. If it was only for those people at Urakami believing in Christianity, this Government would never have thought of moving them. Whether it is on account of their religious belief or because bad persons seek refuge there, we do not know; but trouble ensues and the only way we know of correcting it is dividing them up and sending them away. This is done solely on account of their acts of insubordination.”
Outrey. “This is not in accordance with the letter you wrote us. I will ask what are those things in which they are disobedient? Is it because they profess Christianity or not?”
Sawa. “I was myself for a long time Governor of Nagasaki, and I know all about these people. What I now say is that it is not owing to the influence of missionaries that criminals from neighbouring daimyos’ clans take refuge in these Christian villages and are there received; they then profess Christianity, are baptised, etc., and when the Government officers seek to apprehend them, collisions ensue between these Christians and the forces sent to apprehend them, while, in fact, these men are robbers.”
Outrey. “I wonder that you have the power to punish a whole village and not a few persons in it. There is contradiction here.”
Sawa. “I did not mean to say that we could not arrest them, but that the whole people of the village would resist our officers, pretending that the man was being arrested on account of his religious faith when really it was for some crime he had committed.”
Terashima, “The villagers among themselves are extremely hostile toward those in the same village not of the same religious faith; that is, among our people it is quite usual for one to help another in necessity by making little loans of salt or provisions. When asked such favours, these Christians would not grant them unless the others would profess Christianity; and many have thus been starved or driven into professing Christianity. Their conduct has been constantly overbearing. They have not come to open hostilities, but they have pursued a system of vexation and intimidation so oppressive that it has led many to leave….”
*******
Sawa. “The upshot of this matter is that we do not move these people on account of their profession of the Christian faith, but on account of their actions, and this Government would have pursued the same course with any other people; and unless we do this we do not know how we will govern them.”
Outrey. “How many people?”
Sawa. “About five thousand.”
Outrey. “How many Christians?”
Sawa. “About three thousand.”
Outrey. “Three thousand are troubling two thousand, and you remove the three thousand?”
Sawa. “Yes.”
Outrey. “I thought there were four thousand, according to this decree.”
Sawa. “This included native Christians in neighbouring villages.”
De Long. “Has the decree of deportation which was published last year been repealed or amended?”
Sawa. “It was left in abeyance for awhile on account of our internal troubles. It has not been repealed or amended.”
Terashima. “We were prevented from carrying it out also on account of the expenses we should have had to incur, these Christians not being treated as criminals, but they were provided with houses and lands, besides their number being very large. We have hoped the respite given them would induce them to amend their ways. In this we were mistaken.”
De Long. “Then the decree now being enforced is the original decree?”
Sawa. “Yes, but in a milder form; and we shall explain the difference to you.”
Terashima. “Formerly only the men were to be deported; now they are not separated from their families, and they will even be furnished lands and houses.”
*******
Iwakura. “If this Government has prohibited the Christian religion in Japan, it is not because it is opposed to it, but because we foresee great troubles to ensue from it, as, for instance, if one man in a hundred becomes converted to that faith it would lead to a splitting up and dividing of the people. Formerly the laws against this were very strict; now they are three or four degrees milder than formerly but we cannot allow it to be professed generally.”
Von Brandt. “We do not ask you to allow the free exercise of it, but we do ask that men who do profess it shall not be punished for professing it; in this there is a great distinction. I ask no change of laws, but simply to allow those who do profess Christianity to remain without being tortured for their faith.”
Iwakura. “You must consider the motives of our Government, as, for instance, the native Christians formerly sent from this village to Choshu are all to be returned now as they have recanted their professing of Christianity.”
Outrey. “This is a contradiction. This proves that it was because they professed Christianity that they were punished, as now that they have recanted, their punishment ceases. If all would now publicly recant their professions of Christianity, would they all be allowed to remain?”
Iwakura, “Yes; if they follow the religion of their Emperor and obey the authority of the Government, no reason for their punishment exists.”
*******
Terashima. “If I said that this was being done on account of the religion of these men, it was true in only one sense; but the main reason is that in consequence of their professing the Christian religion, they despise their own. According to the Shinto religion, the Mikado is the direct descendant of the gods. Thus he rules by divine right on account of his divine origin. Christianity teaches our people to despise and disbelieve this feature of our faith, and thus it brings this sacred thing into contempt. As, for instance, these Christians, instead of going to the Shinto temple in Urakami sacred to the Mikado and worshipping, they refuse to do it and thus treat the Mikado contemptuously and lead others to show disrespect to him.”
Outrey. “How comes it. if this is the reason of your opposition to Christianity, that you do not punish the Buddhists? The Mikado is the chief of the Shinto faith, and he cannot be the chief of more than one religion.”
Terashima. “The Buddhists show their respect to the Shinto faith by agreeing to this principle.”
Outrey. “Yes; but they have their own temples and priests. Do they compel them to go to the Shinto temples and pay their respect?
Iwakura. “In Japan, whether Buddhists or not, they have respect for and adore Tensho Daijin, the ancestor of the Mikado, as such, but Christians do not. They insult and ridicule her, and of course thereby insult and ridicule the Mikado.”
Von Brandt, “How do they insult her?”
Terashima. “In Urakami, at this temple of Tensho Daijin, they have a peculiar gate sacred to the Mikado’s ancestor. These Christians never will go through this gate, but go around it, and thus show all the people how they despise the goddess, and teach others to despise her also, Then, in all Shinto houses the people have idols, family gods, and also sacred writings; they insult these idols and put the sacred writings in indecent and filthy places to show the people how they despise them, There is a place there called Shibakaru, with several little red gates, and inside these grass grows, which people gather, and they will throw this grass through these gates and go around after it rather than pass through it. This action itself may be small, but the feeling exhibited is great and shows disrespect to the Mikado and his ancestor. The systems of government here and in Europe, you must bear in mind, are different. There the people have more or less to do with the government; here they have nothing to do with it; and to maintain this government it is absolutely necessary for us to compel all the people to believe in the divine origin of the Mikado, and respect and reverence him and his ancestors.”
After consulting together the foreign representatives declared their belief that the people were being persecuted on account of their religion, and urged that such proceedings should be discontinued. The Japanese officials continued to insist that, as expressed by Iwakura if Christianity were permitted, “the Government cannot be carried on, because the Government is based on the Shinto religion.” They also complained as follows of the action of the missionaries:
Terashima. “In referring these religious questions to the treaties, it will be seen that the engagements are mutual; that foreigners in Japan can have their own places of worship and practise their own religion, and that neither foreigners nor Japanese shall disturb the other. This a! least is the spirit of the treaty. Now, although we have given foreigners their own places of worship and have never interfered with them, we have found out that missionaries have established a place of worship at Urakami, not within the limits of the foreign settlement where they go at night and preach their faith.”
Outrey. “They must not have this; it is the first I have heard of it.
Terashima. “Although it is not. perhaps, according to the letter of the treaty that foreign places of worship should not be attended by Japanese, we consider that foreigners have no right to go outside of the settlement propagating their faith, as they are doing It appears to this Government that these missionaries have also led these people so to act as to implicate them seriously That they have promised them assistance if troubled by our Government is evidenced by the fact that when we attempt to control them they always rush to these priests and complain to them. That we ought sooner to have come forward with our complaints against these priests we admit, and we are very sorry that we have not done it; but thinking that the shortest way would be to deal with our own subjects, we have let the matter go on. Now we regret this; for if we had sooner complained, it would have resulted in only ten or a hundred persons being moved.”
Outrey. “I regret that you have never informed us of this; but I wish to say that this persecution commenced four years ago, and this shows that the more they are persecuted, the more they increase. We know that at a place in the interior where there were no priests, you have had to persecute these people for Christianity; and this we know from your own official newspaper.”
Terashima. “That is true; but there are Japanese who are preaching Christianity.”
Outrey. “Do you not know that in the time of the Tycoon [Shogun] your Government suddenly heard of four or five thousand native Christians? Were they not Christians from their fathers? And does not this prove that the more you persecute, the more Christians there will be?”
Terashima. “It is possible that those were people who were Christians before this; if so, they kept it still. The Government was not going so far as to try and find out the sentiments of a man’s heart and punish him for them; but these men are seditious, and we cannot tolerate them. We will not say the missionaries advise this; but the people do defy the Government. The officers from Nagasaki inform us that they have turned one of the ten temples into a place of worship, and there the people assemble and await the missionaries, who come in the night and perform religious worship.”
Outrey. “Destroy the houses there and stop it if it is not within the treaty limits.”
Terashima. “These missionaries employ two-sworded men, who are outcasts, as sub-instructors, who go about teaching and it is owing to these that Christianity is propagated inland. Now, the reason we move these people is to take them from under the influence of these missionaries. To say the truth, Urakami and other such villages have become the asylum of outcasts, and there they congregate and claim that they are under the protection of foreign powers. I know well these people have been led to believe so.”
Outrey, “We certainly have never any of us or our consuls given them any such assurances, and we have never heard of this before. We trust you will reconsider your actions, because it will cause great feeling in Europe and America, and may lead to serious results. We ask postponement and due reflection.”
Iwakura. “I can only repeat that we desire friendly relations, but we must be allowed to govern our own people. We thank you for your evidences of friendliness, and we will send orders to postpone further actions pending this conference, and on this conference it will depend whether we go further or not. We have spoken of the wrongs of the missionaries, which you ministers cannot defend; and we hope it is in the power of you ministers to control these missionaries.”
Outrey. “We will do what we can do to make our people in all cases do right.”
De Long. “I state unhesitatingly that when any complaint is made to me of a wrong done by any American citizen, I shall always be as ready and willing to restrain or punish him as I am prompt to demand redress for my countrymen from this Government when I consider them aggrieved.”*
Two days after this conference, the Ministers for Foreign Affairs sent to the foreign representatives the following report that had been made to them January 9, 1870, by the officials in Nagasaki:
“We beg to report that up to yesterday we continued sending off the native Christians to various provinces as set forth in the accompanying paper, taking good care, in conformity with the instructions received, to treat them kindly and tendering them advice. Heads of families were provided with money, and the sick who applied for relief were sent into hospital. The old and infirm were furnished with sedan chairs in places where the road was rough, and sandals for travellers were given to all. Families were not separated, in accordance with your instructions, but some were sent to different places at their own request We allowed them to take whatever they required of their own goods and such as were eft behind were placed in strong warehouses to await your further orders as to its disposal. As it was exceedingly cold and snow falling at the time, we furnished all with sake to use on the road as and when they pleased. Strict orders were given by us to those officers who accompanied them to provide whatever could contribute to their comfort, it was clearly explained to them that all reasonable wants they may have shall be duly supplied in the provinces whither they are sent, and they all left cheerfully and in good spirits."†
As will be seen, the Japanese constantly asserted that there was no cruelty, but in after years one of the officials related the following incidents. It is not stated with which of the successive banishments they were connected:
“Men and women were bound and passed from hand to hand across the gang-plank of the boat which waited to carry them, handled and counted and shipped like bales of merchandise. One woman, thrown amiss, fell into the water, and her hand waved farewell in the sign of the cross as she sank never to rise again. The other concerned a woman too, a mother with her infant at her breast. The officials determined to force her to recant, and failed. At last they took her infant, placed it just beyond her reach, and there let it wail its hungry cry two days and nights, with promises all the time of full forgiveness to the mother and the restitution of her babe, if only she would recant. Recant she would not, and at last her tormenters gave in, their cruel ingenuity exhausted.”*
January 28 the Ministers of Foreign Affairs presented the following memorandum, which may he taken as the official statement of the Japanese side of the controversy:
“They [the Japanese ministers] understand that the foreign ministers are dissatisfied with the measures taken by the Japanese Government relative to the native Christians.
“Appreciating friendly intercourse and the respect of the treaty powers for Japan, they have deemed it their duty to explain their motives for these measures; that the inhabitants of the village of Urakami are wrong in worshipping a foreign religion is not the question, but as co-religionists they formed a party and thwarted the authorities. The Government would not treat these people severely simply because of their worship. The Government never inquire what religious opinions people inwardly profess and as long as they infringe no laws or offer no resistance, though there may be many who profess foreign religions, they will not be interfered with. And hence, since the conclusion of treaties with foreign countries, has the Government abolished the law of fumi-e [trampling on Christian emblems] which was established for the purpose of inspecting people’s hearts.
“The Government have engaged in their schools to teach languages, etc., those who come here as missionaries and have permitted any one to translate and sell publicly all sorts of books, even such as relate to religions. This proves that the Government intends to change the law respecting religion; but when the people commit wrongs and misdemeanours, infringe the laws of the country, or resist the power of the Government on the plea of being Christians, or when they are told by missionaries that they will not be punished, as foreigners will protect them, then the Government must step in, as such things cannot be permitted. Advice must then be given to such people and they must be brought back to submission to the laws of their country.
The Government carries out the treaty in allowing foreigners to worship their own religions and build churches in Japan; but they are dissatisfied with foreign priests who induce the people to worship with them. They use soft speech and science, or give money to those who worship their religion, telling them that foreigners will aid them, and the people consequently become so outrageous as to insult the authorities, and this must be remedied On investigation, it has invariably been found that these so-called native Christians are only so in name; their acts, however, are such as would undoubtedly be punished in all other countries. They conceal among themselves all sorts of criminals whom the Government wants to have arrested; they always disputed with others and caused disturbances; insulted our ancient religion, destroyed images of the gods, and defile the gods from whom his Majesty the Mikado is descended. If these people were left alone they would cause great trouble, the Government might be weakened, and the country endangered. It would have been quite proper to punish these people severely; but, as it was promised in January, 1869, by Higashi Kuse to the foreign ministers that they would hereafter be treated leniently, the Government had no other means in dealing with this matter than to remove these people to other places and thus cut off their communication with priests, whose desire of converting them may not be bad but unfortunately the Japanese misapprehended the matter and insulted the authorities. The Government removed them in the manner as promised to the foreign ministers. No severe treatment was inflicted, but all necessary aid was rendered. This the Government is prepared to prove
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“The Japanese Government will not be obliged to resort to such measures as the unpleasant one referred to, if foreign missionaries would exclusively apply themselves to the teaching of their own people according to the treaty, instead of acting improperly as hitherto. Then the Japanese Government may not be obliged to cut off the communication of those of their people who seek information on religious subjects with the missionaries, and may further have no objection to send back to their village those who have been moved out of it.
“The Japanese Government are desirous that their people be instructed in arts and sciences, in which your country is superior, instead of being instructed in religion, and they are, above all, desirous that the existing friendship between our countries may increase more and more.”*
A week later the foreign representatives presented the following memorandum:
“The Japanese Government having declared that the action of some foreign missionaries in preaching outside of the limits of the foreign settlement has caused serious disturbances, and is one of the reasons for which the Government thinks the removal of the native Christians from the neighbourhood of Nagasaki is a political necessity, the foreign representatives do not hesitate to declare that they, on their part, will do everything in their power to restrain the foreign missionaries from such acts, and will punish them therefor if such acts be persisted in; provided, that the native Christians who have already been deported from Urakami are all brought back.”*
As might be supposed, the missionaries were far from pleased at the attitude taken in this last memorandum. Moreover, they put little faith in the promise that the exiles would be returned to their homes. M. Laucaigne decided to leave Japan for the present. He took with him thirteen of the young seminarists whom he had been instructing in the Hall of the Immaculate Conception, and went with them to Canton to continue their education.
It was at first difficult to find out anything about the condition of the exiled Christians. It was learned after the cessation of the persecution that their treatment varied greatly in the different provinces. The Buddhist and Shinto priests were charged with the duty of trying to bring about apostasy, and when their discourses failed to produce the desired effect, recourse was often had to torture. The worst treatment was suffered by those sent to Iwami and Nagato. Among those in the former of these provinces was Dominic Zenemon, who, it will be remembered, had been the spokesman of the Christians when they were called before the officials in Nagasaki. He was in the first company of exiles. With twenty-seven others he was enclosed in a small room connected with a Buddhist temple in the town of Tsuwano. Though the weather was bitterly cold, they were allowed no fire. The food served them was very insufficient. There was so much curiosity among the people of the town to see the prisoners that the officials decided to examine them in public. Four or five hundred people were present. The officer said to Dominic:
“Who is it that you worship?”
“We Christians worship the One who created Heaven and earth and all mankind. It is because He is the Lord of all that we worship Him. You, too, are under obligation to do so, since He created you also.”
“No, no!” said the officers with a laugh, “we do not worship Him.”
“It is true that you do not, for you do not know Him; but it is none the less true that you ought to do so.”
“We follow the religion of our own country; but you, although a Japanese, follow the religion of foreigners You are disobedient to the Emperor,”
“It is not of much importance whether a person belongs to one country or another. He who made other lands made Japan also. Hence Japanese, like other men ought to worship Him, The deities that are worshipped in Japan have created nothing, and, therefore, have no claim on our worship. You speak of the Emperor. We surely have no desire to oppose him; but the God who created the world created him also. The Emperor and his ministers, like all other men, ought to obey God. Moreover, we Christians pray for the Emperor’s prosperity. Our religion commands us to do this.”
“Nevertheless, if you do not renounce this religion, you will be put to death. On the other hand, if you are docile, you will be sent to your homes.”
“Do with us whatever you will; we cannot renounce our religion.”
This was the first of many occasions on which the Christians were summoned before their judges. On one occasion, when they had been urged in vain to give up their religion, the principal officer threatened to throw them all into a pond of ice-cold water that was near by.
“Do as you please,” said the Christians, “we cannot give up our faith.”
“Well then, go back to your prison. To-day only Zenemon shall be punished.”
Thereupon Dominic, who was in a weak state of health, was led to the pond, while the people crowded around to see the sport.
“Take off your clothes and jump into the water,” commanded the officer.
“No. If you wish, you may strip off my clothes, but I will not do it.”
“What? You will not obey? Do you forget that it is in the Emperor’s name that I command you?”
“I am not obliged to obey you in this thing, and I will not.”
All the officers joined in ordering him to take off his clothes. He refused to do so, but made no resistance when one of the servants began to strip him. Exposed to the cold winter air, he stood in silence. To all the commands to jump into the water he simply said;
I am in your power. Do to me whatsoever you will.”
Some one finally pushed him into the water, which, as he recovered his footing, was waist-deep. Though his whole body shook violently from the chill, he joined his hands in prayer and remained silent. The officers commanded him to kneel. This time he obeyed; keeping his clasped hands above the water. Soon, however, the cold so weakened him that his hands fell of their own weight. His tormentors dashed water over his head, and it was only when his strength was nearly exhausted that he was taken back to the prison, where the officers showed a little mercy by allowing a fire to be made of straw, before which he lay as his companions chafed his limbs and covered him with their own garments. Afterwards other prisoners were thrown into the pond.
When the second company of exiles reached Tsuwano, they also were severely treated. Even the women were sometimes deprived of clothing and exposed for two or three days to the winter air, no food being allowed them during that time. By these and other means a few were led to apostatise. As it was thought that Dominic had much to do with encouraging the others to be steadfast, he and two of his companions were shut up in a dark room swarming with vermin, and were not allowed to leave it at any time. The two who were with him died ere long and were replaced by others. Their food was gradually diminished. They commenced to dig a tunnel, hoping to get out where they could find some nourishment, This was discovered by the guard, who with a spade struck Dominic over the head and shoulders, wounding him so severely that his two companions had much trouble in staunching the flow of blood. Some of those who by apostasy had gained a considerable degree of liberty learned of this and found means for sending medicine and food to Dominic.
It is not necessary to continue the narration of the sufferings of the prisoners in this and other provinces. The Central Government constantly asserted that the exiles were being treated with kindness; hut when rumours came that those in Kaga were subjected to much cruelty, the British Acting Consul at Niigata was sent to investigate their condition. He found this much different from what was alleged by the officials. Husbands had been separated from wives, and children from their parents; no land had been allotted to the exiles; in many instances their food was insufficient, being increased only on condition of apostasy. At one place iron rings attached to the floor were fastened round the necks of men and women who would not give up their faith.*
Mgr. Petitjean, who had been in attendance at the Vatican Council, returned to Japan in December, 1870. He at once authorised the missionaries to renew their nocturnal visits to Christians living near Nagasaki, but enjoined them to use the greatest prudence. He decided to take up his own residence in Yokohama. On his way thither he visited Kobe and Osaka, M. Cousin in the latter city was having frequent visits from the exiles. In some sections of the country they enjoyed a considerable degree of liberty, being able to be away from their guardians for several days at a time. One came from a place so distant that it took him five days to reach Osaka, while two others were eight days on the road. Afterwards people came even from the province of Kaga. The intelligence that M, Cousin was thus enabled to obtain showed that most but not all of the Christians were standing firm. He was able to send out catechists whose chief duty was to strengthen those that were in danger of apostasy. The persons in Kaga who had yielded began to show signs of repentance. They would come together in the evening to receive instruction from the catechists, and they asked to have their children baptised. Though the officials must have known of what was being done, they did not interfere.
In Nagasaki a time of calm had succeeded the storm. Though most of the Christians of the immediate neighbourhood had been torn from their homes, many remained in the Goto Islands and other places. Young men, nominally employed as servants of the missionaries, were instructed by them and then sent out as catechists. Every evening people came to the residence, so that in the first eight months of 1871, five hundred and fifty persons confessed and received the communion. The missionaries went to the bedsides of the sick when these were near enough to be visited in a single night. Mme. Salmon, the mother of one of the missionaries, took a large house near the church in order that she might provide a lodging place for the female catechists and for women that otherwise would not have been able to receive the sacraments.
In December, 1871, there was a renewal of the persecution. Sixty-five persons living in the vicinity of Nagasaki were sent into exile. Again the representatives of foreign powers uttered their protests; this time with more effect than before, for further arrests that had been ordered were not carried out, and six weeks later the sixty-five exiles, with the exception of one who had died, were returned to their homes. One reason for this act of clemency is to be found in the desire of the Government to obtain a revision of the treaties. In furtherance of this object, an embassy started for the West at just about the time the last arrests were made, and those who protested against the violation of the promise that no more Christians should be deported were also able to show that intelligence of what had been done would make the Western nations very unwilling to make such concessions as were desired by japan.
In March the Supreme Council issued to the local governments a notification concerning the persons who had been deported in 1869. This ordered: “If there are any of them who have manifested repentance, they shall be set free. According to their desires, they shall be registered among the inhabitants of your province or sent back to their former homes.” A subsequent circular said: “Among the repenting Christians set free in accordance with the notification of March 9, 1872, are some who wish to be restored to their families, from which they find themselves separated. The prefects shall confer together in order to facilitate the re-union of households. If, notwithstanding such efforts, the location of members of the family cannot be discovered, the head of the family shall be sent to the place from which he was deported, and the local authorities of that place shall aid him to collect his household once more.”*
It will be seen that this last circular contains a disproof of the Government’s former assertions that families had not been separated. Foreign officials were told that these orders were intended to include all of the exiles, and that the apparent restriction to apostates was to avoid offending public opinion, which was still strongly opposed to granting any concessions to Christians. Nevertheless, up to July, only five hundred persons had been sent back to Urakami, and all of them had bought their release by apostasy. “It was announced in Kaga,” wrote M. Cousin in October, “that those who wished to return to Nagasaki had only to ask permission; but the essential condition was that they should sign with their own blood a promise never to profess Christianity, Only ten had the weakness to apostatise, and these were sent back at once. Nothing was said to the others. A general prison is being prepared, which they can leave only in the daytime and by permission of the chief of the guards.” In some other places those that stood firm were treated more severely than before. Their liberty was so_ restricted that the clandestine visits to the missionaries in Osaka became infrequent.
At this time, however, the missionaries had very much to encourage them. There had been several conversions at Hakodate, Yokohama, Osaka, and Kobe. The work about Nagasaki had been more completely organised. The following statistics were given for that region:
Children of Christians baptised in 1871-72 650 to 700 Adult baptisms in 1871 350 Adult baptisms in 1872 1220 Confessions in 1871 1170 Confessions in 1872 1020 Communions in 1871 1050 Communions in 1872 1569 Confirmations in 1871-72 429 Extreme unction in 1871-72 71 The number of persons receiving extreme unction was lessened by the difficulty the missionaries found in reaching those at the point of death. Persons dangerously ill were often brought from distant places to Nagasaki, in order that they might receive the ministrations of the priests. There were eighty-five catechists, men and women, more than half of whom had received careful instruction for four or five months; the men being sheltered at the residence of the missionaries, and the women in the house of Mme. Salmon. Twenty children, abandoned by their parents, had been placed in Christian families. In June, 1872, five nuns connected with the Society of the Holy Infancy had come to begin the work of gathering children into an orphanage.
Rumours of a change in the policy of the Government increased. By the end of 1872, the exiles were receiving more lenient treatment, and there were many indications that brighter days were at hand.
“EDICTS AGAINST CHRISTIANS REMOVED. PRISONERS FREED. INFORM ROME, PROPAGATION OF FAITH, HOLY INFANCY. NEED IMMEDIATELY FIFTEEN MISSIONARIES.”
Such was the message written in March, 1873, by Mgr. Petitjean and sent to Hongkong for transmission by telegraph to the Missionary Society in Paris. Orders had at last been sent for the return of all the exiles, and ere long, companies of them began to arrive in Nagasaki. What joy for them to come back to their beloved valley, which some of them had not seen for more than three years, and others for five years! What joy in the reunion of families that had been long separated! What tales they had to tell of their experiences during the days since they had parted! Vet all the feelings were not of joy. Many faces were missing. The statistics are deficient; but according to a table made out by the missionaries, those that had been deported from Urakami numbered 3, 404. There had been 660 deaths and 176 births in the time of exile, and the number of those returning in 1873 numbered 1,981. Apparently this last number does not include the 500 apostates of the previous year.
Those that returned were in great poverty. Many at the time of their departure had sold their lands at any price they could get, and they were now forced to cultivate less fertile ground on the sides of the mountains. The Government constructed barracks for those that had no other shelter. The Christians of other places came to the help of their brethren, and as the first harvest was bountiful, the severest stress was soon relieved.
The Christians that had been sent into exile had not suffered in vain. Not only had they been one of the means for bringing about religious freedom, but they had also impressed some people who saw them with profound respect for their faith. Hon. Ebara Soroku, a prominent Methodist and a leading member of Parliament, says that some of the exiles were placed under his care by a provincial governor, who afterwards became, like himself, a Christian and a member of the National House of Representatives. Various efforts, he says, were made to lead the exiles to apostatise. They were first brought into the presence of the officers, who attempted in vain to overawe them. When this method failed, young Christians were exposed to temptations that it was thought would surely lead them to such immorality as would bring disgrace upon their religion and loosen its hold upon them. Another fiendish plan was, after much thought, devised by the Governor. He caused a mother to be shut up with her infant and deprived of food. The mother, growing weaker and weaker, could no longer nurse the child. It cried from morning until night; but when food was offered to the mother on condition that she would renounce her faith, she replied: “I prefer to die and to kneel at the feet of my Lord,” The Governor was so much moved by her steadfastness that he finally relented and ordered food to be given to the woman. Mr. Ebara says that the conduct of the exiles under suffering had great influence in leading him and others to become Christians in later years.*
Hon. Kataoka Kenkichi, who was several times Speaker of the House of Representatives, says that in his city of Kochi about sixty of the Christians, before being sent back to their homes, were taken to a Buddhist temple in order that the priests might make one more effort to persuade them to renounce their faith. Their steadfastness so surprised the priests that it is said some of them decided to become Christians. Mr. Kataoka adds: “To the exiles I attribute my first leanings towards Christianity and my subsequent Christian belief."†
It will be seen that at the end of the period of persecution, the Roman Catholic missionaries had several thousand adherents. They counted the Christians directly connected with them as fifteen thousand, while they knew that there were many thousands more who considered that they held the faith of the ancient Christians, but who had not yet entered, as many of them afterwards did, into formal relations with the missionaries. In comparing the results of what has been accomplished by the Roman Catholic, the Greek, and the Protestant churches, the great number of adherents that the first had from the beginning must be remembered. On the other hand, however, it cannot be forgotten that its missionaries have laboured under the great disadvantage of being the successors of those who were believed to have brought great evils upon the country two hundred and fifty years before. Though the common people were slow to learn of any distinctions, educated persons were aware that there was a great difference between Roman Catholicism and Protestantism. Many who were bitterly prejudiced against the former were not unwilling to examine the teaching of the latter.
Footnotes
* U. S. Dipl. Correspondence, 1867, p. 72.
* “Sekijitsuno Monogatari” (“Talks about Former Days”), pp. 273-389. The Fukuin Shimpo of December 11, 1002, published an interview with Count Okuma in which he said that at the conference in Osaka the zeal natural to youth was increased by the fact that he had made up his mind at that time to construct a new religion that should combine the best elements of Buddhism Confucianism, and Christianity, and he felt that the spread of Christianity would interfere with this plan. He added that the French Minister became angry and said that he should ask his Government to said men-of-war to protect the Christians. To this Okuma rejoined: “Your threat shows how good reason we have to fear Christianity; for as soon as trouble arises, there is instantly talk about gunboats.”
* U. S. Dip. Cor., 1868, Part I., p. 771.
† Adams, Hist, of Japan,” vol. ii., p, 145. One charge made against the Christians by their opponents was that they held meetings at night in which gross licentiousness prevailed. Apparently the American Minister was inclined to think there was some ground for the accusation, though he gave no reason for such an opinion, U. S. Dip. Cor., 1868, Part II., p. 765.
* U. S. Dip. Cor., 1868, Part II., p. 796.
* “Shin Nihon-shi,” vol. ii., p. 255.
† This is the statement in “La Relig. de Jésus Res.,” vol. ii., p. 129; but, as Japanese mats measure six feet by three, it seems almost incredible.
* More properly, sangi no seme, or the punishment by three pieces of wood. The prisoner was made to kneel on two pyramids of wood and to sit back on his heels. His thighs were; loaded with heavy stones. The third piece of wood was a long pole placed between the calves and the lower part of the thighs. Two attendants seated on the ends of the pole used it as a sort of seesaw.
† U. S, For. Relations, 1870, p. 453.
* U. S. For, Relations, 1870, p, 455.
† Ib., p. 456.
* U. S. For. Relations, 1870, pp. 462-468. I have made a few verbal changes, correcting misprints and removing a few infelicities occasioned doubtless by haste in preparing the report
† Ib., p. 472.
* Quoted by Dr. G. W, Knox in New York Independent, June St, 1894.
* U. S. For, Relations, 1870, p. 473.
* U. S. For. Relations, 1870, p. 474.
* Adams, “Hist, of Japan,” vol. ii., p. 215.
* “La Rd. de Jésus Res.,” vol. ii., p, 226.
* Quoted from Koe in Japan Weekly Mail, December 22, 1900.
† Fukuin Shimpo, quoted by Ritter, “Hist. Prot. Mis.,” p. 230.