BUDDHIST INTOLERANCE

Pacific Press Publishing Company · Oakland, California · Nov 13, 1893

BUDDHIST INTOLERANCE.

MR. DHARMAPALA, a high priest of Buddhism, is free to speak of the tolerance of Buddhists. Of course, he who knows the gospel of Christ, knows also that a religion which finds salvation in self, cannot, in the very nature of the case, be tolerant. The following letter of Mr. Atkinson, of Japan, to the Missionary Herald of August, shows the tolerant spirit of Buddhists:—

"The Christians of Japan, irrespective of denomination, have recently held their triennial convention. It was at Nagoya, a large city between Kyōto and Yokohama. A preaching service was announced for one evening, to be held in the Methodist Church. The Buddhist priests availed themselves of the occasion, and formed about seven-tenths of the audience. As soon as the service began, the priests bestirred themselves, and made such a row that the preaching was effectually hindered. The police seem to have had no power—probably did not care to exhibit too much—over the turbulent multitude. For the next night's preaching the Christians engaged a private restaurant place, and intended to have refreshments together, and preaching for invited guests. The priests found it out, went to the proprietor, and threatened fire and death if he did not refuse to entertain the Christians and to loan the assembly room. Of course he gave in, as did another who afterward arranged to entertain the Christians. The influence of the priests is still very great in Japan. I think, however, that these disturbances are disgusting even some of the Buddhist believers. But all through Japan Buddhism has more power over the people than the views of the enlightened few have led the people of America to suppose.

"In one of the out places from Kōbe there is a case of this sort. A young physician and his wife became Christians and were baptized. After a while the physician lost income because of his religion. His wife's parents heard of the various changes, and, while they might perhaps have borne the change of religion, the loss of income and esteem was too much. They threatened to take their daughter back home again unless the husband and

she too gave up Christianity. The man's father, an official in another part of the country, a landowner, and receiving a good salary, next sent word to the son that unless he gave up Christianity he would deprive him of his position and rights as the eldest son. The young man held quietly to his faith and life, notwithstanding the pressure from his own and his wife's parents. Finally his wife succumbed to the outside pressure, and began to torment her husband. He bore this also. At length the wife broke away from his home, leaving the two young children she had borne to him behind her. The last report from the evangelist says that the woman has been cut off from membership, but that the husband holds steadfastly to his Christian life and duties.

"This is indeed a hard case, and it is far from being a solitary one. Family and neighborhood persecution still abound, and probably will for a long time."