JAPAN
307
JAPAN
bonzes, was kindly disposed towards the Christians and
a friend of the missionaries. When he died (1.5S2) there
were 200,000 faithful and 250 churches. The three
Christian princes of Bungo, Arima, and Omura sent an
embassy to Europe, which set out on 20 Feb., 15S2,
reached Lisbon 10 May, 1584, and Rome, 2.3 March,
15S5. The ambassadors witnessed the coronation of
Sixtus V and were created knights and patricians.
Hideyoshi, the successor of Nobunaga, at first fa-
voured the Christians, but being prejudiced by the
bonzes he later beheved that the mi-ssionaries were spies
and proscribed the Christian religion, but refrained
from slaying the Christians (1587). The missionaries
hid themselves and remained, and within ten years
they baptized 65,000 persons (1587-97'), making a
total of 300,000 faithful and 1.34 religious. In 1593
three Spanish Franciscans having been sent as am-
bassadors by the Iving of Spain, they were well re-
ceived by Hidej'oshi. A Spanish vessel, the "San Fe-
lipe", having run aground within the province of
Tosa, the captain was foolish enough to say that the
missionaries had been sent to prepare for the conquest
of the countrj-. Thereupon Ilideyoshi became afraid
and angry, and on 9 December, 1596, nine religious
were arrested and orders were given to draw up a list
of Japanese Christians. All gladly made ready for
death. On 5 February, 1597, twent.v-six were cruci-
fied at Nagasaki, and died preaching and singing to the
end. After the death of Hideyoshi in 1598 peace
reigned for fifteen years. Christians multiplied and
the Faith manifested itself in all manner of good
works; 130 Jesuits, some secular priests, and about 30
religious of the Orders of St. Francis, St. Dominic, and
St. Augustine worked side by side. In 1609 and 1613
Dutch and English Protestants arrived who were en-
vious of the Spanish and Portuguese Catholics. In
1613 persecution recommenced. In that j-ear the
prince of Sendai, Date Masamune, sent Asakura
Roku-yemon on an embassy to Pope Paul V and the
Iving of Spain, the Franciscan Sotelo accompanying
him. In the following year (1614) the edict of destruc-
tion was published by the new master of the empire,
leyasu Tokugawa, the first shogun of that name. It
was decreed that Catholicism be abolished, and this
edict was renewed by Hidetada in 1616, the successor
of leyasu. The result was horrible. In 1622 took
place what was called the "great martjTdom", fifty-
two chosen Christians being martyred on the same day
(2 Sept.) at Xaga,saki, twenty-seven being decapitated,
and the remaintler burned alive. In the following
year, under lemitsu, the persecution waxed still more
furious and extentled throughout the empire. The
cruelty and refinement of the tortures are unparal-
leled even in the history of the early ages of the
Church. The exact number of the victims is unknown.
In 1637 in the province of Arima 37,000 Christians,
driven to e.xtremities, revolted, shut themselves up
within the fortress of Shimabara, and were slain to
the last one. In 1640 four Portuguese ambassadors
who had gone from Macao to Nagasaki were called
upon to apostatize, and when they refused they were
put to death without further trial. Thirteen of their
followers were sent back to Macao with this warning:
" While the sun warms the earth let no Christian be so
bold as to venture into Japan. Let this be known to
all men. Though it were the King of Spain in person
or the God of the Christians or the Great Shaka him-
self [Buddha], whosoever shall disobey this prohibi-
tion will pay for it -with his head." Thus Japan was
closed, and remained so for two centuries, during
which time the persecution did not cease. .\ price was
set on the head of foreign and native Christians. Each
year every Japanese was called upon to trample the
cross under foot. Some Dutch merchants consented
to separate themselves from the Christian population
and allow themselves to be confined as prisoners in
Nagasaki on the Island of Deshima, in order to carry
on business with the Japanese. In 1642 five Jesuits
embarked by stealth for Japan where they died after
frightful tortures. They were followed in 1643 by
five others who met the same fate, and an attempt on
the part of the Dominicans of the Philippines (1647)
was not more fortunate. If other attempts were made
to enter this tomb it is not known. The last known is
the Abbd Sidotti, an Italian missionary who in 1708,
at the age of forty, landed unaccompanied on the
Japanese coast. Delivered to the governor of Naga-
saki by the Prince of Satsuma, he was first examined
in that town, and then, at the command of theshogim,
conducted to Yedo and condemned to perpetual im-
prisonment in a place which is still called " Chirishitan
Zaka" (Hill of the Christians). While there he bap-
tized his two jailors and died after five years of cap-
tivity (1715). The learned Aral Haku.seki, govern-
ment interpreter in the examination of Sidotti, 'KTote
his history (" Sei yo Kibun ", European history) which
was reprinted in the "Missions Catholiques", 1884.
However, in spite of persecution some vague and infrequent signs seemed to indicate that all the Chris- tians of Japan had not perished. The Corean mis- sionaries several times attempted to assure themselves of this, but without success, for since 1838 it had been impossible to enter "the mysterious empire" from any side. Interest in the Japanese mission, however, continued to increase, and in April, 1844, Pere For- cade was sent to Japan as a missionary. He stayed at Okinawa in the Riu-kiu Islands with the Chinese cate- chist Ko as a companion He was followed by Peres Letiu-du, Adnet, Furet, Mermet, Girartl, and Mouni- cou of the Societe des Missions Etrangeres of Paris. They waited for fourteen years, on the Riu-kiu or at Hong-Kong, seeking by every means to gain entrance into Japan. During fourteen years of labour and suf- ferings they baptized two Japanese. Finally a treaty was signed between France and Japan, 8 October, 1858, and ratified 22 September, 1859. The mission- aries were free to reside in open ports and have there a church for the service of foreigners. Pere Girard was provisionally named superior of the mission, and for the ratification of the treaty he went as interpreter to Yedo with the consul-general, de Bellecourt. The three ports of Hakodate, Kanagawa-Yokohama, and Nagasaki were soon occupied. The labour in these places was difficult and sojourn there dangerous, for prejudice against foreigners and Christians had not disappeared. Pere Mermet built a house and church at Hakodate and Pere Furet did the same at Nagasaki. At first they taught French in order to make friends and prepare for the future. In the new church at Nagasaki on 17 March, 1865, occurred an ever-mem- orable event, when fifteen Christians made themselves known to Pere Petitjean, a.ssuring him that there were a great many others, aliout 50,000 in all being known. It is easy to imagine the joy which greeted this dis- covery after more than two centuries of waiting and patience. There were three marks by which these descendants of martjTS recognized the new mission- aries as the successors of their ancient fathers: the authority of the Pope of Rome, the veneration of the Blessed Virgin, and the celibacy of the clergj'. In the following year (1866) Pere Petitjean was named Vicar .\postolic of Japan.
The extreme ardour of the Christians attracted at- tention and aroused the old hatred. In July, 1867, persecution recommenced; 40,000 faithful of LTrak- ami near Nagasaki were exiled to various provinces. The same proscription was extended to other towns; everywhere the choice was apostasy or exile, and the greater number courageously confessed their faith. There was no bloodshed, but the trials were severe. About a third of the exiles died or did not return. During this time they continued to labour in the sea- ports. In March, 1873, while the Japanese embassy was travelling through Europe, the exiles were re-
