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CHAPTER XIX

JAPANESE CHRISTENDOM

Outline of Topics: Mediæval Christianity; Modern Christianity; missionaries; Japanese Christians; Christian literature; kinds and methods of work; churches and chapels; Sunday-schools; Christian education; Christian philanthropy; Young Men's Christian Association and Young Women's Christian Association; temperance and the social evil; interdenominational institutions; Japonicized Christianity; Christianity and business; Sabbath; Christianity and the press; Christianity and Christians in politics; simple Christianity; status of Christianity.—Bibliography.

The great Jesuit missionary, Francis Xavier, was the one who introduced Christianity into Japan, in 1549; and the labors of himself and his successors were so faithful and successful, that at the beginning of the next century there were about 1,000,000 Christians in Japan. But political complications, internal and external, and religious jealousies, brought on a terrible persecution, in which the Church was practically extinguished. In 1638 the following edict was issued:—

"So long as the sun shall continue to warm the earth, let no Christian be so bold as to come to Japan; and let all know that the King of Spain himself, or the Christian's God, or the great God of all, if he dare violate this command, shall pay for it with his head."


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