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evangel the coming age may reveal to our nation, it can but be in fulfilment of the law which Bushido has taught us for past centuries. In the meantime it becomes us to remain loyal to the best that we have inherited and that has been entrusted to us.

In Europe and America ancestor-worship has long ceased to exist, even if it was ever practised. In Japan—where at the present time a Constitutional Government is established; where codes of laws modelled upon those of Western countries are in operation; where, in short, almost every art of civilization has taken firm root—the worship of deceased ancestors still obtains, and exercises a powerful influence over the laws and customs of the people. The practice dates back to the earliest days, and has survived through hundreds of generations, in spite of the many political and social revolutions which have taken place since the foundation of the empire. The introduction of Chinese civilization into the country was favourable to the growth of this custom, by reason of the fact that the morality, laws, and institutions of China are also based upon the doctrine of ancestor-worship. Buddhism, which is not based upon this doctrine, but is, on the contrary, antagonistic to it, was compelled to yield to the deep-rooted belief of the people, and adapt itself to the national practice; while the introduction of Western civilization, which brought so many social and political changes during the last thirty years, has had no influence whatever in the direction of modifying the custom. Thus, it will be seen that the three foreign elements—Confucianism, Buddhism, and Western civilization—all of which have had immense influence upon our laws, manners, and customs, and two of which were diametrically opposed to ancestor-worship, could not make way against, nor put an end to, the widespread and persistent faith of the people.

The origin of ancestor-worship has been ascribed by many eminent writers to the dread of ghosts (Sir John Lubbock’s ‘Origin of Civilization,’ 4th edition, p. 318; Jhering’s ‘Vorgeschichte der Indoeuropaer,’ S. 59; Fustel de Coulange’s ‘La Cité Antique,’ chap. ii.), and the sacrifices made to the souls of ancestors for the purpose of propitiating them. It appears to me more correct to attribute the origin of ancestor-