Sacred Shrines^ and their Devotees. i6i 
or materialists, or absolutely sunk in childish and degrading 
superstitions, out of which the religious significance, such 
as it was, has been lost/' 
Among the new institutions of the country is that of the 
newspaper, and facts concerning the political, social, and 
religious life of the nation are freely discussed. In one of 
these, lately, appeared a paper entitled, " Of what good is 
Christianity to Japan ? " The writer said : " The Christian 
religion seems to be extending by degrees throughout the 
country. We have no wish to obey it, nor have we any 
JAPANESE MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS. 
fear of being troubled by it. As we enjoy sufficient happi- 
ness without any religion whatever, the question as to the 
merits, or demerits of the different forms, never enters the 
mind. Indeed, we are of those, who, not knowing the 
existence of religions in the universe, are enjoying perfect 
happiness. We have no intention of either supporting, or 
attacking the Christian religion. In fact, religion is nothing 
to us. We do not consider that believers in Christianity 
are odd, or foolish persons, but we take them to be those 
who are guided in their morals by their religion, and there- 
M 
