he first time in their
history, the Japanese found themselves entangled in all the turmoil and
animosity of religious strife. In 1587 the first persecution of the
Christians took place, but apparently soon subsided. The warning, however,
was disregarded; and the fatal policy of arrogance and oppression was
still persisted in. Native priests were put to death; Buddhist monasteries
were destroyed; the Inquisition was set up. In 1614 we find a Japanese
embassy despatched to Rome, in order, so it is said, to make an act of
submission to the spiritual supremacy of the Pope. Meanwhile the Dutch,
jealous of the position that was being gained by the Portuguese traders,
accused the Roman propagandists to the Japanese authorities of aiming at a
territorial ascendency; and that intrigues were actually being carried on
by the Jesuits for the overthrow of the Shogun there seems little doubt.
In the massacre which ensued several thousand Christians were put to
death. "Their unflinching devotion compels our admiration. One may search
the grim history of early Christian martyrology without finding anything
to surpass the heroism of the Roman Catholic Martyrs of Japan. Burnt on
stakes made of crosses, torn limb from limb, buried alive, they yet
refused to recant. We are told of one Jesuit priest, Christopher Ferreya,
who, after enduring horrible tortures, was at length hung by his feet in
such a way that his head was buried in a hole in the ground from which air
and light were excluded. His right-hand was left loose that he might make
the sign of recantation. He hung for four hours, and then made the sign;
whereupon, with a rare refinement of cruelty, he was appointed the
president of the tribunal before which Christians were brought for
condemnation. Then, after a lull, in 1637 thousands of Christians rose in
armed rebellion. After two months they were forced to surrender, and
37,000 were slaughtered. Stern decrees were then issued, forbidding the
admission of any foreign vessel; an exception being made in favour of the
Chinese and Dutch. For more than two hundred years, notice-boards stood
beside highways, ferries, and mountain-passes, containing, among other
prohibitions, the following:--'So long as the sun shall 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 Christians' God, or the great God of all, if
he violate this commandment, shall pay for it with his head.'