1855.] THE RUSSIAN PEASANT. 55 Have they the consolations of the gospel? They are nominally Christians. True, but their religion is Christianity in name only: in reality it is heathenism. As an object of exclusive trust and hope in whom the weary may find rest, Jesus is unknown. He is eclipsed by a multitude of saints, whose pictures receive the superstitious veneration of the poor Russian peasants. Alas! brandy is their principal consolation, and in the indulgence of the destructive vice of drunkenness the serf forgets for a season his many miseries, and deprivation of all the rights which belong to man amongst his fellows. The poverty of the Muscovite happily serves as a limit to excess, and in the absence of an intoxicating element tea is his favourite beverage. In enters largely into his consumption, and in large towns the infusion is sold, ready made, by itinerant purveyors. The tea used in Russia is of superior quality. On the Siberian frontier of China it is obtained in exchange for European goods, and, packed in chests covered with hides, by land and water carriage is conveyed to Nijni, the great emporium of Russia for that commodity. Another itinerant tradesman, a cake-seller, is the subject of our illus tration. OUR last Number contained some notices of the state religion of the Japanese, called Sinsyu. There are a few more thoughts respecting it which we should like to introduce before we pass on to other subjects, The Sintoos, as its followers are called, have some vague notions that man does not die with the death of his body; that his soul still lives in a new state; and that he is either happy or miserable. But all their conceptions are indistinct. They are as one overtaken by mist upon a mountain summit, and who can only see a few steps before him. He knows not where the path lies, or what direction he ought to take; and perhaps, at the very instant when he thinks himself most safe, he finds himself reeling on the brink of a fearful precipice. How pitiable the condition of the dying heathen, who has no sure light to guide him, no heavenly hope to cheer him; who feels himself on the eve of departure from a world that he would fain continue in if he could, and going he knows not where! Surely Christians, to whom Jesus Christ has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel," cannot realize the condition of the heathen, or they would make more selfdenying efforts to help them in their need. But again, emanations which issue from bodies partake of the nature of that body, and are imbued with its properties. Flowers yield sweet odours: the dung-heap, such as are offensive and overcoming. The sun sheds forth light: the low and marshy places emit unwholesome vapours. So from the truth of God comes light and comfort; but from the heart of man issues error, perverted notions on the most solemn and important matters which can engage the attention of man; prejudice against what is true, obstinate clinging to what is false and unprofitable. There are thoughts and ideas on religion which spring naturally from the human heart, as unwholesome exhalations do from the swamps and fens they are thoughts which are full of error; but the heart clings to them because they partake of its own nature, and are imbued with its own darkness and corruption. One of these false notions is, that man can make satisfaction for delinquencies, on account of which his conscience condemns him, by acts of austerity and bodily mortification. The man is distracted between two influences, the indulgence of criminal passions, and the dread of punishment as their consequence. This notion enables him still to indulge the one, and yet escape from the torment of the other. He will gladly macerate his body, if he may indulge his sin. We believe that conscience works, more or less, in every man, but often in a very mistaken way. It is inactive when moral offences are committed, and scrupulous on formal and superstitious matters. But still, however erroneous it may be, every man has a law or standard in his own breast, for offences against which his conscience condemns him. And to quiet this, the man afflicts himself with various penances, &c., in the hope of making satisfaction. There is no more prevalent error than this, and it exists in Japan as well as elsewhere. The Japanese have their ceremonial law, by the violation of which they become unclean for instance, if they partake of certain meats, or come in contact with blood or death, they are then unclean. To such an extreme is this carried, that if a workman engaged in erecting a temple chance to wound himself, and blood follows, he is sent away as impure, and, in 1855.] THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDER'S DREAM. 57 some instances, the temple itself is pulled down, as having shared in the defilement. But that which most causes uncleanness is the death of a near relative. The person then puts on the white dress, the symbol of mourning, and, while in this state, is precluded from access to the temples, or other religious acts. Fasting, prayers, and other prescribed forms, must be rigidly fulfilled before the impurity is removed, and the individual permitted to rejoin society. But going on pilgrimage is the grand act of Sintoo devotion, and in the acknowledgment of its supposed value and meritorious character the Japanese identifies himself with the Hindu, the Mahommedan, and the corrupt Christian of Europe, as well Greek as Romanist. The Hindu has many shrines-Jagannath (Juggernaut), Benares, Nasik, &c. The Mahommedan has Mecca. The corrupt Christian, Jerusalem, Rome, &c. The Japanese, too, have many shrines. no fewer than twenty-two throughout the islands-amongst which one is pre-eminent, the temple of Tensiodaizin, at Isye, supposed to be the original temple, if not the birthplace, of the sun-goddess, to which every individual, of every rank, once at least during their lives, must perform the prescribed pilgrimage. Such as are more strict fulfil it every year. The approved mode of performing it is on foot, as a mendicant, the pilgrim carrying a mat on which to sleep, and a wooden ladle with which to drink; and the more of hardship is endured, the greater is the merit of the pilgrim. Christians, too, are pilgrims-" strangers and pilgrims on the earth." They, too, seek a city, but one "which hath foundations, whose builder and maker is God." They, too, have their fasting: it is to keep themselves "from the evil." They, too, have their mortification: it is to mortify "the flesh with the affections and lusts." And as desiring "a better country, that is, an heavenly," they "seek the things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God." www THE SOUTH SEA ISLANDER'S DREAM. Suggested by an anecdote in Williams's Mission to the South Sea Islands. A hill before me lay, Which, like a mighty barrier, seemed To interrupt my way. Its lofty summit touched the skies, And as I gazed, it seemed to rise, And still more threatening grow. An icy stillness o'er me stole, In sore distress I cried aloud To God in fervent prayer, And lo! the mountain passed away, Beyond it lay a fruitful land, Which rolled upon the golden sand And flowers with ravished eyes I viewed And there his sheep a shepherd fed In pastures green and fair, And unto living fountains led With ever-watchful care. Good Shepherd, well I know Thee now, Thou art my Lord and Saviour, Thou The mountain was the load of guilt My guilty soul, O Lord, renew In that all-cleansing stream, And not a fleeting dream. MANSUK. [MAY, R. M. OLD MANSUK's threatening message was duly reported to the Rev. H. Budd. It did not lessen his determination to visit the Nepowewin, although it necessarily rendered him doubtful as to the kind of reception he might meet with. "I do not know," we find him saying, "how I may be received by the Indians of Nepowewin. Mansuk's message has only increased my desire to go and see him. May the Lord go forth with us, and may His blessing rest upon us and our humble efforts! I feel my own nothingness and insufficiency for so great a work which lies before me. What a contrast between the instrument employed and the object in view! If the Indians of Nepowewin are to be evangelized, surely it must be all of God. To God, then, I desire to look for grace and for assistance: that God who prepares His work through ages, and accomplishes it by the weakest means and instruments when His time is come. To effect great events by the smallest means-such is the law of God, that the glory may be of God, and not of men." Such was the effect produced on Mr. Budd's mind. Mansuk's rude words threw him more on God, and in His strength he resolved to go forward. It reminds us of the women, when, early in the morning on the first day of the week, while it was yet dark, they proceeded towards the tomb, bringing with them the spices and ointments they had prepared for the purpose of embalming the body of their Lord, 1855.] 66 and as they went along they bethought them of a difficulty-"Who shall roll us away the stone from the door of the sepulchre?" It was indeed a difficulty, for the stone was very great." But anticipated difficulties ought never to turn us back from the plain performance of a duty. It will be sufficient when they actually occur. Let us go forward until we come breast up to them, and then, far beyond all our hopes, we shall find a way opened. Thus it was with the Israelites. The Red Sea lay before them, and further advance seemed to be impracticable; but the command to the people was that they should "go forward," and the sea divided, and they went over on the dry land. Mr. Budd left Cumberland on August the 24th, 1852, and reached the Nepowewin on September the 8th. The tents and camps of the Indians were pitched all round the Fort; and no sooner was the boat perceived than there was a bustle, and men, women, and children came running down towards the river's bank in order to have a good view of the new comers. Some of the Indians ran to meet them as they touched the bank, while the rest, wrapped in their buffalo-skins, remained standing on the bank. The reception which Mr. Budd met with was far better than he expected, for, instead of rudeness or displeasure, the Indians began to help the crew in carrying up the goods. On landing, Mr. Budd was careful, going amongst them all, to address to them the usual salutations, and then inquired for Mansuk's tent. He found him in great suffering, very sick, and lame in one of his feet. His ferocity seemed to have left him. "Mansuk," says Mr. Budd, "began to tell me some long stories, and not a word of his driving me away. He spoke very familiarly to me, and very kindly too. I expected, in every sentence he spoke, that he would mention the message that he had sent down to me, but he did not even hint at it in this interview." The next morning the boat and crew left, on their return to Cumberland, leaving Mr. Budd and two men to pass the winter as they could amongst these Indians. Our Missionary followed them with his eyes as they rounded a distant point and disappeared from sight. We cannot wonder. He had left behind him at Cumberland his wife and children, and it is not surprising if human affection went a little with the boat. His thoughts were interrupted by one of the Indians coming up to him and saying, "So, your boat is off, and your men have left you standing here. Why do you not go with them?" "I do not mean to go back with them now," was the reply: "I came to winter here among you." "Ah!" said the Indian, "but you will repent of that, even before the winter is begun. Stop till a large party of the Plain Indians comes in, and they do what they please, and take every thing you have from you: you will repent then that you allowed your men to leave you." "It may be so, but I have no choice now: I must stop, whether I will or no, and make the best of it I can. I hope the Plain Indians are not so bad as to take every thing I have, without any provocation." "You will see that before long," persisted the Indian, "You will not be able to keep any thing, neither horses nor cattle; and when you sow any thing they will reap the fruits of your labour, and leave you nothing." "This is certainly very hard," responded our Missionary, as this amiable and encouraging prospect was thus placed before him; "but there is no remedy: I am in for it now, and I am determined to try my chance." |