" The Japanese will not even milk their cows, but
they allow the calves to have all the milk.
If you wish to know _why_ the Japanese will not allow strangers to land,
I must relate some events which happened three hundred years ago.
Some Roman Catholic priests from Spain and Portugal settled in the land,
and taught the people about Christ, but they taught them also to worship
the cross, and the Virgin Mary. Thousands of the Japanese were baptized,
and were called Christians. After some years had passed away, the emperor
began to fear that the kings of Spain and Portugal would come, and take
away his country from him, as they had taken away other countries; so the
emperor began to persecute the priests, and all who followed their words.
One emperor after another persecuted the Christians. There is a burning
mountain in Japan, and down its terrible yawning mouth many Christians
were thrown. One emperor commanded his people instead of _worshipping_
the cross, to _trample_ upon it. To do either--is wicked; to do either is
to insult Christ.
All Christians are now hated in Japan. The Dutch tried to persuade the
emperors to trust _them_; but they could only get leave to buy and sell
at one place, but not to settle in the land.
There are many beautiful things in Japan, especially boxes, and screens,
and cabinets, varnished and ornamented in a curious manner, and these are
much admired by great people in Europe.
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