Democratic Sentinel, Volume 5, Number 6, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 March 1881 — A Japanese Sermon. [ARTICLE]

A Japanese Sermon.

In Isabella Bird’s “Unbeaten Tracks in Japan” this sketch of a sermon on domestic life is given : Would you like to know how very diverting a sermon in Japan can be made ? f The following is a fragment of a translation of one of considerable length. The sermon, as is proper, takes a text which is to be found in the Chinese classics : ‘ ‘ That which is evil, be it but small, do not. That which is good, be it but small, fail not to do.” The echoes of a thousand pulpits are in the opening sentences. “ These words, my good friends, » xx- l: 11--I the Shogaku, which is so well known to all of you. They are indeed blessed words, well suited to our text this evening. These words are short, but they contain an invaluable lesson.” Two or three pages of thorouglily-valuable and condensed moral teaching follow. Sounder ethics on this subject could not found, and the terse maxims are illustrated by anecdotes and comparisons leveled to the capacity of boor or child. The sermon concludes with an imaginary dialogue which I can well believe will arrest the attention of the largest congregation ever gathered under one roof in Japan. A misfortune may have its origin in a word, Take as an example the way a husband calls to his wife. Should ho summon her with a pleasant “Here, good wife,” he will reply with a soft “Ai, Ai.” Now take the reverse of thaff* Husband—“ What are you pottering at there? Just stir about, will you—these short days, too 1 ” Wife—“ I know the days are short, and that’s just it. If any one comes to the door I’ve got to answer, and the washing to look after beside. I haven’t got five or six hands to do all that, have I?” Husband—“ Are you going to give your husband any of your ill chat ?” Wife—“ Well, what are you doing hugging that fire-box all day instead of lending me a hand now and then ? ” Husband—“ What’s that, now? Look here, I’m not an ox, I’d have you know ; you are not going to put a rope through my snout and lug me all over the place. ” And so they go on, he a fine, strapping young fellow, and she a sweetlooking young girl, a rival to BentenSama in very beauty, by turns now red, now green with passion. Husband—“lt would be but a small matter if one killed a useless hussy like you outright. ” Wise —“ Oh, just please kill me now ! do kill me ! I’ve got a good stout father and elder brother to take care of me. See there ! just you kill me now 1 ” Husband—“Oh, I’ll soon do that! ” Such a hubbub ! They are not the great things of life which call for our watchful care ; they are the small affairs, the so-called trifling matters, the yeas and nays, the questions and answers in our daily home life. Peace in a household is like a joyous music in the dancing ears of the gods in the region of heaven.