China, where the light of Christianity has sought so long to penetrate and
dispel the dismal gloom of heathen darkness, may now, at length, be said
to enjoy the greatest possible degree of religious liberty. The European
Powers, Great Britain and France, whilst securing the freedom of trade,
and generally that intercourse which is customary between civilized
nations, neglected not, at the same time, to establish such relations as
render safe and available the labors of Christian missionaries. If, in
Tonquin, there occurred a fearful massacre of Christians, it was due to
the indiscretion of a French officer who exceeded his orders, and excited
against his fellow-countrymen and the Christian populations, generally,
the anger of the pagan Mandarins. The vengeance of these chiefs was
prompt, sweeping and cruel. In the localities inhabited by Christians only
some women and little children were spared. Not a house was left. The
French government probably, from unwillingness to recognize, in any way,
the action of its officer, refrained from punishing these atrocities. A
treaty, placing the whole country of Tonquin under the protection of
France, was concluded with the Emperor of Aunam, who is the Liege Lord of
Tonquin, and thus liberty to preach the Gospel secured for the future.
In India and Western China, liberty of conscience has long prevailed. Pius
IX. was, in consequence, enabled to increase the number of
vicariates-apostolic in those countries, as well as in China proper, in
proportion to the growth of the faithful people, however inconsiderable it
was, as yet in the midst of countless numbers of heathens and Mahometans.
The Pontificate of Pius IX. would be for ever memorable, if only on
account of the new era which appears, at length, to have dawned for the
long benighted empire of Japan. That empire was as a sealed book to all
Christian nations. As is well known, no traveller or merchant from any
Christian land could set foot on its territory without first performing
the revolting ceremony of trampling on the chief emblem of the Christian
faith. At one time, nevertheless, there were many Christians in Japan,
and, as will be seen, heathen prejudice and persecution had not been able
to extinguish the Divine light. It may be conceived how searching and
cruel the persecution was when it is remembered that, in the early part of
the seventeenth century, there were two millions of Christians, and, about
the same time, almost as many martyrs. All missionaries who, since 1630,
landed on the inhospitable shores of Japan, were immediately seized,
tortured, and put to death. It was generally believed that the Christian
people were totally exterminated. Pius IX., notwithstanding, as if
actuated by some secret inspiration, the very first year of his
Pontificate, created a vicariate-apostolic of Japan. Several endeavors to
enter into communication with the Japanese were made; but, for a long
time, to no purpose. The sealed-up empire, at length, opened its ports to
Great Britain and the United States of America. Such was the power of
trade. The other civilized nations could no longer be excluded. Japan
concluded a treaty with France by virtue of which the subjects of the
latter State were secured in the free exercise of their religion among the
Japanese. Mgr. Petitjean, who was, at the time, the vicar-apostolic,
availed himself of such favorable relations to erect a church at Yokohama,
and establish his residence at Nagasaki. All this was happily accomplished
under the encouraging auspices of Pius IX. One day, as the vicar-apostolic
had concluded the celebration of Mass, some inhabitants of a large village
named Ourakami, near the city, came to him with countenances, expressive,
at the same time, of joy and fear. Addressing him, they said: “Have you
and your priests renounced marriage, and do you honor in your prayers the
Mother of Christ?” The missionary replying in the affirmative, the
Japanese fell on their knees and exclaimed: “You are, indeed, the
disciples of Saint Francis Xavier, our first apostle. You are the true
brethren of our former Jesuit Fathers. At last, after a lapse of two
hundred years, we behold, once more, the priests of the true faith!” They
gave thanks to God, shedding abundance of tears, with which mingled those
of the good missionary; “religion,” they added, “is free only to
strangers. The law has not ceased to punish us Japanese Catholics with
death. No matter; receive us, nevertheless, and instruct us. The lapse of
time and the want of books have, perhaps, disfigured in our memories the
teachings of truth. There will happen to us whatever it shall please God
to appoint.”
Four thousand families, comprising fourteen thousand individuals, had
secretly persevered, clinging to the Catholic faith since the days of the
Apostolic Xavier. Notwithstanding all the prudence of the missionaries,
the secret of their relations with the natives became known to the local
police, and more than four thousand inhabitants of Ourakami were arrested,
bastinadoed, imprisoned or transported to the North. Their punishment
lasted four years. One-third of their number died of want, but few of them
gave way. The survivors of these persecuted people were finally restored
to their country, and through the representations of the European consuls,
religious liberty was granted, at least, provisionally, to natives as well
as strangers. Thus did Pius IX., at length, enjoy the consolation to
behold, established in peace, the church which St. Francis Xavier had
planted in the Empire of Japan, and which was so celebrated in the annals
of Christian heroism.