One of the first Christian novels of Japan tells of a widow,
whose only son was a careless, aimless boy. His mother tried
to inspire him with the lofty purpose of reestablishing their
house, then in danger of becoming extinct. Her efforts were all
in vain, until one day she took him to his father’s grave and
kneeling there with him, sternly rebuked him in the face of the
dead for his thoughtless life. Then drawing a dirk she handed it
to him with this startling order: “Die, coward! Die with this
dirk here and now! Then I will follow you!” In this way this
Spartan-like mother aroused her boy so that he became a great
and successful man. He never could cease to love and reverence
her. He said: “The fire of my mother’s face burned into my soul
and gave me the supreme decision of my life. Therefore, I am
a worshiper of my mother.” This represents some of the best
traditions of Japanese family life, and with such a basis, it
is easy to see how welcome with many is the Christian truth,
which emphasizes the duties of parents and recognizes the rights
even of children.--JOHN H. DE FOREST, “Sunrise in the
Sunrise Kingdom.”
(3516)
=Worshiping Idols=--See FETISHISM.