Page:Free Opinions, Freely Expressed on Certain Phases of Modern Social Life and Conduct.djvu/357

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career of an English journal than the fact that it should have lent itself to the advertized questioning of the nation's religious faith. It was an open flaunting of infidelity in the face of the civilized world. To talk of the "conversion" of India, China or Japan, while a leading British newspaper openly invites the notoriety-hunting section of the British public to air their opinions of the Christian Faith in its columns, just as if the Faith itself were on public trial in a Christian country, is only one example of the many forms of utter Humbug in which we are nowadays so unfortunately prone to indulge. Our sometimes-called "heathen" ally, Japan, has lately taught us many lessons which perhaps we knew once and have forgotten, and which perhaps we need to learn again,—such as valour without conceit, strength without roughness, and endurance without complaint,—but one of the greatest lessons of all she has given us is that of her people's pious reverence for the Unseen and Eternal, and their belief in the ever-present "Spirits of the Dead" whom they honour and will not shame. What a deplorable contrast we make in our pandering to the lowest tastes of the mob when, without a word of protest, we permit our "Spirits of the Dead,"—the spirits of our gallant forefathers who fought for the pure Faith of England and sealed it with their blood,—to be degraded and insulted by a cheap newspaper discussion on the most private and sacred emotions of the soul, as though such a discussion were of a character suited to take its place among police-cases and quack medical advertisements! True, we are constantly being made aware that the British Press is no longer the clean,