s of the various parts of the
temple easily lent themselves to the expression of the elaborate
symbolism of the India faith.

Resemblances between Buddhism and Christianity.

Within the sacred edifice everything to strike the senses was lavishly
displayed. The passion of the East, as opposed to Greek simplicity, is
for decoration; yet in Japan, decorative art, though sometimes bursting
out in wild profusion or running to unbridled lengths, was in the main a
regulated mass of splendor in which harmony ruled. Differing though the
Buddhist sects do in their temple furniture and altar decorations, they
are, most of them, so elaborately full in their equipment as to suggest
repeatedly the similarity between the Roman Catholic organization,
altars, vestments and ritual, and those of Buddhism, and remarks on this
point seem almost commonplace. Almost everything in Roman Catholicism is
found in Buddhism,[20] and one may even say, _vice versa_, at least in
things exterior. We take the liberty of transcribing here a passage from
the chapter entitled "Christianity and Foreigners" in The Mikado's
Empire, written twenty years ago.

"Furthermore, the transition from the religion of India to that
of Rome was extremely easy. The very idols of Buddha served,
after a little alteration with the chisel, for images of Christ.
The Buddhist saints were easily transformed into the Twelve
Apostles. The Cross took the place of the _torii_. It was
emblazoned on the helmets and banners of the warriors, and
embroidered on their breasts. The Japanese soldiers went forth
to battle like Christian crusaders. In the roadside shrine
Kuanon, the Goddess of Mercy, made way for the Virgin, the
mother of God. Buddhism was beaten with its own weapons. Its own
artillery was turned against it. Nearly all the Christian
churches were native temples, sprinkled and purified. The same
bell, whose boom had so often quivered the air announcing the
orisons and matins of paganism, was again blessed and sprinkled,
and called the same hearers to mass and confession; the same
lavatory that fronted the temple served for holy water or
baptismal font; the same censer that swung before Amida could be
refilled to waft Christian incense; the new convert could use
unchanged his old beads, bells, candles, incense, and all the
paraphernalia of his old faith in celebration of the new.

"Almo