der, do we find the truth? To me it seems like a slur on the
pilgrims, evidently due to Mr. Lowell's idea that a genuine religious
feeling must be gloomy and solemn. Joy may seem to him incompatible
with heartfelt religion and aspiration. That these pilgrims lack the
religious aspiration characteristic of highly developed Christians of
the West, is, of course, true; but that they have a certain type of
religious aspiration is equally indisputable. They have definite and
strong ideas as to the advantage of prayer at the various shrines;
they confidently believe that their welfare, both in this world and
the next, will be vitally affected by such pilgrimages and such a
faithful worship. It is customary for pilgrims, who make extended
journeys, to carry what may be called a passbook, in which seals are
placed by the officials of each shrine. This is evidence to friends
and to the pilgrim himself, in after years, of the reality of his long
and tedious pilgrimage. Beggars before these shrines are apt to
display these passbooks as an evidence of their worthiness and need.
For many a pilgrim supports himself, during his pilgrimage, entirely
by begging.

Pilgrims also buy from each shrine of note some charm, "o mamori,"
"honorable preserver," and "o fuda," "honorable ticket," which to them
are exceedingly precious. There is hardly a house in Japan but has
some, often many, of these charms, either nailed on the front door or
placed on the god-shelf. I have seen a score nailed one above another.
In some cases the year-names are still legible, and show considerable
age. The sale of charms is a source of no little revenue to the
temples, in some cases amounting to thousands of yen annually. We may
smile at the ignorance and superstition which these facts reveal, but,
as I already remarked, these are external features, the material
expression or clothing, so to speak, of the inner life. Their
particular form is due to deficient intellectual development. I do not
defend them; I merely maintain that their existence shows conclusively
the possession by the people at large of a real religious emotion and
purpose. If so, they, are not to be sneered at, although the mood of
the average pilgrim may be cheerful, and the ordinary pilgrimage may
have the aspect of a "peripatetic picnic, faintly flavored with
piety." The outside observer, such as the foreigner of necessity is,
is quick to detect the picnic quality, but he cannot so easily disc