The cult was founded in 1902 by a woman named Naa Deguchi, who was born in Kyoto Prefecture in 1836. After 1892, it was said of her that she was "possessed of God. Her principles and teachings, alleged. ly written while in a trance in the dark, have been collected and expounded by Deguchi, The word "Omoto" means the "great basis," or "foundation" of the universe. The cult has the following four basic principles 1, Purification of mind and body.
2. Unity of society.
3. Optimism, with trust in God's plan.
4. Progress, or world improvement.
Just before its dissolution, the organization was said to have been engaged in the encouragement of plots to destroy important statesmen near the Throne and to combat internationalism.—Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.