The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1881-09-24

PREACHING Christianity in Japanese
theatres is one of the highly interesting
phases of japanese development. Rev. w.
w. Curtis gives 4 very interesting account
in the Missionary Herald of August of
Ten Hours in a japanese Theatre" 1T
was a Christian meeting (of over three
thousand people, in the heart of the sacred
city (Kioto) Of old Japan" The audience
took their lunch with them TO stay all day.
The galleries were set apart for ladies. On
the carpeted platform stood q little stand
with a Bible upon it and there were
spoken by foreign and native Christians a
series of discourses upon 1.-THE Nature Of
God, "The Life of Christ" 1.-THE Fruit of
Christianity" and similar topics, inter-
spersed with Christian songs which de-
lighted and awakened a japanese audience,
chiefly composed of Shintoos and Budd-
hists.
And this religious event 10 Kioto offers a
profitable consideration for religious people
in Honolulu. The population of this little
city has a very large proportion of people
who are as Indifferent to the Christian reli-
gion as Shintoos or Buddhists, and who
cannot be induced to go TO a church :
because it seems to them that an air of
exclusivism pervades its atmosphere-who
weary of long prayers, II who do not care
to listen TO a vain parade of dOctrinai expo
sition, but who would gladly assemble on
Sundays with their comrades, and every
body else, upon some common ground
say, for instance, in the tasteful and airy
Music Hall of this city, to listen to sweet
Christian songs, sung by sweet Christian
voices and also TO some words of personal
religious experience.
1t is no use Directing to irreverences and
trivialities that may have been enacted in
the building. Is not q house of folly the
proper place for wisdom to give ~instruc-
ton? And a den of vice the right scene for
the prayers of 4 saint ? And shall virtue
not walk the streets because vice has
stalked before =? The exclusive club
spirit of Churches hinders religion. There
is q multitude of honest, generous-hearted
people, ever inclined to truth and goodness,
and who believe in a Savior who died on
the Cross for mankind, yet keep away from
sanctuaries Of religion, as not offering to
them a congenial liberty of association.
There is no doubt an exclusive style of re-
spectability about many religionists that
checks the advance of many inqu.ring
natures.
But there would be no check upon a COM
mon public ground, -claimed by no society,
clique, or religious club. There all natures,
whatever their spiritual culture, would be
delighted to listen to the sweet songs of
faith, hope, and love, the singing of which,
it must be said, have been a main induce
ment for n large portion of the attendance
at the late Fort-street Church meetings.
Let such sOul-touching songs be sung by
the sweet, clear, notwithstanding voices of
such Christian ladies as Mrs. Cruzan, Mrs
Hanaford, Mrs. Pierce, and many others in
this city and let their delightful quiring
of heavenly song be accompanied by a few
earnest words of love and faith, in our
Musical Hall on Sunday afternoons or
evenings; and the result would be a cor .
slant crowd of grateful, thankful listeners,
whose souls YOU be drawn towards Christ
and Heaven, and who would gladly join in
swelling a chorus hat would vibrate the
scenery of the temple of art, singing:
ooh, what must it be, to be there"
There is nc reflection upon the appro-
priateness of all denominations of believers
having their reserved and consecrated
temples; but at the same time, let there be a
common ground for the reunion of not
only all classes of religious minds, but of
the Indifferent and unbelieving, who do not
want to go to a church.