Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1884-07-18
MISSIONARY wouK,N JAPAN.
A Sermon Preached at ~. pauFs
church by Rev. G. y. Hianch't o'
TOkIo, Japan.

Jhphh'
Rev. c. r. Blauchct, Episcopal missionary
Mt Toxic, Japan, preached at st. Pauls
church Sunday morning and in the course
of his remarks treaie his hearers TO very
interesting account of the progress OF the
nnssi mary work among the japanese. There
are many influences peculiar to Japan with
which the missionary has to contend About
three hundred years ago Roman Catholic
missions we're established there and many
converts were nadc. But tisseuslons soon
arose among the different orders OF the
church, conflict cusued AMI many japanese
we're put to death on account ut their lelg-
uus triitf The tradition of these religious
uoull,s as been handed down among the
prop'c aud they are prcjudlced against any
thitp bearing the natie Ot Christian. 10
Illustrate the intensity Of the prejudice,
the 8 ,eaker told how the governor OF
one OF the PROVINCES whcr appr> achtd
upon the subject Of introducing civilized it,
situations INTO his domain said H. hAd 40 on
lection providing opium and Christianity
were excluded. Another influence adverse
to tie Introduction Of Chrisllanilyinto japan
is II Z zeal uith which the japanese seek
the arts and sciences Of the Western c'vllzt-
IL.
merits of the Christian religion. There are
twenty missions representing as many
denominations established III Japan and
the multifarious forms in which CHRIS iauily
is presented to them bewilder the people and
cause them to hesitate which to accept
They say to the Christians, "lf you can re-
Concile your differences among yourselves
and come to us with II simple form ot your
religion, we would be prepared to receive
you hut as it is, We have no time to test tn
various forms of Christianity and decide
which is the most worthy" Another Ous'a-
Gle which the missionary has 10 overcome
is the poverty Of the Japanese language, ON
account Of which it Is impossible
to convey to them the meaning
of many If our TENS. A peculiar
ily OF the language is the number
ii Chinese words employed, all OF their
[, clinical AMI scientific terms being express
ed in Chimes.
An additional difficulty experienced by the
missionary is III. euervding lutlIence ot The
climate. AS rule missionaries can not ei-
| due the climate more than five years before
returning e. their native counties In icga n
their health.
the most serious obstacle To the work of
| the missionary, ia addition to The natural
opposition of the naive religious ORDERS is
/
| Europeans an Americans as visitors or as
| residents in Japan. Not only are the views
OF Darwin, Iyuuuli and Mill taught, but
| even the writings OF Bob" lngersOll nave
been translated into japanese and have an
| extensive circulation among the people.
| Morcove", newspapers are printed and Ice
tures delivered against the acceptance OF
| Christian teachings. The avidty with
which the Japanese seize upon anything
| that smaCks OF civilized institutions and
cspt clay of American customs renders
skepliclsm particularly dangerous and this
The mere because SIX ptcsm assumes the
guse ut that III ellectunity to which the
japanese Il. s,rs So ardeutlv to attain.
Mr. Blancuct said that in speaking Of the
b :, ie it tucnc,s which the missionary has
To contend against it was not his purpose tc
discourage The i,uds OF the missionary
cause, but lie thought it but proper tina
they should know just what the work OF the
missionary was. lie dld not mean to con
vcy the IDEA thrt they were not meeting
with success. On the contrary, since the be
ginning OF the work in 1869 there had beol
continual advancement up to the pres
ent, ami IN the last year there had Teen owe
one thousand converts at the Episcopal mis-
siuns aloue. A movement had recently bcel
inaugurated for the introduction of tn
dido III INC SChbulS vi dIldl. Inc 5HcdhO
said that since his arrival il this counlr.
word had reached HIM that a member OF th
japanese cabinet, who had been sent ont t
inv, stigate Christianity and its II tiucncts, re
ported TO his associates that it was usless to
them to attempt the introduction of Christia
lnstluturs when they lett cut the pIlnclpu
element, CHRIS lanlty itself. The spcake
thought the friends of missionary work i
Japan had every reason tor encouragement
The workers had met with good succ, IS i'll til
past, and a good work Was in prugre'
now This work was heiug don
in four distinct ways-by Christian teaching
medical instruction, with The eslablishmei
of hospitals, in schools and by li'erar
instruction. In the first and last of ,hcs
great difficulty was experienced, owing
the untavorable Influences already mel
toned but in The schools and hospitals the
, forts were meeting with the most ilatterir
success. AT the conclusion of his remarR
MI Blanchet repeated the Aposl les cree
in Japanese To give his auditors some ldt
of the pecullarilies of the language