The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-09-20
SIR EDWIN SHOCK ED THEM.
Missionaries in Japan Thought Him
Altog ether Too Gallant.
ETopa the Nsly York World

AACOR9JOSE LOO GhllhnL.
FFom the NeO York World
CHICAGO, Ill, Sept. IA. - The Rev.
Samuel Bartlett, the young missionary who
attacked the character OF Sir Edwin Arnold
at preachers meeting here Monday, has
been for fortnight the guest of various
Chicago friends. In an interview he has
related what he knows of the eminent En-
gllshman somewhat more in detail.
DE said that in his talk to the ministers
he was led into speaking of Arnold by a
question, and that he used the poets name
merely In illustration Of a class of men in
japan who slur the missionaries WORE, and
by secret approval or convenience encour-
age the natives in immortalities that are, of
course, lnimical to the progress OF Chris
tlanity among them.
''Not long ago." said Mr.. Bartlett, ''Ed-
win Arnold, in referring to japanese
women, spoke Of them as half angelic, and
undertook to defend their notorious infidel-
ity and loose morality on the ground that
they were forced TO marry early without
love, aud hence were, in all purity and In
nocence, led by their personal inclinations
to seek love elsewhere"
Continuing, Mr. Bartlett said:
'.Arnolds immoralities caused frequent
and surprised comment of Japanese every-
where, who have been long under the delu-
sion that EnRlishmen and Americans were
all Christians and followed puritanic modes
OF life. Aotuated by the same motives of
shielding the impurities OF his own life, Ed
win Arnold had made attacks upon the
work OF the missionaries"
MIR. Bartlett was a member of the faculty
of the great Doshisha University at Kyito,
Japan, when Sir Edwin went there to lect.
ure, and he said that the practices Of the.
poet in HE private life became 80 offensive
to the directors OF the university that his
services as lecturer though marvelously
valuable from scholastic point OF view,
were dispensed with. In fact, his presence
at the university, in a sense sectarian, was
marked upon by the Japanese, to whom
his modes OF life were matters Of familiar
talk.
Mr.. Bartlett said further that whils his
own acquaintance with Sir Edwin was very
limited, his information in the more specific
details OF the poets conduct was not gossip,
but the word Of responsible men whose in
tsgrity was uHques:oned and whose testi-
mony was conclusive and matter Of public
record. The poetic but fictitious praise and
adulation which Arnold bestows upon the
Japanese women, whose code of morals ia
anything but ironclad, have aroused Chris
tians in the realms Of the Micado. Mr.. Bart
lett declares, to feelings Of disgust, and they
are much outraged at the gloss of genius
ingly prevalent immortality among the
women and men OF Japan. Mr.. Bartlett
did not seek to give his opinion publicly,
being draw out by the questions of brother
clergymen.
This is the first charge have ever heard
against Sir Edwin Arnold's morals" said
Prof. David Swing after reading the state
meht made by Mr.. Bartlett at the meeting,
81 only knew Arnold as a writer, and this is
the first time that any gossip about his per-
sonal conduct has ever reached me. / think
that Ia making charges of this kind the
Rev. Mr. Bartlett should be very specific.
especially in Chicago, where so much inter-
est is taken in both the literary work OF
Arnold and the spiritual work of our for
eiRn missionaries. This trouble of the mis-
sionaries In Japan has been of long stand
ing. The churches have had a great deal
OF complaint from their workers In that
vineyard for years.
II might add that there have been quite
a number Of unfavorabie re orts concern-
ing the missionaries themselves. As long
as eight or ten years ago they were accused
Of specializing in real estate and giving
their attention to other worldly masters iu-
stead of trying to save souls. do not re-
member that there were any Investigations
OF the charges. but doubtless some Of them
were true"
Is the standard of morality in Japan
such as to offer unusual temptations to
Americans as suggested by the Rev. Mr..
Bartlett" inquired the correspondent
There is practically no idea Of morality
among the women of that country. II
Arnold or any other man is inclined to live
lIcentiouslY there, 1t is simply matter of
his own wishes as to what degree Of license
he may attain. 1t was a matter of common
report, some years ago at least, that travel
ers In either China or Japan were constantly
subjected to overtures from women. Our
modest young missionaries were frequently
put to blush by the hotel keepers. who
almost invariably insisted that they should
have female bed-fellow furnished as part
OF the regular entertainments OF the house.
or course, the missionaries always declined
aud that frequently caused lack of cordi-
ality between the landlord and the guest
Altogether the missionaries have had
pretty hard time of it. and have no doubt
that the Rev. Mr.. Bartlett is sincere in his
complaint regarding their treatment.
There is a good deal of truth spoken In
jest about the COST Of converting heather.
My church sent bright young preacher to
Africa some time ago and paid his salary
and expenses for two or three years. When
he came back he said he had very nearly
saved one old chief, but was afraid be would
soon fall from grace. He kept the chief in
the fold by making him the high model of
the mission. The chief liked this first rate
for awhile, but In summer he disappeared
for a whole month, and when he came back
our missionary took him to task and de-
Inanded to know where he had been.
"'O, | was up In the mountains worship
ing the old gods for awhile he said. Il
thought would like TO try them again for
a change"