New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-06
PRESBYTERIANISM IN JAPAN
THE REV. sATORI KATO COMPLAINS OF
ITS HETERODOXY.
THE PREVALENCE or EATIONALIsM IN TIE
SEMINARY AND THE NATIVE RE
rIGTOI-S PAPER

Sir. The men Of the Christian churches In our
country separate the coors OF the banner doctrn'p
they please in their interests. They confuse one
another and hold their own angle of position ac-
coring TO the separated opinions. Some. nylnS III"
sign of humanitarianism. refuse the Divine author
ity Of Holy Scripture. Some. holding Iniiaranism.
attack the Divine personality of our LORD Jesus
Christ. And some. ms sting on tn" new theology
assault the Atonement This Is the statement by
a most trustworthy native minister. the Rev Shuh"
Wada in "A native Christian weekly dated July .,
1891.
Disastrous depression from the orthodox faith J.
found in the japanese churches especially in the
Presbyterian and CONGREGATIONAL native Con
gational press had an article concerning the re
Synod OF the Japanese presby terrain church. as
follows: 1.-THE American Presbyterian Church with
which tho Japanese Presbyterian has close relation
has had for years continual controversy I'm theology
The struggle between conservatism and liberalism
has reached its extremity and there has been
crisis In the United States conservatism still flour
lshes and the majority in the General Assembly
support this view. ON the contrary. III" Influence
of conservative theology in the Japanese Iresby-
terrain Church Is remarkably weak 1t is not likely
to regain It's power"
The majority OF the Church not only sympaihi2e
with the higher criticism but openly insist upon
the falliby OF the Holy Bib'e II even proposes
to revise the hymn-book. to have It's hymn
ology conform to its theology. The committee ap-
men. The deposition from the ministry Of the
Revs Naomi Tamura and II. Ishihara the after
without trial. IS nothing moro than "A sch"In"
10 drive ont the orthodox brethren.
At all events Briggsism IS spread broadcast In
the pale of the Church. and has Wild Its
confession OF faith has decidedly opened the door
to Annlnanism. Soclniansm and other ideas which
admit hurtful errors into Christian doctrine. tn"
understanding Of the Synod held I'm December.
1890 when the new confession WAS accepted was
that variour grades OF antiTrinitarans and thos"
who insist on the faI.ibty Of the Holy Bible
may be received into the Church. The reports
OF many missionaries are to be interpreted with
a certain degree Of caution No doubt som" OF
them endeavorcd 10 advocate the revision ~ the
confession In such 10 put them In good
standing with their mother churches at home
According 10 their own expression. II seems az
II their sole duty Is 10 avoid "al that might be
calculated to give umbrage to our JAPANESE broth
here or give rise to misgivings among our
churches at home" Therefore. they seek 10 make
everything quiet and calm. They were thus un-
whitney, hopel seeking a union broad
union-between hetcrodoxy and orthodoxy.
The scheme Of the union OF the Presbyterian AMI
Congregatio nal churches about which there
much noise for some time. failed In lssa. The
japanese Presbyterian Church since then took up
the subject Of the revision Of rs confession In such
a way o become more liberal. Thu, confession
adopted In 1890 is the Apostles Creed with brief
preface which runs only about 40 words In Eng
lish translation. Undoubtedly IN" proposition 10
ADOPT the Apostles Greed was pious scheme under
cover OF a different theology than what appears on
rs face The Japanese Presbyterian Church hesl-
taiei establish connection with the Alliance Of
the Reformed Churches because there was fear %
an approval OF the reformed creed. which was TOO
orthodox 70 suit their tastes. Indeed. in this
charge the Church has utterly revoiu'ionzed rs
original nature and except a small portion o; the
90, cl he sfr.ft out.
Presbyterian garment. As far as the confession is
concerned she apparently jumped out from Preshy-
terlanism."
The state OF affairs az mentioned above was
hrongh, into the church In the following manner:
FIrst-Duriny 1881 iconoclas,ic waves mum
dated the whole primitive community ~ Prot
estants In Japan. MANY native ministers travelled
In the United States and Europe and brought back
to Japan radical views In theology one ~ them.
a Congregai iOnast. stated: 1T must be- asserted
that III. saying that the remission ~ sins and
eternal salvation VIII b" given through an obscure
matter OF sO-calrd fdlth iu Christ has been
pelled in the advanced religious thought Of to-
day. The creed has been made th~ sword d.
vide the Church of Christ ana the Elhl" store
Of arms for Theological disputanis. Tho creed AMI
the Bible have oppressed the European Protestant
churches Ike q papal oppression previous - the
sixteenth century April ~. 1V" owing 10 the
efforts made by such leading men. Standardization
arose. 1t may be said. within and without the
Church 70 great extent. Unitarians. Tnivcrsalists
and Liberal Germans hav" begun their mission
work in Japan during this period and their I'M
nucnce has been great, though their membership
10 small
Second But the main cause of the Church's
accepting suspicious confession was brought
about through the establishment ~ the "Fukuin
Shuho' or "Thc Weekly Evangelist" which had
the cordial Endorsement" Of the Council OF Mis-
sions including the American Presbyterian and the
Dutch Reformed missions. This paper In It's first
number March r. 1890 attacked the orthodox con
fcssion Even concerning the Atoncmont the pa
per suggested that should have new theology.
II also snys. we profoundly regret the effort To-
import foreign ideas torthodOX crecdsD and any
willingness TO swallow them The standards re-
solved At Augsburg bort. and Westminster are
not needed In Japan" This paper repeatedly de-
clared In favor OF the falbility OF the Holy
bible and against sound crecds of Christianity
4 press like this may cause q sensation. and IL
mighiier than the personal uttcrancc OF any indi-
viduals. The loose creed in the Church. and
heterodoxy. therefore. have been advanced by the
efforts Of The Fukun Shuho." which paper let II
be- remembered with sorrow. was indorsei and pc
cuniarily aided by the missions The latter aided
II. IL seems 10 ny. In the interests Of such con
fession stated above The efforts of this paper
in that direction were more apparent than thos" OF
many Of the missionaries Since then the Rev. \.
terrain Church would be wounded If the divinity OF
Christ strictly insisted upon
From what has been said above, II VIII be seen
why the faithful orthodox brethren should make
IA move at present to organic" "A pure Iresbyt'ran
Church. For this purpose "A society OF inquiry CON
corning the creed VAS organized lately, ana 1t dis
cussed the following points:
First-1hc preface Of the present creed speaks OF
1.-THE Lord Jesus christ whom "" "Nalt tdEdmuiuD
as Cod therefore. there H. no affirmative state
ment on the divinity Of our LORD Jesus.
Second We read in the preface only Of the Holy
Ghost. VINO with the Father and tn son. Is
exalted and worshipped'; and In the creed, II be-
leve in the Holy Ghost" therefore. nothing Is
found respecting the Divine personality OF IN" HOW
Ghost. In the japanese manuscript there ~ no
third pronoun indicated He or Him APP
Piled TO the Holy Ghost.
Third-The statement Of "a perfect sacrifice for
otir sim does represent that Vicarious atone"
Inent was made through the LORDS cruciiiNlon
Fourth The confession does not recognize the
Divine authority Of the Holy Bible
Fifh-No definite reference Is made 10 TN" corrup-
ton Of human nature
Sixth-Thc Offices of Christ rs prophet. king and
,,,,lyp in h.