New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-22
SELECTIONS FROM THE NAIL.
PRESBYTERIANIsM IN JAPAN.

The Tribune of November g. :. gnel SlOr klto. and
entitled "Prcsbytersnlsm In japan" Had tho let
tar appeared japan. where tle facts aAd the per
sous are known. ~ rery would have been needed;
but appearing In this country. the i different
II Mr.. Kaio's stltemr alo" Il 10 plsf WIZ
ON contradiction injustice may b. done both 10
tn mission the PrcHoyt. rian end Reformed
churches AMI a.so t. the Church OF Christ IN Japan.
! Therefore speak 4 w1rl In behalf " n, absent.
Man OF Mr.. kato's statements are 50 eNt:aYasant
as Almost L, carry with them their own relu;ation.
He says:
the majority Of the Church not only symplthize
with the higher criticism. bit openly insist upon
the fl,ibiy OF tho Holy B.b.c. /, even proposes
10 revise the hymn-book - a. TO have It's hymno. ~
conform to It's theology The commi;tc" appointed
IN tAe asst synod ~ composed 81 its liberal men
The deposition from the ministry OF the Ktvs.
Naomi Tanura and H. lshawara thu later without
a trial. is nothing more than scheme q drive out
the orthodox brethren" The cont sson of Faith
has ope ned the door soclni. niSm." "rnr under
standing Of ,he Synod when the Confesslpn ~ ac-
ccptoi that various grades If an'l-Trniiar'ani
may be received into thu CAurch" "rni'uDtsdiy
The proposition TO adop; he Apostles creed was Il
pous schsm" under cover OF Il different tht ).ogy
ihIn what appears on the face" TN chhrcA'
except a snail portion ~ tho church government.
has entirely worn ont the Presbyterian garment
The Mei GlSuin, ar institute supported by the
Dutch Il formed AMI the American Presbyterian
81
In Japan" There are number Of ministers "Ao
eager sock the restoration II sound doctrine
Yet unfortunately they are unpopular win tho MS
sonarie" with few exceptions"
All OF these statements pass the bounds % trutA;
some Of them are simply imaginary. Take oX-
amp'"' those regarding the hymn book, and the depo-
stlon from the ministry Of Messrs. lamura and
Ishiwara. have inquired OF japanese friend.
quite well Informed regarding the movements In
the Charch Mr. Kate and tn" only purpof" IN
the revision Of tho hymn book that h. knows Of l.
the addition OF rcw hymns and the literary improve
mont OF OIL on's The committe" appointed - the
work arr Dr Ncrlcck. Mr.. MacNair. Mr. T0gawa
and an elder whCse nam. do not recall The
reasons for the selection of this committee clear
Or Ncrh"ck and Mr. ToGlwa are chosen b,ctus" of
their literary skill. Nj MicNair for his knowledge
Of music II j. Of intores; to adj that Dr. Norb.ck
is ono ~ thu missionari,. whom Mr.. klto expressly
excludes from tho number ~ thos' who are pre-
julccl against ministers holding evangelical views
The deposition Of Mr.. Yamura from the ministry
may fairy Ice regarded As ton severe O. penalty for
the offence charged This w. tn" impression mad
upon tho mieeoniric AMI Was the view express u
10y th.n t. the synod. hu, Mr.. Yamura'- orthodoxy
had nothing whatever 10 DO with th, matter No
action vas taken hy the miss. naries in IN" case
OF Mr. Ishivarl. Not because the circumstances
were not known. for some OF the missionaries such
men a. Drs Nrrbeck AMI IT, mps1m wcrr members
OF tho prrsbyiery that doposcl him. bat for o'h"r
reasons Mr.. 1shiwara was l.poscd NOT because me-
was evangelical in his Theology hui baclric b. was
guilty Of adultery.
There are tno statements in Nh Kato's letter OF
which he makes much and which are extremely
misleading
IL u.s. ,ru" that ia iso tho church newspaper al
voraiel revision o., The Confession of Faith. /
presume Nj kato's quotation Is correct. W" pro-
lounlly regret tho effort To import foreign IDEAS
and any willingness to swallow them. The stand
lt,~f and N.-f ID for
are not needed In Japan" Hu, when Mr. Kato
suegests that the position OF the paper that ot
raiionnlism. BE- suggests what * not true. What
/ the paper stood FOR VAS a short simple creel. to
De accepted by ministers nnd people alike
II Is also true that IN ls,'-@ wave oi rational
Ism swept over japan. Nor sill it be- denied that
it occasloncI great ANXIETY and wrought much
| harm bur IL Is not tru" that the Presbyterian
! Church was submerged. The only minister in the
entire body who departed from the faith was MIR.
Kato himself H. united With the Uniiaraus
Mr. Kafo comes before IN, church as one a.; 4
nt,lr band who are seeking for "a restoration OF
the truth In Japan" These faithful orthodox
brethren are making e move 10 organic" pure
Prcsly terrain church" Tho hrsi ste. ia this ad
vance t. a criticism % IN" sent Confession OF,
Faith. This Confession Mr. Kato describes AS
"thoroughly autngoni-tic 10 the standards OF The
Presbyterian church Perhaps 10 would bee suii-
Client 20 say iu reply that this is the reed upon
which two years ago the church cordially
welcomed to Membership ia the Alliance o. Re-
formed Churches holding the Presbyterian system
But Mr. kafo's criticism 81 ~" Creed be valuable"
a. casting shi upon his accuracy and trustworih-
ness ~ other uutt"rs n" says
The creed speakf Of tn" Lord Jcsus christ
nrmatiye- statement on the divinity OF our Lord
ginning Of a scntenrc The entire scutruc, is as
follows. The Lord Jesus christ whom SO Worship
as God. the only b..oticu son OF God for us men
and for our salvation Vas made man and surcrr! .
There iH not hluE fpilfi tlilS the CIV NE
personality 90 the Holy Ghost" The words OF the
m. Holy Ghost VINO with TIE Fathcr ana the
son Is ~ot-hrpgd and sGt'ted r'grals Jys ,,
in which 20 express tho truth?
3 The statement y perfect sacrifice for sin
does not represent that a Vi'arous atoncment was
made through The Lords crucliAion II IS UIc
pear. but II Is Ik"".s" tru" mat m" 'rrrH 'ets
forth In simple language n" evangelical truth oi
/ tion. The sentence reads .lic offered ny prr'rrt
sacrifice for sin. and all who are one WIN Him by
faith are pardOncI and accounted righteous
T. NO definite reference IS made 10 tho corruption
of human nature The creed says. 'Thc Holy
shipped and elorined. reveals Jesus Christ TO the
soul and without His grace man being dead In SIN
- The Confession does not recognize the divn"
authority Of The Hiblc. ON this point thr statement
| prophets and apostles and hoy men of ODD were In
sGred: an4 IIe s!cakns IN hr scriptures OF ' ne
faiible Judge In all things pertaining unto faiih
But t. the intelligent reading Of Mr. Ka,o's letter
II Is necessary that one b. acquainted with b ~
history As already tatei. when the wave Of ra-
tionaiism swept Japan Mr. Kdto became "A
Unitarian and entered the employment Of the tn.-
tartan Mission. IT. order t. take this step he re-
qucsted that his name Doe dropped from the roll or
the presbytery Of Toxic. That request was granted
with ali courtesy. When. however. ~ d"cldeI To
Apply for readmsslon to the Church.c he ill not
present his Application 20 the presbytery OF TOXIC,
I, which he had formerly belonged and within
whose bounds he resided but to another one sit
uatcd At distance. His admission hy that presoy.
terry was regarded BY the % sbytery If Toxic not
only ~ An act lacking In courtesy. but also ~ one
Imperillng the order and faith Of the Church Il
was thought that II minister abIrl)nng the church
to embrace tniiaranism should appcT before his
cd prcsbytcry and satisfy II that he was az asst
really established In the faiin Tn" preshytery Of
Toxic therefore declined to recognize Mr. kao a. IA
minister until confer could be had with tn"
presbyiery which received him. OF AT Least uhil the
reccption II official notice u bis admission rms
excited Mr. Kato's anger. and led To a vru"ni at