The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-08-01
The Outlook for Orthodoxy IN the Great
Empire Not Good.
New York sur


New York sur.
Ii Is very natural that the japanese
CHRISTIANS should want 70 break away
from sas lsa1izs strings Of the mission
aries oE the American board and run
their churches AID schools IN heir own
way. TEelr successful war with China.
waxea without fcrsiga help. has Guilt
waited and stimulated their spirte OF self
deDsussacs anu seil-xatiSfActioa. and
they no LONGER feel the need +of The
leadership and the guidance OF the
American missionaries.
Such A consequence OF the development
OF Japanese civilization ought % be te-
garaed with satisfaction BY The American
board. instead OF provoking IN : oppo-
sf.son II not resentment IN the first
Mace. the cost Of maintaining the mis-
sionaries IS large, amounting 30 $4,000
a wear aud If the japanese get along
without such foreign aid the money can
he nut 10 use elsewhere in heaihendem-
Narrower a Christian movement pusne1
forward BY the Japanese themselves is
much more likely TO be successful than
a missionary enterprise conducted by for
eggnsrs whose interference the newly
aroused and aggressive national senti-
~. ~ me people looks upon as I'M
vyarrantahle Interference They nave
learned the lessons OF Western ana
(,b~jstisn civilization very rapidly, ana
Ia yfr
Tsx,,s the thoroughness with which they
80 nro6ted by the instruction, they
,.ov zeal humiliated by being treated as II
.sov required 20 be kept under MISSION
az tutelage They regard themselves
.he great asiatic power, and they reel
co-,neteut 10 direct the course or OrlshtAi
egviIszs ton instead of remaining as VAS
saig ~ The civilization Of the West
So, ,tLo1v christianity would undergo
= - f5rgaffon in Japan IL IL were LETT 10
~, .or+r,oF,sl by japanese influences of1S'
-, s,s growth would be natural and no
lay,,-ar artificial il IS probable thdt Il
,sn',,5 he affected by the disposition 10
rtantfnal inquiry which distinguishes me
educated Japanese mind. It's genera prlh-
riuIes OF morality rather than US lneoi'es
would probably be propagated. But SO
-, in christendom is that the present
sa,ssncv The American board Is the
80, Consresatfonal missionary organlza-
eto, and for several years past ~ mas
49,, Sist,,rbed by the distrust OF the Old
Is,,rttap Theology which Is prevalent
among the Congregationallsts ana the
Preshyterians also. Applicants ior eOiu-
,,,fsSions as missionaries have beeh re-
$3.50 because they had no fixed theologi-
al belief 20 preach to the heaihen, ara
~ conSeouence has been the estrange-
,oant from the American boaN OF lhe
,,,anv ministers and churches In sympathy
with their doubts.
II is questionable. therefore, whether the
Jananese Christians themselves would not
,9aintafn the standard of orthodoxy as
vel as II would be kept up by the gradu-
afes Of skepticai theological seminafles
whom the American board is likely 10 SEM
nm, as missionaries in the future Ihese
schools are cultiyating in their students
n critical spirit similar to that wnich pre-
yag,s among the japanese. Ihey are
reaching them to distrust the authority OF
the Rible. and consequently of every doc
sriua and every dogma upon which thris-
IAN theology Ia founded. Really these
Candidates for the ministry have no more
faith than the skepucal Japanese. VINO
ara attracted rather by Western science
than Western theology.
daputation is soon TO start Tor japan
an behalf OF the American board. 70 use
EFFORTS to bring back the rebeEious Chris
tiana To missionary control. 1t is com
POSED OF four members, and the cost OF
sending il thither must be large. but !,
the missionaries who are on the ground
ana understand the situation cannot bring
the Japanese to terms and overcome their
rn,lattence with foreign interference, now
can these strangers hope TO do any better!
The wise policy, 1t seems, would be 70 en-
courage the Japanese TO throw or depen-
5anca ON foreign missionary aid.