The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1895-08-03

makes for righteousness"
Mr.. Nagano goes to Sendai to take the
place of Mr.. Yoshimura who goes to
Osaka, Mr.. ODE of Osaka coming to the
Universalist chapel in Tokyo. Mr.. Kusu-
noki remains in Tokyo as general assist
ant at the Central Church and will also
supply at Holden. one of our out-stations.
Mr.. Fujito goes to Shizuoka to work
with Mr.. Yamada, our pastor who is al
ready there; Mr.. Satoh to Osaka to be
fellow worker with Mr.. Yoshimura
Only one new center has been established
this year, that at Lukuoka, it being be-
lieved better policy to strengthen our
centers already established and arrange
fringes OF preaching stations around
them. We should also put our young
men for year or two to work with our
already settled and more experienced
pastors; then select those who manifest
the most effective ability for promo
ton to more important positions. Per
haps this plan of having young men
serve year or twO's apprenticeship
with some successful pastor might not
be bad idea for America. 1t might
be even more valuable than the same
time spent in a theological school. l
shall not forget the benefit received
from few days spent in the company
of that ideal pastor, DR.. Tuttle, of Min
neapolis, as he went about his pastoral
work. 1t has always been help to me.
The summer here has been very cool
and comfortable so far and those who
go to the mountains are not in haste to
get away. The health of this city of
10000 900 people is good, and the Gov
eminent is taking 80 stringent sanitary
cautions on account of danger of chol-
era. that we feel no alarm whatever.
We have heard of the arrival in Ameri-
ca of Mr.. Cate and family. We trust
that they will receive the warm welcome
they deserve. If there ie man who de-
serves the description "conscientiously
faithful" that man is Mr.. Gate. 1t was
heavy burden he had to bear after DIR.
Perrin left and Mr.. Rice was ill and was
also obliged to go to America, and
though himself and family suffered
much from sickness, he shouldered the
burden nobly and carried it we'll. He is
the stuff that good missionaries or good
soldiers are made of.
| We hear from Mr.. Rice that he ex-
poets to return in September. for which
we earnestly pray. We need him here
| and his heart is in the work. The men,
bers of the mission really need. for bet
ter results, to have more time and op-
portunity for the study of the language
and the people than the duties which
have hitherto pressed upon them could
! possibly permit. / have had very little
opportunity to study the language and
know only few words which have al
most unavoidably acquired. Many of
| the missions of other denominations re-
| quire the time of their missionaries for
the first three years to be given chiefly
to study of the language. This may not
be possible; with US, yet certainly more
opportunity should be allowed. Perhaps
what have written may enable some of
our friends who ask for long descriptive
letters concerning the people, their Ian
| guage, habits, manners, customs, laws,
social, moral and religious conditions.
government. currency ETC., to understand
the difficulty l find in complying with
their requests. Some have written ask
ing for set of Japanese postage stamps,
without even enclosing stamp for
rely. l cannot undertake this bust
ness unless / establish bureau for that
purpose, which have not yet been able
to see my way clear to do.
Our friends in America who are in
favor of the Mission must not be impa
tent for quick results. They must re-
mem Der the years that it has taken to
convert our own race and how far Chris
tian lands even yet are from being truly
Christian. Remember how slow home
missionary work is and often times how
discouraging. 1t is many times more
difficult here where the thoughts OF the
people for SO many centuries have run
in other channels. II those who are
charmed by the praises of heathenism
which they hear in America only knew
the facts they would cease to be charmed.
Buddha and Co lfucius were undoubted-
ly wise and good men and taught some
admirable things which it were good for
all to heed. But Buddhism in japan, to
the upper classes who profess it, is the
philosophy of atheistic nihilism. They
teach there is no reality about anything,
much like the Christian Scientists of a
certain school, These Buddhists hold
that even the Buddhas themselves have
no reality.-are mere illusion. There is
no real existence they are mere phan
tasmagoria passing through the mind.
The lower classes are polytheistic, pan
theistic and theistic-all varieties prob
ably, varying in the degrees of their
faith and unfaith all the way from these
philosophical unrealists to people sunk
in all the superstitions of the lowest
class of Roman Catholics. 1t is indeed
strange, this union of atheism, panthe-
ism, polytheism and idolatry. and yet
with all this, are many excellent practi