New-York tribune., 1896-02-02
rnRLNIlN MLSNLO\N ~ LlPlN.

I'or same years rrporis have reached this cOun-
try that The American m,sionari", in Japan and
the native converts to Christianity have not been
entirely in accord These reports finally de-
cdcl the American Board last year - send 4
dcpuiarion 10 Japan. who>' duty il should Ice
10 make thorough and impartial investigation,
and report their conclusions to th" Bolrd. Eh'
gentlemen chosen for This task were The Rev
Dr., James l.. Barton. :, rrtary in charge ot
the Ilplncsc Mission: James g. Johnson. of Chi
caso: Amory IL Bradford. oi Montrlair. y. j.
and William T. Ellison. II member of the Boards
Prudrnfia! Committee. These gentlemen. who
nrr not omly representatives Congrc.1tionalists,
hu. possessed If special qualifications for the
work they were appointed to do. were instructed
10 inuuir" into the tenure II property. III" man-
a.cmcnt of various institutions in which the
Board /, Interested. and the best methods for
tho future prosecution of Christian cvlnsclzl-
iion in cooperation with the native churches.
The dcpuralou went to Japan, madc the In
vcsieaton along the lines Indicated and has
now presented it, report 10 the Prudential Com
mi'tcc II the Board. II is a voluminou- docu-
mont: but the questions involved nrr 81 intimate
Is related 10 the whole work Of foreign mis-
.ions a, prosecuted by tho various christian
hv All christians in this country. As tp the
property owned by the Board in Japan. it ap-
prnrs that Il serious question has arisen in r'-
gard io lis title. Under the present law "f
Japln no property can hr hcl by foreigner.
II was therefore necessary 10 deed II I" native
Japanr>c CONGREGATIONAL Christians; bu' IN
some eases. At least. no explanation was made
in the deed Of gift as To the purposes for whch
The gft was made and such property Is in Dan
per II Is said Of being wholly lost To Christian
uy This Is especially true of the property held
bv fhc Doshi>ha University and the kumlmoto
school While these and other native inStitu-
tions holding property purchased by the con
| ,rilu,ions Of the Board avow themselves rs
Christian. they arc unwilling TO limit the mean
! inc of thc word "Chrstinn" bv the evangelical
tests accented bv the Board This Is one Of the
most serious points at issue. The national spirit
that has 50 profoundly stirred Japan in recent
years has been ai work among the native Japan
c,c Christians. and has inspired them with
desire to cut loose from the tutcllgc Of all for
| clpn missionary boards. While they are CRATE
! ful to Western Christianity for lis fostering care
| in the past. they believe that the time has now
come for the development Of Il Japanese type
Of christianity. Such a type Of Christianity.
thcy conceive ought To receive its theological
coloring from The people for whom II is intend
cd and not from foreigners. who themselves
colorcd the primitive Gospel of Christ To suit
| their own peculiar circumstances
If j.. This desire for a national religion In Japan.
rather than any question rs To property. that
ro,y coufronts all the foreign missionaries Ia
boring in Japan. As to how that question shall
la. no
+, say: for it received no authority TO discuss
II Eut in "A guarded way it recognizes the rcl-
sonablcncss of the native Japanese Christian
| rniut ~ view I'VE cannot expect" ii says
.,bat the Japanese Christians will hold al the
.,rticlrs Of our faith in precisely the same way
.,h,t they are held in New-England. d.
"Tbcrc is II strong tendency among some Of
~tncm to investigate for themselves many of the
.fundamcnti principles of christianity which
Eve have regarded rs settled: and during these
investigations they decline - accept hs anthor-
| .totiyc any Of the crerds of Chrlstendom .
AS in every country into which the GoSpr! en-
.,nrs the exact forms which some phases OF cX-
"trrnal Christianity a>>iim" viii be peculiar to
.,hot country so must we expect 10 find in
altman This is wise and SiateSmanlikc
,;,,v of the matter. and will do much 10 quiet
| ,h, alarm Of Americans. who have heard vague
| r.uorts of the falling away from the faith Of
n,tive Japanrse Christians The deputation has
| ,ound that with the exception of few leaders
| ,, I<umi-Ai or native churches hold The funda-
| n,,I hcIicfs Of Christianity. ard that all they
desire is to rccast those beliefs i'll such way
os to make them more acceptable 10 the people
of Japan
In conclusion. the dcpuiaion recommends that
| rho Board continue 10 prosccut" It's work along
rho same general lines that 1t has adopted in the
nast. While It recognizes the fact of desire
for independence on the part OF some native
| Christians it declares that the time has not yet
| come when the evangelization OF Japan may be
safely or wisely left to the native churches