San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1897-05-31
WHILE THE RATIONALISTIC
WAVE IS RAPIDLY RECEED-
ING FROM THE COUNTRY.
Once Nervous Missionaries Are Now
Resting Easy, Assured That
Japan Is Embracing The
Christian Religion Al
tritutei To The War.

New York, May 31.-Reports of an
encouraging nature concerning the pro-
gress of Christian missions in Japan
have been received by the American
board. Much anxiety has been felt re-
garding the work in Japan. State
ments from missionaries for some
years had been to theeffect that the
Christian religion was losing its foot
holdthere and that the Japanese, as
they became better educated in the
arts and sciences, were becoming ra-
-tionalistic. 81. E
Differences had also arisen between
the native Christians and the mission
aries relative to the teachings in the
schools and colleges and 1t was finally
found necessary for the American
board to order its missionaries and
teachers to withdraw from many of
the institutions of charming which had
been built for partially supported by
mission funds.
When the situation became particu-
larly serious, about two years ago, the
American board sent a liquidation Of
distinguished clergymen to Japan to
make a careful investigation into the
actual condition Of affairs. The report
Of the department was hardly less en-
couraging than those from their mis-
sionaries, but 1t was decided to still
retain their missionaries on the field for
time at least.
John r. Mott, representative of the
Worlds Student Christian Federation
has just completed a thorough canvass
of the present state Of affairs from one
end to the other, and in the course Of
his report has this to say: ."The ra-
tionalistic whica have SHAOININNN
tionalistic wave which has done so
much to chill the life and enthusiasm
of the Japanese church during the last
few years, is recediHg. The ultra-ra-
tionalistic feeling, which had handi-
capped aggressive missionary effort
is giving way. Since the war the signs
of encouragement have greatly multi.
piled. The war itself, as nothing else
could have done, has demonstrated
that Christians are not unpatriotic.
The attitude of government officials is
therefore becoming increasingly favor
able to Christianity. The people are
beginning to realize the need of moral
anc religious culture and the Budd-
HlSiH anu COuIuClOuSlSIl are HOI SUI
ficient. ay III
Christianity has acquired a pres.
tige altogether out of proportion to the
length of it's hosiery and number of
it's adherents. Although on the one
hand there are about 10000 Christians
and on the other millions of Buddhists
the two religions are spoken of as
equal, but where any distinction is
made among educated men 1t is more
frequently in favor of Christianity. In
no non-Christian country are students
and thinking men so accessible to the
influences of Christianity. Wherever
you go you find the people willing to
hear the gospel The Oldest workers
told us that not for many years have
the people been so eager to hear ear
nest evangelical preaching.
The Japanese church is better pre-
pared than ever before in it's history
for large and safe work. 1t is show
ing great dissatisfaction with ultra
liberal thought and has already be-
come aggressive and practically less
progressive. The impression seems to
be general that the tide has at last
turned and that Japan is about to wit
ness another general spiritual move
ment like the one of teh last decade"