The Hawaiian gazette., 1897-06-11
WORK AMONG JAPANESE.
Christianizing Influence OF the
Missionaries.

Missionaries.
Rev. Mr.. Uyida, of the Japanese
Church, Hilo, spoke enthusiastically at
the meeting of the Evangelical Associ-
alton Thursday,Io the work among the
Japanese in the Islands. He said in
part:
The Hawaiian Republic is not very
large as compared with Australia or
Japan. But her name is widely known
throughout the civilized world. 1t is
not because we have the great vol
canoes of Haleakala and Kilauea,
neither is it the valuable sugar indus
try. The Hawaiian flag is respected
today everywhere, because of its Chris
tianity which was planted here by the
early missionaries from America.
In the year 1920, the first American
missionaries came to these islands with
sympathy and love, and they soon won
the love of the Hawaiian natives; as it
is the natural law that if one loves
others, the others will return the love.
These early fathers were simply the
helpers and advisers of the natives.
They worked hard, and died on these
islands, death no less heroic than
those of Christian martyrs in the old
days.
/ wish the sons OF these honorable
fathers would do the same as their old
fathers did, namely, help the helpless
and pity the dying nation, and build
up the kingdom of Christ. But if
they have a petty idea of race preju-
dinp fhnU hn fhnir-
ors nor true Hawaiian citizens.
A small heather island with a pop
ulation of many different nationali-
ties, is very apt to have race struggles
and prejudice. But in highly Christian
lied islands like the Hawaiian, there
should not be any such prejudice For
although the color of skin is different,
vet we, the people are the same human
beings who live nowhere else but on
this one small planet beneath the mar
velous sky, and with one Fatherhood
of God.
Though the country is called the
Paradise of the Pacific" yet on these
islands, we have many fallen angels.
Among the narrow minded sons of
Hawaii, the race prejudice is very
strong; especially against the Japa-
nese, so called by them as Gaps" The
abbreviation "Japs," itself is not very
my ear. Suppose I should
call them "Ames." or "Engs." instead
of calling them Americans or English
men, they would not feel very happy.
So with us, indeed! "All things what
soever ye would that men should do
to you, do We even so to them" was
not their Masters teachings? They
give receptions and banuuets to the
Japanese because they were the Gov |
eminent officers and newspaper edit
ors; and kicked the others. because
they were the poor farmers and la
borers? Injustice, indeed!
At first, the emigration of japanese
to Hawaii was the result of a desire for
laborers on the part of the Hawaiian
Government. For some time the Mika-
DO refused to listen to any such propo-
but afterward. it was granted |
by the authorities Since then the Ha-
waiian plantations have greatly bene-
ited by these cheap, yet remarkably |
intelligent laborers. These men have |
worked most faithfully for the nation
III IHuuSlry OF faWa1l over u years.
And now, for the return favor, did
these good Orientals ever get any gold |
medal from Hawaii? 7 doubt it. breth-
rem! But I shall frankly say that the
Japanese, on the other hand. got spir-
itual good from the heroic act of the |
Hawaiian Evangelical Association. |
The gold medal is worth nothing |
against the shining golden cross of
Christ Jesus We. the japanese evan |
gelists under the Hawaiian Board, |
have preached the good tidings to these |
laborers, from time to time. and have |
given them the word of God, and edu-
waited them both in direct and indirct |
ways. Hundreds of them have been
washed from their sins, and baptized in
the name of the Christian God.
Brethren, your work is we'll done.
May God bless you. The Empire of
Japan and the Hawaiian Republic must
be forever united in the bonds of
Christian love.