The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1897-10-05

came moral law? Why Is right right, |
and wrong wrong? Are they merely /
matters of social custom? These are
vital questions, recognized by many |
thoughtful Japanese. The rising gen. |
Grafton in their progress We laqdsare |
refusing to sit longer at the fees of |
Confucius. Chinaman, as well as |
because many of his teachings are
wholly unsuited to the new Industrial |
and democratic and individual age. |
Neither Buddhism no Confucianism fur |
nish valid theoretic foundations for |
moral law. The thoughtful and earnest |
among Japanese educators and moral |
lists are seriously searching for such
foundations.
The present tendency among the edu-
Gated is to take refuge in the Shinto
doctrine OF the divine descent of the
imperial line, and the rest the author
ity of the moral law on the edict of the |
Emperor. Thus are the four and one
half million school children being
taught today. Manifestly, however,
this theory will no longer answer the
national needs. Science will not long
leave the divine descent of theeroyal
house untouched. When the masses of
the people come to realize that the
emperor is only man like the rest of
us, they will demand some more con-
elusive answer than they now have to
the question why man must not steal,
nor lie. nor kill. Moral law cannot ulti-
mately exist in the mere ipse dixit of
any man, nor on the mere might of the
government. Only when moral law is
traced back to it's ultimate source in
the final reality behind the phenomenal
universe, to the character of God made
known to us by Jesus Christ, only then
will it secure full belief and loyal ac-
ceptance.
| ". Now it is the tracing back of the
moral law to it's source in the very
character of God himself that insures
| the complete Identification of religion
and morals. According to the Christian
conception. true religion is impossible
! if separated from the moral life. No
murderer, no liar, no impure person,
no oppressor of the poor, no one living
only and wholly selfish life, can be
possibly counted a true Christian, or
be thought fit or able to render worship
acceptable to God. No pagan religion
| Identifies in it's fullness, religion and
morals. In Japan, as in ancient Greece
and Rome, a man is no less a religious
man and may with perfect acceptance
worship the gods, who has transgress-
ed all the moral laws. / can take you
to a temple in Osaka where the harlots
worship, and with good consciences
pray the gods to prosper their business,
and give thanks to the same with
votive offerings.
But with the incoming tide of Chris
tian thought and ideals this state of
things is beginning to pass away.
Moral life is beginning to be consider
ed an essential element of genuine re-
ligion. In this Identification of ethical
with religious life consists the great
fructifying and vitalizing power of the
Christian faith which so peculiarly fits
i it to be the religion of a high civiliz-
alton. 1t alone is able to grapple with
] the temptations civilization multiplies
both in number and in destructive
power; it alone can render the coming
in to the orient of the western civiliz-
alton genuine blessing instead of q
blasting curse. Even in Christendom
civilization seems to be curse to
multitudes. how much more so in
non-Christian lands?
;. V. Yet still further, Christ comes to
Japan to fulfill the old religions by
. the gift of a larger conception of life
of it's purpose and aim. He brings
likewise new methods and principles
; of worship. Among those who have
felt more or less powerfully the infiu-
ence of Christianity we hear no more
the magical, the mechanical and the
repetitious prayers. The prayer whee
ceases to turn. The mystical syllables
are no longer muttered. No longer are
charms resorted to for compelling the
! help of the gods. No longer do young
men seek to become holy by followins
the example of Buddha, who deserted
his wife and infant child to seek fol
enlightenment and salvation. In place
of all these forms and ceremonies
comes practical worship in which
emphasis is placed on daily life. The
essence of religion is no longer incense
but service; not separation from the
, world, but a loving life in it. The re.
!; ligion of the realistic optimist, Christ
is substituted for that of the idealistit
. pessimist, Buddha.
4 VI. The great deficiency OF all the
ethnic religions, however, is not Sc
much their lack of ideals, but of power;
) they have neither the doctrine nor the
experience of the Holy Ghost, and con
sequently they know nothing of the
repentance or conversion. Now these
, are pivotal in the attainment of the
, highest and noblest living, and ever
, for the attainment and realization il
, actual life of the other ideals of thu
ethnic religions In the gift, therefore
: Of the Holy Spirit, Christ, in a mos
{ vital respect, fulfills the native relfg
!, ions. He enables them to realize their
own ideals. What the world needs to.
day, heather and Christian alike. is
, the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But
| this comes from and through Christ
and from Christ alone.
| have spoken of the native religions
, of Japan as preparing the way for the
coming of the Kingdom Of Christ tt
{ the Japanese in the same way as. the
J Jewish religion prepared the way fol
Christ's coming to the Hebrews of old
} I wish to be clearly understood. The
, evidence is conclusive that the pre-.
Christian development of the ethnit
religions, whatever the land or people
. is not for a moment to be compared
, with the pre-Christian development Of