The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-07

Thirty Thou6asd Children In the sum
0sy Schools. w


The development OF Japan rs the wonder OF
the age. While the new regime nominally
dates from the victory OF the imper isi troops
over the Shotgun In 1893. tho feudal system
was practically In .force until fully three
years later. 90 that the writer's observation
may bs said TO have covered the whole period
Of the history Of the new government !.
There con be no doubt that there Is new
life IN Japan. The most striking evidence
perhaps. 10 10 DO seen In the new navy, which
IL attracting 80 much attention.
Another evidence OF the new life is seen In
Japans political reforms. Lcss than thirty
years age there was q feudnl government
under which there was little room for per-
sonal freedom. All below tho military class,
constituting about tve per cent Of the popu-
lation. had relatively few rights. They could
not even petition for the removal of abuses
except at the risK Of immediate death. Now
they enjoy a constitutional government which
has already hroadencd out far beyond the
limits prescribed by it's written charter, and
which exhibits decided tendency toward
the British system A judiciary has grown
up before which even the highest officers of
state may hs brought Mt tho instance OF the
humllest citizen.
Japan's system Of education. re-enforced by
practically free press. has given degree Of
homogencity 10 the nation which most foreign
Observers fail to realize.
Japan Is not = Christian nation-far from
1t. The Christiau opuIation is probably not
more than one hair OF ono per cent. CT the
whole; yet what may be called. and is called
even by many non-Christian japanese, Chris
tian sentiment. is acting strongly upon every
department Of life. II has produced an sle
mosyn nary movement OF remarkable power,
which deals with many and variei social
problems, II is represented by by the strong
and most admirably organized Red Cross
Society. q hourishing temperance society. .
prison refuge league. college settlements, hos
pitfalls, dispensaries. orphan asyluns, eto.
The oistinctively religious work has boen
pressed with vigor in Japan, until shere are
nearly 400 Protestant churches scattered all
over the empire, including about 10000 en-
rolled Christians, with over 10000 children in
Sunday schools and over 10000 scholars in
day and boarding schools
1t IL in an important degree because of the
faith OF the Christians. that each individual
stands face to face with his God. that Christian
individuAllsm has gained such currency in
Japan. In spite Of their relatively small
numbers. they are found in the most infiuen-
tial positions In The first Parliament. ont of
300 members Of the lower house, thirteen were
Christians, and among them the speaker and
tho permanent chairman OF the committee Of
the whole. There has been already Chris
tian cabinet minister and a chief justice of
the Supreme Court. The Christians are found
in disproportionate numbers in the Imperial
University. both among professors and stu
dents Among the countless dailies OF Japan
some six or eight arc callsd "the great pa
pers" or these so ca led ''Rreat papers," not
less than three were last autumn published
under Christian auspices. The great eharita-
HE movements. while by no means exclu-
sively, are vet largely under Christian con-
trol.-.kev. Daniel Q. Greene In Les.is's
Weekly.