New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-05-29

viction OF sin" can by an experienced missionary
skilled in the art. working on the supersu'pus
fears Of hts subject. be aroused without nh1
serious trouble But the japanese 10 an ALTO
gcther different person TO deal with. III the
missionary Informs him that ne has committed
various horrible crimes against the superna'urAI
Powers To whom he owes reverence. ne mercy
laughs good -humoredly. and is not in the least
distracted from the Consideration Of the mum
dane questions that alone interest him IL ~ Tor
this reason that the japanese Christian convert
liz felt even by enthusiastic missionaries. 10 Do
hardly worth the money and pains that are
spent To obtain him. The most important proc
uct 81 missionary activity In japan .he i'"su-
isha College OF kyoto. has quite recently. thoush
wishing still to style Itself Christian b"uy.
completely severed It's connection with IN" mis-
sonary organization that founded H. rms step
was taken on account OF the quite reasonable re-
nu.st made hy the missionary body that the
college should openly pledge ITSELF 10 oeiei
In ,hos. few dogrnas that are accepted by chris
,ians OF ali denominations ak" as the very
foundation OF Christianity. II Is sufficiently ob-
vious that without "A belief In the existence of
God In the Immortality Of the soul. ana III the
divinity Of Christ there can be no question OF
"A belief. in the Christian sense. IT SIN ana To
d.mption by temperament merely. apart from
education the attitude OF the average Japanese
toward these questions Is that OF the scienthc
Agnostic He regards them as matters out
side tn. domain Of reasonable inquiry.
uEIow THE WEST IN MENTAL ENERGY.
Fourth Great mental energy IL n distinct at
Criminals But III it's very highest forms II IL
not yet "A common phenomenon IN Japan. I'd
s.rvation convinccs me that the average men
tai energy in Japan ~ grade or TWO below
that in Germany England or the United states
rms impression is one that cannot be- proved:
I, ia hardly even susceptible " clear statement:
hut such AZ II IL. II is. | believe common 10
re,rly all competent and independent observers
in J,pan The Japanese To some extent lack
energy and initiative. and run more readily IN
a grave than W,strrncrs do and this trait III
noticc,bl, quite a. much In the younger men
as /, those OF matire age. who may naturally
n. sunpnsed TO be under the spell Of the change
I.ss traditions Of the Tokugawa regime But
hero can be no doubt that in the possession OF
mental energy the Japanese excel other Orien-
tails I'm "A degree far greater than that IN which
tb.v are themselves cxcelled by the leading
peoples Of the West
Fifth Powers Of prolonged and concentrated
,nnIjcation are | think. exhibited by exceptional
Ianancse to an extent not surpassed even IN
cermany But my experience OF Japanese stu
DENTS does not lead me to regard IT as very
nr.dnuinant general characteristic. This quail
i,v however u.s. like the last. possessed In
dcrrce quite sufficient to bring about rapid so
cial progress. .,. -.
~. more need be added to what has been said
have recently exhibited great commercial en-
tornrise. but they could hardly have failed to
do an I'm "A country in which the interest on cap
itaI invested In commercial undertakings Is
usually not less than 10 Ger cent. and at times